Manufacturer: Nokia
Model: N82
Price: Free with a contract, £370 without
www.nokia.co.uk

The Sony Ericsson K850i boasts a substantial 5MP and the type of dedicated camera functionality that hinted at camera phones reaching levels previously only seen in compacts.

The Nokia N82 is the successor to the N95 which was itself a mobile phone offering the functionality of a compact as well as some of the specification, such as renowned Carl Zeiss optics. The N82 takes this specification a step further with the inclusion of a Xenon flash, alongside the aforementioned Carl Zeiss lens.

It’s clear that Nokia is aiming to take on the compact market with the N82.

The camera functionality is offered in an almost separate entity to that of the phone, and the 2.4 inch LCD and almost oversized body means the N82 could easily be mistaken for a compact.

Where a compact camera is dedicated to just one function, and has the processing capabilities to suit, a camera phone has to handle phone operation as well, alongside email, GPS, email, web browsing and so on in the case of the N82.

As a result, operation speeds are slow at best, and image capture and processing can take up to 7 seconds. Dedicated camera buttons, such as an on/off shutter cover, image capture button and gallery button, do take some of the pain out of the capture process, but the overall feel of using it leaves you yearning for a compact.

Image quality, while much improved from the N95, is still way off that of a compact. However, it’s more than adequate for the kind of snaps that the N82 is most probably going to be used for.

Verdict:
While the N82 is a step forward in the camera phone’s pursuit of the compact, there is still a gulf between the two with regards to both use and image quality. However, the gap is closing…

Pros:
Large LCD screen, Carl Zeiss lens and Xenon flash

Cons:
Very sluggish interface, image quality still not comparable to a compact

What Digital Camera Score: 81%