Camera Phones: Pictures from Anywhere

Camera cell phones provide fun ways of taking and sending pictures in a flash. In fact, these entertaining little gadgets are redefining how people communicate and take pictures. Every day, people are discovering more and more unique ways to take advantage of the distinct features of camera cell phones.

First Camera Phone
In 1997, Philippe Kahn invented the very first camera phone to take pictures of his daughter’s birth.

However, the Sharp Corporation, a Japanese based company, was first in producing camera phones that were available commercially by 2000. Camera cell phones were an immediate success: by 2003, thirty million Japanese people had discovered the joy of camera phone pictures. By this time, camera phones had become common worldwide.

How Camera Phones WorkCamera cell phones don’t work exactly like normal cameras. The cell phone’s display screen takes the place of a viewfinder on a traditional camera. To take the picture, a photographer must hold down a button on the camera phone. The exact button depends on the make and model of the phone.

Early camera phones produced poor quality pictures that had very low pixelresolution. Similarly, the pictures taken with these original models took up a large amount of the cell phone’s memory, meaning that only a few pictures could be stored on the phone. However, as technology has advanced over the years, cell phone cameras can store more pictures that are of significantly better quality.

Today, most camera phones produce megapixel images. In fact, high-end camera phones can offer resolutions that are as high as eight megapixels. While the increase in internal memory space has allowed users to store more pictures, alternative methods of storing camera phone pictures have also increased a camera’s capacity to store photos. Some of the options include:

• email services that send pictures to other camera phones, personal computers or online photo album
• removable memory cards.

Like digital cameras, camera cell phones drain battery power quickly. Yet, continual advances in camera phone and cellular technology are producing longer-running batteries, making the phones even more attractive to consumers.

Camera Phone CostsThe cost of camera phones depends on the model you purchase and on your cellular service provider. Camera cell phone prices range from $130 to over $600. Higher-end camera phones not only take pictures, but also play music and capture live video. Often, cell phone service providers (such as Sprint, Cingular or Verizon) offer rebates on these types of phones for new customers. This can significantly reduce the cost of such higher-end phones.

Camera Phone AdvantagesCamera phone pictures have many advantages. Unlike the bulky cameras carried by professional photographers, a cell phone camera is small, light and easy to carry. Having it constantly on hand means that you’ll be able to take a picture whenever a photo opportunity arises.

While some people take pictures with their camera phones for fun, many others have discovered practical uses for camera phone pictures. A common example is a person shopping for anything from dollar store items to furniture or even an apartment rental. The shopper can send pictures to a spouse or roommate to get a second opinion or approval.

Camera cell phones have also found applications in security and safety. Crimes in progress have been captured with camera phone pictures. Amateur photojournalists have caught breaking news stories on their camera phones. Similarly, if you’re involved in a minor collision, you can instantly take pictures of the damage done to each car.

Businesses also use camera cell phones in a practical manner to aid in communication. Using a camera phone, companies quickly transmit images that must be seen immediately by people in another office.

Camera Phone ProblemsAlthough human ingenuity has found many uses for camera phones, the technology has also been used for negative purposes. One underhanded way camera cell phones have been used is in cases of espionage. Both government spies or people planning to steal the secrets of another company have been able to effectively use camera phones to document and swipe top secret information. In fact, Singapore bans the use of camera cell phones in areas of national security.

Other negative uses of camera phones include voyeurism (with the added problem that peeping toms can immediately disseminate camera phone pictures online).

Concerns have been raised that the unscrupulous use of camera phones could result in invasion of privacy. For this reason, both Japan and South Korea have a law that a camera phone must make a clearly audible noise to alert people when a picture is taken.

A camera phone can also be used to discreetly take pictures in areas where pictures are forbidden. Unauthorized camera phone pictures are a matter of concern in museums, art galleries and other such areas where the flash of the picture can harm the piece on display.

For the most part, however, people are using camera phones for the reasons you’d expect: to quickly share special photos with friends and family. The advantages of a camera phone are obvious: no other mode of photography allows people to share pictures so quickly and easily.

Camera Phones In The FutureAs cell phone technology quickly advances, we can expect camera phones to offer even better quality images and additional features. While some camera phones already come equipped with a flash, the more expensive models include video-capturing technology.

If current trends are an indication, the camera phone of the future will include options currently available only in digital cameras. In addition, phones will be equipped with options, such as built in music and video players. Prices will continue to fall as cutting-edge features become standard options.

What’s even more exciting is the fact that all of these features come on a phone that is small enough to fit in a pocket. Camera phones are indeed an incredible achievement that’s changing the world.