Samsung's 5 megapixel G800 gets launched, available next month

Is it a phone, or is it a camera? Until recently, cameraphones were unquestionably still just phones with chintzy cams tacked on, but it looks like we're finally getting to the point where the lines are truly blurred. Samsung's new G800 slider is now official, packing a 5 megapixel autofocus camera in a rather attractive metallic form; that in itself isn't terribly notable, considering we already have a handful of 5 megapixel handsets on the market. What is notable, though, is the added bonus of a xenon flash and 3x optical (yes, optical) zoom. Heck, from the back, you can barely tell it's a phone at all. Add in the usual goodies like Bluetooth, HSDPA, and a generously sized QVGA display, and Samsung has a winner on its hands -- or at least it would have a winner if only it'd launch stateside. Our far luckier European brethren, meanwhile, can lay their hands on this sucker starting in November for a to-be-determined price.

[Via Unwired View]

[Tony @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:08PM]

Finally, a copycat phone that still looks unique.

Remember, Sony basically invented cellphones that looked like true cameras on the reverse.

[Silas Dahlgaard-Povlsen @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:15PM]

Cool, maybe this could be my new phone! Finally Europe is first ;)

[shaun @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:38PM]

Obviously I can't speak for this phone, but I have a Samsung D900, it has a 3MP camera but the quality is awful.....so more pixels isn't always better.
My friend has a cybershot phone, now there's a camera

[Anthony @ Oct 22nd 2007 1:03PM]

I've read the same about their last 5mp phone/camera attempt on numerous review sites.

Plus Samsung batteries aren't all the great (even when compared to Nokia's latest efforts).

Gotta say though- does look nice.

[Cesar Cardoso @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:45PM]

One less exclusivity of Japanese and Koreans: optical zoom on cameraphones.

[jroc @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:52PM]

This phone looks like a credible competitor to the new Sony's and the new Nokia. It definitely looks more professional.

[lo-kii @ Oct 22nd 2007 1:03PM]

i've been waiting for the technology to catch up. i have been wanting a phone that would be really usable as a decent camera, that isn't terrible at pictures or the size of a VCR. this may be a nice option. i'll be looking forward to it.

[Eric @ Oct 23rd 2007 5:34PM]

I'd hate to be in a position where I'm deciding...should I take a picture of this or save my phone's battery? Flashes are nice, but they're serious energy hogs.

Just like the iPhone, this device would be all the much cooler if you they would partition the battery or separate them alltogether.

[Giu @ Oct 22nd 2007 1:20PM]

I have a K800i and I must say it has performed brilliantly for replacing my "stand-alone" camera in everyday picture taking. Now I'm hunting for a 5mp model which I think will quite settle the score for me and I must say optical zoom makes for quite a differential...

[Magallanes @ Oct 23rd 2007 11:44AM]

Optical zoom depend in the use, for a minor group of users optical zoom is a must but, for the rest is just a funny feature.

Anyways 3x optical zoom is not great at all.

[Giu @ Oct 23rd 2007 12:08PM]

well, you see, my photo needs don't go beyond taking pictures of friends at events, of my kid at the beach. Simple , fun stuff like that. Digital zoom always screws things up and if you push it all the way what you get is a horrible, pixelated thing not even worth of the oldest webcam you can think of. So, even a 3x optical zoom, in this case, makes for a nice feature. Means I can get a proper picture of my kid playing the part of the tree from the audience at his school play. =)

[crescentdavid @ Oct 22nd 2007 2:06PM]

Europe ... Asia ... must be nice to live in a location where the telcos don't shove their market-rigged, monopolistic, third-world practices down the consumers throat, all in order to extend their strangle holds. A decade or so ago ... who would have thought the US would be marginalized by its own corporations?

[ingus @ Oct 22nd 2007 4:31PM]

oh joy, i see where this is going...

next step: DSLR cellphone! :)

[Jake @ Oct 22nd 2007 4:39PM]

well now, that was simply hilarious.

[Danish Munir @ Oct 22nd 2007 2:50PM]

Does anyone know of a phone with a camera this good, but which also has wifi?

[LondonConsultant @ Oct 22nd 2007 3:13PM]

Like many people, I take short video clips on my cameraphone. But, as is so often the case these days, press releases don't mention any of the video capability. Not even the basics of resolution or frame rate, let alone the slightly more complex things like compression format and bit-rate. Let's not scare the customers...

[Johan S @ Oct 22nd 2007 3:36PM]

QVGA (quarter of VGA) is inadequate. The human eye can see up to 1200 dpi from 12 inches. Their display probably isnt even 160 ppi (what the iPhone has).

Before 2005 there were already 500 dpi LCD displays available and demonstrated. So why the heck haven't even 250 ppi displays made it to phones in the US.

The reason we need high displays is because decent convenient web browsing is only possible with 800px or greater resolution (a 1024 formatted page can be zoomed out to 800 while maintaining readability).

[Jamar0303 @ Oct 22nd 2007 10:13PM]

Well, Japan already has phones with 3.2inch 854x480 screens. That enough for you?

[bluesky_v2.01 @ Oct 22nd 2007 5:14PM]

Wow, it is sexy!

[John M @ Oct 22nd 2007 5:30PM]

All the Euros would rather have iphones...who buys a cell phone for a high quality camera...I like my chinsy iphone camera...its fine for taking pictures for contacts...beyond that...its not like a professional photographer would ever replace their camera with a cell phone camera because of convienance...Megapixels are not that important on a camera phone...However, I LOVE the addition of an optical zoom and flash...all in all the camera still isnt enough to make or break a phone no matter how good or bad it is...

[Mark @ Oct 22nd 2007 8:14PM]

Convenience is king. I wish I had a K800i or even a W810i for its camera.

[zachary @ Oct 23rd 2007 3:03PM]

Good looking, and powerful camera, but it's not enough resources(themes, for example) out there, I make a list of G800's feature, tell me if I missed something: http://iivee.com/world-first-5-megapixel-camera-phone-samsung-g800/43/

[Bobby @ Oct 28th 2007 12:57AM]

If you submit a photo to JPG Magazine under their "Emotion" theme, you have a chance to win one of give G800 phones. You've got a little over a month to get your submission in.

[Katharine @ Nov 17th 2007 9:50AM]

The G800 was available on T-Mobile last week but the retailer went into liquidation. Yesterday it was officially launched by Vodafone direct and is in stock now.

see: http://www.phoneslimited.co.uk/Samsung/G800.html

[Josh @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:41PM]

I think this cellphone is the best one Samsung has ever built. Nice design, great functions and a 5MP camera! I can't wait to put my hands on it. Have you seen this very nice animation all spotted on this cellphone? http://www.weshow.com/us/p/22296/how_we_met_animation Great images, great work and it looks like a great phone! When i buy it I tell you how well it works.