Samsung SGH-D900 Review - Camera
Camera The D900 features a 3.13 megapixel camera, and Samsung proudly touts the phone as the world's slimmest 3 megapixel cameraphone. 3 MP camera phones are just starting to hit the shelves of American retailers, led by Nokia's N93 and N80, and Samsung's Verizon-exclusive SCH-a990.
The results I found with the D900's camera varied. Though the camera does take 3MP (2048 x 1536 pixels) photos as advertised, many of the pictures I snapped in automatic mode lacked the clarity, sharpness, and color accuracy I've seen in 2MP cameraphones from Sony Ericsson and Nokia. The photos I took with the D900 were more than suitable for viewing on the phone or sending in MMS messages, but any VGA or better cameraphone can do that. When I transferred the photos to my computer for big screen viewing and printing, I was surprised at how blurry so many of them were. I tried the D900 as a camera in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings, with natural, bright, and low light, and on subjects ranging from people to nature to "still life" objects.
The camera does have a wide range of settings including white balance to exposure modes, and when I started adjusting them (with some help from various Web resources and a photographer friend), I started getting better results. One major shortcoming with the D900's camera, however, is its shutter lag and "recycle" times (period you must wait between shots for the camera to become ready again). Both were significantly longer than those on other non-Samsung cameraphones I've used, including the 2 Megapixel Sony w800i.
The "flash" on the D900 is really an LED light that can be turned on manually or automatically just before a photo is taken. This system is common on today's cameraphones but really doesn't help very much in low-light settings. Photos taken with the flash on tend to have a grainy or otherwise unnatural look to them that's different but not much more accurate than those taken with the flash off. As the new Sony "CyberShot" k790/800 3 MP phones feature a true Xenon flash, it's a wonder why Samsung didn't also build one into the D900.
Still, the mere fact that Samsung was able to build a 3 MP camera (along with all of the other features listed below) into a slider phone less than 13mm thick is quite amazing. So long as you're willing to fiddle with exposure and other settings, or limit your photography to well-lit scenes - preferably in natural light - you should wind up with images suitable for amazing your friends via email or printing at sizes up to 4" x 6". The D900 may not be the digital camera replacement its spec sheet might lead you to believe it is, but it's by no means a slouch.
Next: Display & Audio »Fetch me more...Quickly jump to more information about related topics, cell phones, carriers or phone manufacturers mentioned in this In-Depth Review by using the links below. About our in-depth cell phone reviewsWe take great pride to ensure that the our reviews are thorough and accurate. In no way are our editors directed or influenced by any manufacturers, advertisers, or partners; we believe that honest, opinionated reviews -positive or negative - are the only way to maintain credibility and serve our users. Reviews by companyApple, BenQ, BlackBerry, Eten, HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, o2, Palm, Pantech, Samsung, Sanyo, Sharp, Sony EricssonEarly this summer Samsung introduced their Ultra Edition line of super-slim cellular phones aimed at fashion and technology-conscious users. The three phone Ultra Edition lineup features a 6.9mm thick candybar-style handset, a 9.9mm clamshell phone, and the 12.9mm thick D900 slider. Samsung is billing the D900 as "the world's slimmest slider," and while that distinction may be short-lived in the wake of ever advancing technology, the... The D900 packs as impressive a feature set as you're likely to find this side of a true smartphone. As such, it's a shame that its battery life is so disappointing. To be fair, there's only so much juice you can pack into a phone's battery while still keeping the entire package just over 1 cm thick. Still, when I had the D900 in my pocket, I wanted to take pictures, listen to music, read email, and play games -- all of which the... The 2.1” 240x320 262K Color TFT display is simply gorgeous. As with the T809 and many of their other recent phones, Samsung has shown that they really know how to make a top-notch display. Text and images are rendered bold, bright, and crisp, and the screen is large enough to make everything from reading an incoming Caller ID to navigating through files easy on the eyes.
Samsung took advantage of the D900's brilliant display by... The D900 packs comprehensive messaging features, with support for SMS and MMS messaging including messages with audio and video attachments (as supported by your service provider). Samsung's predictive text input system has never been my favorite, and while some of this is surely a matter of personal taste, I honestly think that Sony Ericsson's implementation of T9 just blows Samsung's out of the water. I was able to compose messages... Samsung has released a slew of slider phones in the past year or two. The Ultra Edition 12.9, aka D900, is the current king of the hill. With its impossible slim profile and sleek black styling, the D900 is one of the chicest handsets I've ever tested. The fact that it's adorned with just about the best display you'll see on any mobile phone these days makes the picture all the prettier.
Samsung also packed the D900 with a... Hmmm. What makes this phone worth waiting for?
The display looks bigger, but everything else looks pretty much the same.
What's the model?
Thanks if you can wait i would go with this one... if you can't wait i would go with the D900!! [quote user="khpn"]
Bonanza 9003s turn right heading 310, you are 4 from the marker, maintain 3 till establish, cleared ILS 34 approach.I never get tired of hearing it :) .
[/quote]
I can't tell you how many times I've shot that approach!! Do you fly for an airline, company or yourself?
I'm currently getting certified to fly the Hawker 800 XP.
PM me to discuss You can find accessories for the phone right here http://www.phonedog.com/c...
Do you really think they would make a phone this sophisticated without offering a wide range of accessories for it?
If you don't like the headphones you can always purchase an adaptor. Try and get accessories for the D900. Can you even get a good pair of stereo headphones? I would still vote for the D900.
For all of the reasons stated by Vader.
Better
Camera
Display
Design
User Interface (UI)
Features
Battery Life [quote user="momoney"]
Sorry I goofed [:$]
I meant to compare the D900 VS Z3 RIZR.
My bad
Thanks for all the info!!
[/quote]
Haaaaa no problem it makes my decision even easier.
The D900 is shorter yet has a bigger screen, better camera, UI, and the battery life is almost twice as much.
Need I say more..[H] [quote user="becca"]
The Z3 looks way cooler than the D900. Almost like my Ipod..
[/quote]
Looks and performance rarely go hand in hand. The z3 is nothing new - it is simply a razr in a different dress. Unfortunately the Z3 performs nothing like and Ipod..
I vote for the D900
The Z3 looks way cooler than the D900. Almost like my Ipod..
No Problem [H] I still vote for anything that is not Motorola!
D900 is still a better phone
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4.5
