Has the world gone mad? Sony is getting set to launch a cellphone with, wait for it, no less than a 12.1 megapixel camera built in. To put that in to some perspective, I take photographs for publication as part of my day to day working life as a jobbing journalist. The digital camera I use has 8 megapixels which really are plenty thanks very much. Indeed, most photographers will tell you that the headline megapixel count is not as important as the quality of the lens and numerous other bits and bobs. And while Sony has something of a decent track record in the field of producing good quality camera-phones, I doubt the lens in the Idou will be anywhere near as good as the average purpose built digital camera.
Let's face it, what do most people use a camera-phone for? OK, making telephone calls and sending text messages are probably number one and two, but even when we get to the photography bit the kind of images are likely to be more a case of opportunistic snapshots than considered portraits and set pieces. That is the whole point of a point and shoot camera in the pocket, a truly portable device, and it has a lot of merit as such. But, and it is a big but, for doing that impulse snap shooting stuff you simply do not need 12,1 megapixels do you?
Well, I certainly do not at any rate. So, do you need the Idou?
