The Nokia N95 and 'not missing the moment'
Published by Steve Litchfield at 9:40 BST, July 24th 2007
In a return to an original theme from earlier this year, and with the onset of our summer vacations, I've been musing on the best hardware to take with me in order to make sure of getting the best snaps. It's really not an easy decision.... But is there a workaround? Read on...
In my original article, I looked at the practical differences in photos taken by some auto-focussing camera-toting smartphones (the Nokia N93 and N95) and those from the typical fixed-focus 2 megapixel shooter, in this case in the E70. I concluded that at least some of the time, less was definitely more.
My thoughts had returned to this theme because I spotted comments in a user review of the N95 that complained about the camera, saying it was just too slow to launch and focus and that he kept 'missing the moment'. Now, don't get me wrong, I've taken some fabulous photos on the N93 and N95, in full 3 and 5 megapixel glory respectively, but they're almost exclusively of static or unaware subjects: sunsets, objets d'arte, buildings, pets, etc.
But every time I want to grab snaps from a happy moment, I've only really had success in the past when using one of the many smartphones with Nokia's 2mp fixed-focus camera, the latest being the E61i, but the hardware's much the same. Let's look at the times involved for each smartphone camera type (all with latest firmware, by the way):
| | Time to launch Camera | Time to focus and take photo | Time to display captured image | Shot to shot time with default settings |
| Nokia N95 | 3 seconds | 2.5 seconds | 5 seconds | 7.5 seconds |
| Nokia E61i | 2 seconds | instant | 2 seconds | 2 seconds |
There are two issues here. Firstly there's the focussing time. Your child is doing something special, for example, so you point the N95. Leaving aside the launch time, it'll be at least 2.5 seconds before the shot is taken. And, if you're a parent, you know that 2.5 seconds is a long time for a child and they'll have moved on to a different position, expression or even activity by then.
Secondly, the time needed to encode a 5 megapixel JPG and then save it to card means that if you don't quite get the shot you want, you have to wait another 5 seconds before you can try again, adding another 2.5 seconds, of course, before the next shot is actually taken.
The situation's very much analagous to that between SLR cameras vs point-and-shoot cameras in the 1990s. When it comes to capturing emotion and spur of the moment action, you can't beat something unobtrusive and lightning quick.
But, and it's a big but, what about all those times on holiday when you're standing on the cliff top or beach and trying to capture a panorama for posterity? The 2mp camera in the E61i (or N70 or N76 or 6120 etc.) will do an adequate job but you'll ultimately be disappointed. Whereas the N95's camera will stun. Ultimately it all comes down to the sort of photos you like taking. People or things. And, if you're like me and like to shoot both (not to mention some video), then you've got a problem!
The workaround on the N95 if you're waving it around at a party, for example, is to:
- leave it in 'landscape' mode (in 'Scene')
- turn off display of the captured image (in 'Settings')
- set the image quality to 2 or 3 megapixels (in 'Settings')
In this mode, photo taking is almost instant and you're returned to the viewfinder in around 3 seconds. And then, later on, watching the sun go down over the Mediterranean, you can return the N95 to full resolution and capture the poster-resolution image of your dreams.
Adjusting the three settings above takes a few seconds, but it might be worth it in order to capture those social and family moments that would otherwise be missed in frustration.
Steve Litchfield, AllAboutSymbian, 24th July 2007
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Categories: Hardware, Editorial Thoughts
Platforms: Series 60, General, S60 3rd Edition
News Discussion
mst_dev
I'm the user of "
Is it normal for E61i to be slow?". I posted a reply of detailed performance measurements of my applications. Please, I want to know your opinion about it, in order to know is that normal, or I have to contact my Nokia dealer.
Thank you.
krisse
You wonder if there should be a "quick snap" mode on advanced cameraphones, to reduce the waiting time at the expense of quality.
mudstuff
Indeed, I have used the landscape mode for a few things as it is quicker and does not favour certain areas/objects within a picture.
As mentioned the other day about smartphones having a simple switchable interface for people to use them to just make a phone call etc, it would be good to have a "point and shoot" mode, several presets like the N95 has and a fully manual mode.
jlb4nc
Is there a way to change the default settings to the "quick snap" setting you describe above? Also, what about designing two or three "personal modes" of camera settings? Maybe one for quick pics, one for "posed pics" [intemediate settings], and one for all-out [slow] landscapes? Any ideas?
Chrisss
Couldn't agree more, my old N70 took just as good pictures in typical party/night out situations and was ready so quickly I always got the shot.
Also having to hold the N95 sideways and use both hands for picture taking is stupid, i couldn't believe it when I first tried to press the centre button to take a shot and it just changed to video mode (can this be changed?)
Overall the N95 is actually a backward step for the pictures I take.
Unregistered
yeah steve you got that one spot-on. depite all the hype of the carl zeiss lens and 5 mp camera, its really not that great. one thing you forgot to mention is the long time it take to change to video and back - it takes about 10 seconds to change from camera to video! whatever you wanted to video will be long gone :-( also it takes ages to save videos. all in all even a basic standalone camera would be a far better job!
krisse
"one thing you forgot to mention is the long time it take to change to video and back - it takes about 10 seconds to change from camera to video!"
To be fair though, the video is DVD quality wheres most phones have less than a quarter of the resolution.
Like I said above, what's needed is some easy-to-access button that turns expensive cameraphones into point-and-shoot cameraphones, for those moments when you need the photo taken NOW.
"all in all even a basic standalone camera would be a far better job!"
Standalone cameras will always do a far better job than cameraphones, even expensive cameraphones. Lower quality is the price you pay for convergence.
My 150 euro camera has a 6mp sensor, while the 700 euro N95 only manages 5mp, for example.
Sergey Zak
But I have three minor notes about it -
a) the digital algorithm needs to be improved to get rid of the color noise (if possible)
b) the lens protective shutters should be stronger (made of metal, not plastic)
c) the snapshot button should bring you to the Camera application, if the protective shutter is already open.
See more on cubeover.blogspot.com
viipottaja
Do you guys think this could work from technonology/programming perspective to reduce the time to display a picture after the shot is taken? Instead of fully processing the picture, the screen would show a slightly lower quality version with a small note "Processing" or "Draft" blinking so that the user would realise that its not the final quality. The user could either wait for the final quality picture to be shown, or use "Delete" option right away or jump to taking the next picture. If he/she did not delete the pic, it would be processed to its final quality in the background. Would e.g. the N95 have enough processing powere to do this and not slow things down even more?
malerocks
I agree with this article. 8 months ago, I bought the n93 with the idea of always been able to carry a camera along and shoot spontaneous moments. But i have been rather disappointed by the static that its images have, especially indoors. The landscape images on the other hand are fantastic. I just wish that the 'carl zeiss' lens had appropriate hardware and software to save good images.
What alarms me is that a friend of mine has a samsung DH900 which also a 3mp camera and the images in his phone are just about 400 Kb while mine are around 1 MB. And the visual quality on both are quite similar...
mjbr
about camera on the E61i...
after a few weeks with my E61i I started to notice a delay from the time I press the camera button to the time the pic is actually taken... anyone with the same problem? any solution to that? I clearly remember this problem wasnt there in the beginning...
Unregistered
Krisse:
"To be fair though, the video is DVD quality"
:)) Are you serious? Have you ever seen DVD movie? I mean real DVD movie not the low-qulity porn you are hiding on your HDD. :)
tawalker
My tuppence-worth (before inflation ;) ):
Even though I find the N95's camera almost on a par with my dedicated digicam (a Canon IXUS 500 I bought in 2004), I still wouldn't dump the latter for the former. Quite a few reasons why:
- The battery life of the IXUS is much longer than the N95, and I also try to make sure I carry a charged spare battery for the IXUS on me (much easier to swap the batteries over with the IXUS, too);
- the IXUS has an optical zoom, where the N95 has only digital;
- they both have the same resolution (5mp), but the IXUS has the edge in the picture quality stakes (though if the N95 is set up right, there's not that much between them);
- the IXUS is quicker to 'boot' and takes/is ready to take pictures faster
There are probably more points I could think up, but you get the picture (pun unintentional). On the other hand, the IXUS 500
- doesn't have GPS (and can't geotag images);
- is far inferior to the N95 as a video camera (though newer IXUS models are more on a par);
- can't upload images straight to Flickr without a PC;
- can't make phone calls ;) ...
As I see it, the IXUS and N95 are different machines with different remits - the Canon is a 3-year-old dedicated digicam, whilst the Nokia is a state-of-the-art 2007 communications device which, amongst its plethora of features, happens to take pretty good still photos and video clips.
It's "horses for courses" - if I can take both devices to a place where I know I will want to take good still photos, I will, and use the IXUS (especially as the Canon's battery is unlikely to give out after an hour or two - important if I'm "in the field" and can't get to a charging point). If I can't take both phone and camera there for some reason, I'll use the N95, and it will usually "do".
It's just nice to know that I can "fall back" on the N95 as a secondary digicam if I have to, and get acceptable results; however, if I really want decent photos, I still prefer the IXUS. That's not to criticise the N95 - just to acknowledge that they have different strengths and purposes.
Phew :tongue:
Vero at Taptu
Thanks for the tips, Steve! I've missed the short window of opportunity for a picture so many times, I'll definitely use those settings and see if it helps.
Does saving to the phone memory vs a memory card make a difference in the latency as well?
I've pointed my readers at taptu dot com slash blog to your post as well (sorry for the odd format, it appears I'm not allowed to post a url until I've done ten posts on here... A few more to go, then! ;)
Cheers,
Vero
krisse
":)) Are you serious? Have you ever seen DVD movie?"
VGA quality at least. :-)
Whatever you think of the finished result, the only point I was trying to make was that the N95/N93 video camera has to cope with four times as many pixels as other new S60 phones, which is bound to take longer to process. Comparing a VGA camera's speed to a QVGA camera's speed is a little unfair.
Unregistered
my old 6233 loads the video camera in about a second and saves videos in about 2 seconds and this phone has vga video too although admittedly this is only at 15 fps against the n95's 30.
krisse
"my old 6233 loads the video camera in about a second and saves videos in about 2 seconds and this phone has vga video "
I don't think the 6233 has vga resolution *video*?
Unregistered
confirmed. it does. 640 x 480 max res. check it out yourself
xerxes
But how do I make the camera stay in Landscape scene mode after I exit the camera app and restart?
Also, holding the camera button DOES launch the camera app if the shutter cover is open, at least on firmware 12.
davidmaxwaterma
Steve said :
> The situation's very much analagous to that between SLR cameras vs
> point-and-shoot cameras in the 1990s. When it comes to capturing emotion and
> spur of the moment action, you can't beat something unobtrusive and lightning
> quick.
I don't understand this statement. As I remember it, point and shoot cameras in the 1990s (and still today, I think) are much slower to boot, focus and take shots than SLR cameras; however, the p&s cameras are definitely more unobtrusive and you're more likely to have them with you for spur of the moment stuff (since they're lighter/smaller).
In the case of the camera phones, the N95 is quite unobtrusive/small, but slow(er). The older phones are bigger or a similar size, but quicker. The N93, of course, is bigger and slower, but that's not analogous to SLRs since SLRs are faster.
You made a poor point, I think, or perhaps just explained it poorly.
slitchfield
Eh? To explain, then: my old SLR was a pain, it took me a good five seconds to focus any shot. Whereas with my (also now old) Olympus trip A-F, I just pressed the button and focussing and capture happened within half a second. Possibly less. It was all a long time ago now!
Steve Litchfield
davidmaxwaterma
Quote:
Originally Posted by slitchfield
Eh? To explain, then: my old SLR was a pain, it took me a good five seconds to focus any shot. Whereas with my (also now old) Olympus trip A-F, I just pressed the button and focussing and capture happened within half a second. Possibly less. It was all a long time ago now!
Steve Litchfield
|
Ah, ok.
I had both an Olympus C-5050 (IIRC) P&S and a Canon 10D SLR - same era cameras I think (is that true of the two you're comparing?).
The SLR was way faster in every respect - booting, taking a shot, whatever. The only things against it were weight and size. In fact, it was general consensus that SLRs were generally faster at booting and taking a shot.
I think you're talking about analog cameras, right? I thought you meant digital...perhaps that's the issue - I was off by a decade or so :D
Sorry about that :)
Unregistered
I think you are starting to show your age Steve :) Don't worry I can feel your pain too...
It feels like only yesterday when (nostalgic ref. here)...
Zuber
xerxes
Can anyone give guidance on how to save Landscape as the default camera scene mode? If this is not possible it seems rather redundant as a tip!
Andreas Moser
You can save at least the two and a half seconds focus time when switching to landscape or sports mode before taking pictures on the N95. The drawback is that you will have a fixed focus lens but that doesn't matter too much in most cases. You will notice the absence of the coloured focus frame on the screen.
BTW: Does someone know the meaning of the colours of the focus frame which is sometimes red and sometimes green?
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