Digital camera versus phone with built-in camera

[Guest kristianmatthews]

I have a Canon Ixus digital camera with 2.1MP resolution which I dont use much anymore. Would a phone with a > 1MP resolution satisfy?? I only use the phone for showing pics on the web, like ebay etc.

But what does this have to do with Smartphones?- well I currently have an MPx200 which is miles better than any Symbian phone and I would be looking for a replacement smartphone with:

>1mp camera

probably bluetooth

good looks

nothing too big like a pda

expansion slot

Can anybody suggest any replacements? Obviously there's the MPx220 out soon.

Or the MPx100- is this fairly large?

Any phones with particularly good camera capabilities?

Any Symbian phones with as much diversity as a Smartphone? ie ability to easily download and play movies and mp3/wav ringtones etc

Many thanks if you've read this far... :-)

[Guest Pondrew]

Funnily enough my SPV original and now my SPV E200 have probably been largely responsible for my burdgeoning Ebay empire! Didn't have a digital camera before and, although sometimes blurry (the E200 way more then the orginal SPV), the pictures are good enough quality to satisfy most Ebayers.

Also I can tell you that last New Year when I was on top of the Arc De Triumph in Paris both my mate and I tried to take a pic of the illuminated Eiffel Tower. While his £100 digital camera couldn't deal with the low light (being night time and all) my E200s auto adjusting took a far clearer pic!

As for size of the 1meg Smartphones, the MPX100 isn't all that big, it's smaller then the E200, the MPX220 is smaller still although disappointingly larger (more then the 1mm that has been claimed in specs) then the MPX200.

[Guest Helix]

Good points made there Kristian, I'm looking for something similar, although the C500 will probably draw me in.

I hate having to carry round a digital camera, as my E200 doesnt seem to satisfy when pictures are put up on a PC screen. I just hope I can find something which can take incredible photo's while also being small to the pocket.

I hear the Sony Ericsson S700 has a 1.3 megapixel camera, it's due some time near the end of the year.

[Guest Lingerhosen]

Have to say I have given up waiting!

Have just ordered a Casio EX-M20 camera on the strength of a review in Computer Shopper magazine (6 stars?). It's only a 2 mega-pixel camera but it can take 30fps video with sound, uses SD cards (So I can use my Transcend 256Mb 45X card), plays MP3 with supplied headphones and IS ONLY THE SIZE OF A THICK CREDIT CARD!! Plus it's an okay camera apparently, which is good as mine is rubbish!

Okay, so it means I have to carry that AND my phone around, but at that size I think I can manage!

At £150 it sems a bargain anyway.

(Don't tell me if it isn't, as it's my birthday present !)