Sony Ericsson C905 Review
Eight-megapixel camera phones are all the rage. Samsung and LG have their big hitters and now Sony Ericsson has jumped on the bandwagon. The Sony Ericsson C905 has been on our radar for some time now. We first got our hands on the super-savvy Cyber-shot device back in June, though only for a few minutes. It was not until October that it arrived in stores, by which point Samsung had unveiled the i8510 and the Pixon, and LG had launched the Renoir. So the gauntlet has been thrown down. Will the C905 rise to the challenge?
C905 - look and feel
While the Pixon and the Renoir battled it out for slimmest eight-megapixel device, the Sony Ericsson C905 has avoided any petty squabbling. The C905 is actually on the chunky side, partly due to its slider format. Slider phones have an annoying habit of accidentally springing open in your pocket, resulting in accidental key commands and wasting precious battery power. We were pleased to find the C905’s mechanism provides some resistance (and a satisfying snap) to ensure this isn’t a common occurrence.
Available in night black, ice silver (exclusive to O2) and copper gold (exclusive to Carphone Warehouse), the C905 sports curvaceous contours. The front fascia is adorned with a 2.4-inch screen that is so vibrant it belies its 240x320 pixel resolution. Below are the standard array of hard keys, a shortcut key and call and call end keys that Sony Ericsson users have become so accustomed to. Sandwiched between these is the navigation pad and confirm key. We found all these keys a little too cushioned and would have preferred a bit more of a click as found on the keypad. The keypad is roomy enough, though some users may bemoan the fact that definition is lacking between each individual key.
Talking of keypads, Sony Ericsson, once again, enables users to call contacts by typing in their name as you would when using T9 predictive text. For example, to call ‘Anna’, simply slide the phone open and press ‘2’ (A), ‘6’ (N), ‘6’ and ‘2’ and up will pop any Anna’s you have in your address book. It is a simple yet effective process.
Available in night black, ice silver (exclusive to O2) and copper gold (exclusive to Carphone Warehouse), the C905 sports curvaceous contours. The front fascia is adorned with a 2.4-inch screen that is so vibrant it belies its 240x320 pixel resolution. Below are the standard array of hard keys, a shortcut key and call and call end keys that Sony Ericsson users have become so accustomed to. Sandwiched between these is the navigation pad and confirm key. We found all these keys a little too cushioned and would have preferred a bit more of a click as found on the keypad. The keypad is roomy enough, though some users may bemoan the fact that definition is lacking between each individual key.
Talking of keypads, Sony Ericsson, once again, enables users to call contacts by typing in their name as you would when using T9 predictive text. For example, to call ‘Anna’, simply slide the phone open and press ‘2’ (A), ‘6’ (N), ‘6’ and ‘2’ and up will pop any Anna’s you have in your address book. It is a simple yet effective process.
C905 - camera credentials
The camera can be fired up by sliding open a protective lens shield found on the back of the device. The hinged system is not as smooth as the phone’s main slider mechanism, but it is reassuring to have your lens protected. Once in camera mode the phone’s navigation pad glows, revealing four icons that represent shortcuts to your flash, timer, focus and exposure levels.
While some may criticise the C905’s bulk, we felt that it actually gave the phone more of a dedicated camera feel, something that is only enhanced when its snapping credentials are laid bare. Not only does it have an eight-megapixel resolution, the C905 also sports face detection, auto-focus, image stabiliser and a truly remarkable Xenon flash. This type of flash is preferable to the more common LED flash found in most camera phones, as it provides a brighter burst of light that captures night time shots without losing detail. The C905 certainly achieves this and, if anything, the flash may be a little too bright.
When using the face detection mode, it was pleasing to find that it located more than one subject. However, we did find that you needed to be relatively near to be able to use the feature. Smart contrast was another useful addition, balancing the light and colour to ensure a better quality shot. It works much the same way as Photo fix, the difference being that Smart contrast is set before the picture is taken while Photo fix corrects the image after it has been snapped.
As demonstrated by our array of photos (see overleaf), the C905 is capable of achieving cracking picture quality and can proudly hold its own among the other eight-megapixel snappers. However, while the images looked fine on our phone, when we enlarged them on screen on our PC, shots where we used the zoom did appear pixelated.
Read full review here
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While some may criticise the C905’s bulk, we felt that it actually gave the phone more of a dedicated camera feel, something that is only enhanced when its snapping credentials are laid bare. Not only does it have an eight-megapixel resolution, the C905 also sports face detection, auto-focus, image stabiliser and a truly remarkable Xenon flash. This type of flash is preferable to the more common LED flash found in most camera phones, as it provides a brighter burst of light that captures night time shots without losing detail. The C905 certainly achieves this and, if anything, the flash may be a little too bright.
When using the face detection mode, it was pleasing to find that it located more than one subject. However, we did find that you needed to be relatively near to be able to use the feature. Smart contrast was another useful addition, balancing the light and colour to ensure a better quality shot. It works much the same way as Photo fix, the difference being that Smart contrast is set before the picture is taken while Photo fix corrects the image after it has been snapped.
As demonstrated by our array of photos (see overleaf), the C905 is capable of achieving cracking picture quality and can proudly hold its own among the other eight-megapixel snappers. However, while the images looked fine on our phone, when we enlarged them on screen on our PC, shots where we used the zoom did appear pixelated.
Read full review here
