Motorola ROKR E8 camera samples

The Motorola ROKR E8 is one of Motorola's music-centric mobiles, although camera action is also one the elements highlighted by the ModeShift technology debuted on this handset.  ModeShift changes the type of virtual buttons that appear on the numberpad - phone, music player, or camera controls -  depending on which function you've selected.

Although this system spotlights the camera, Motorola has equipped the E8 with a basic 2-megapixel shooter rather than anything more advanced. The camera set-up is basic too; there's no autofocus system, and no flash of any type.

You can switch the front panel controls to bring up the camera set-up simply by pressing a dedicated camera button on the side of the phone (or by using the menu system, if you prefer the longer route). The buttons you're presented with, though, don't offer a sophisticated standalone camera-style user interface. Disappointingly, there are few keys and the ones there are are for the sot of run-of-the-mill controls you get on most cameraphones, albeit using D-pad controls, volume/zoom buttons.

The collection of dedicated ModeShift buttons comprise: zoom in, zoom out, photo gallery, and video mode switching. Not extensive.

The central navigation D-pad and softkeys take over some of the detailed settings control functionality, similar to what you'll find on plenty of handsets. It makes you question the necessity for ModeShift camera buttons at all -  although we realise that on a more sophisticated camera with a camera-like interface, ModeShoft could be handy.

Features
Control adjustments from the D-pad are standard cameraphone basics. You can add colour effects with a Styles option (black and white, antique, negative, reddish, greenish or bluish), select Scene metering for automatic, night or manual (with this you can adjust exposure and white balance settings for varying lighting conditions). It's also possible to take multiple photos (4, 6 or 8 in quick succession) and set the auto timer.

You can use some basic post-shooting editing settings too, but again, these are standard issue mobile type tweaks rather than anything special.

Although it can shoot video, the E8's video recording capability is limited too. Images are captured in maximum 144x176 pixels resolution, which plays back in rather poor quality.

Performance
The 2-megapixel camera is limited if you're looking for high quality cameraphone imaging. It tends to produce vibrant, colourful images, although the colour quality comes across as somewhat oversaturated at times and unnaturally bright.

Images can be soft, and lacking in real detail, which won't suit anyone wanting to print images as standard photographs. It'll pass muster for simple snap and send cameraphone imaging, however.

The automatic metering system doesn't have the capability to deal well with wide dynamics in brightness or exposure, with some images suffering from overexposed light elements even when lighting conditions are good. You can see in some of our sample shots where sky has an artificially patchy look to it, as the sensor fails to deal with subtle changes in tone.

Similarly, edges of contrasting colour aren't as sharply defined as you might hope for.
The E8's auto white balance control sometimes struggles too, producing colour casts in some shots that are difficult to spot on the phone's small screen but are apparent when copied onto a PC.

In low light, the absence of flash illumination means results are poor. Even in indoor shots with good illumination images have plenty of noise visible. You can boost light in the image by switching to night mode when it's dark, but this has minimal impact on the quality and clarity of shots.

In short, the E8's camera is a limited quality shooter with a performance that's average even by 2-megapixel cameraphone standards.