Sony are extending their Exmor branding to cameraphones with the launch of three new sensors. Two different 8 megapixel and one 13 megapixel stacked CMOS image sensors are due to be launched in October, along with new f/2.2 lenses, autofocusing system, wider dynamic range and HDR.

Website - Sony Japan (Translated)

Nokia has announced that the 41-megapixel Nokia 808 PureView is now available for pre-order through Amazon UK, The news comes hot on the heels of a similar announcement by Nokia USA. In the UK, the Nokia 808 PureView will be released on 30th June, for £499.98 (unlocked).

Via its official blog, Nokia has announced that it is launching the Nokia 808 PureView smartphone in the US. Featuring a 41-megapixel sensor, high-performance f/2.4 Carl Zeiss optics, plus new PureView Imaging and pixel oversampling technologies, the Nokia 808 PureView also incorporates full HD 1080p video recording and a 4” AMOLED capacitive touchscreen. The smartphone will be available unlocked and unsubsidised through Amazon, starting 8th July.

Sony has announced that it plans to invest approximately 80 billion yen in Sony Semiconductor Corporation’s Nagasaki Technology Center to increase the production capacity for stacked CMOS image sensors. These imagers “layer the pixel section containing back-illuminated structure pixels onto chips containing the circuit for signal processing, in contrast to the supporting substrates used in conventional back-illuminated CMOS image sensors,” the company says. “These products enable Sony to mount large-scale circuits while decreasing the chip size of image sensors, thereby enhancing image quality and functionality and allowing for a more compact size for digital cameras and mobile devices.” These stacked CMOS sensors are going to be used primarily in camera phones and tablets.

Samsung has won four TIPA awards this year. The ‘Best General Compact Camera’ award went to the Samsung MultiView MV800, while the ‘Best Mobile Imaging Device’ title was awarded to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone. Samsung also won the Best Photo Monitor Award for the Samsung SyncMaster S24/27A850, with its “new Samsung LED PLS (Plane to Line Switching) technology” and “more accurate colour and a much wider viewing angle than competing monitors.” The company was recognised by a fourth honour with the Samsung OLED TV, which won the Best Photo TV Display Award.

Review: Read our in-depth review of the Samsung MV800 camera

Mobot has published a very interesting write-up by Martin James on the much-talked-about 41-megapixel sensor found in the Nokia 808 PureView smartphone. Accompanied by a helpful sensor size comparison chart - reproduced above with kind permission from Mobot.net -, the piece takes a look at the relationship between sensor size, pixel pitch and image quality. Written in a clear, easy-to-follow style, the article is well worth a read.

Website: The bigger picture: the Nokia 808 PureView’s massive image sensor compared

By way of its official blog, Nokia has released three full-resolution, 38-megapixel sample photos taken with the new Nokia 808 PureView camera phone. All three Nokia 808 PureView samples were taken at low, non-standard ISO sensitivity settings (ISO 55 and ISO 58), with the lens wide open. Do they compare favourably with the official sample images from the 36-megapixel Nikon D800? Perhaps not (remember that those samples were captured with some of the best Nikkors out there, using a camera with a full FX sized sensor), but they surely do contain a lot of detail - try resizing them to 14-16 megapixels and you’ll probably agree that this smartphone is likely to give a lot of compact camera manufacturers a run for their money.

Website: Nokia conversations: the official Nokia blog (scroll down to UPDATE #2 for the samples)

The Nokia 808 PureView smartphone features a 41-megapixel sensor, high-performance Carl Zeiss optics, plus new PureView Imaging and pixel oversampling technologies. “At standard resolutions (2/3, 5 and 8 megapixels) this means the ability to zoom without loss of clarity and capture seven pixels of information, condensing into one pixel for the sharpest images imaginable,” the company says. At high-resolution (38 megapixel maximum) it means the ability to capture an image, then zoom, reframe, crop and resize afterwards. In addition to superior still imaging technology, the Nokia 808 PureView, also includes full HD 1080p video recording and playback with 4X lossless zoom and the world’s first use of Nokia Rich Recording, which enables audio recording at “CD-like” levels of quality. Other highlights of the Nokia 808 PureView include a 1/1.2” sensor - which is only slightly smaller than the ones found in the Nikon 1 System cameras -, a 8.02mm (~28mm equivalent) f/2.4 lens and a 4” screen. Click through / scroll down for a hands-on video of the Nokia 808 PureView (released by the manufacturer), and a dozen hands-on photos.

Nokia has published a white paper on the PureView imaging technology that powers its brand new, 41-megapixel camera phone. “The Nokia PureView Pro imaging technology is the combination of a large, super high resolution 41M[ega]pixel [imager] with high performance Carl Zeiss optics,” the authors say. “The large sensor enables pixel oversampling, which… means the combination of many pixels into one perfect pixel. PureView imaging technology is the result of many years of research and development and the tangible fruits of this work are amazing image quality, lossless zoom, and superior low light performance.”

Website: Nokia Europe | Nokia 808 PureView White Paper

Samsung today unveiled its new high-speed, 1/3.2-inch, 8-megapixel CMOS imager, the S5K3H7, utilising advanced 1.4-micron back-side illuminated (BSI) pixel technology. The Samsung S5K3H7 supports a frame rate of 30fps at full resolution and 1080p Full HD video recording. The new sensor also provides 720p HD video recording at 120fps and VGA movies at 240fps for slow-motion playback, and allows still photography with practically no shutter lag. Mass production is expected to start next month.

Phones4u, specialists in mobile phones and related products, have pitted three of the top camera phones against the new Sony Xperia S to find out which one is the fastest in terms of capturing a photo. The three competitors included the iPhone 4S, the Samsung Galaxy S2 and the Nokia Lumia 800 (which we also reviewed recently). Click through / scroll down to see which handset won the Phones4u photo shootout!

Jessops’ customers can now order prints from photos stored on their smartphones by connecting them directly to the in-store photo kiosks. “Printed photos are still the best way to enjoy treasured images but it’s often hard to get your photos from your phone to print,” said Stephen Cochrane, Head of Jessops Photo. “Now it couldn’t be easier, come into any Jessops store, connect your phone to our photo kiosks using the supplied mobile adapter and we’ll do the rest.”

A detailed hands-on look at the new Nokia Lumia 900.

The Nokia Lumia 900 is an impressive new Windows phone with an 8 megapixel camera, a 28mm f/2.2 Carl Zeiss lens on the rear and an f/2.4 wide-angle lens on the front, a 4.3-inch AMOLED 800 x 480 touchscreen, and a dual-LED flash.

Take a closer look at the Nokia Lumia 900 in our photo gallery.

California-based SugarSync has announced that Japan’s SoftBank Mobile will be preloading SugarSync on two new high-end Android camera phones in order to provide their users with an easy way to auto-sync photos directly from their Android devices to their computers. “As the cameras on smartphones become more advanced, and as more of us use our smartphones as our primary point-and-shoot cameras, most people need a simple solution for getting photos off of their phone and back to their computers,” said Laura Yecies, CEO of SugarSync. “With SugarSync’s AutoSync technology, your photos are automatically synced from your phone to your computers as you take them – without having to fumble with wires.” The two camera phones in question are the Panasonic Lumix phone 101P and the Sharp Aquos phone 102SH.

Apple has just announced the iPhone 4S, featuring an all-new camera module. The Apple iPhone 4S has an 8-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor and a 35mm (eq.) f/2.4 auto-focus lens comprising 5 precision lens elements, and features improved white balance, face detection and 1080p Full HD video capture with audio. Additionally, the new iPhone 4s inherits the LED flash and tap-to-focus functionality of the iPhone 4. The first 7 countries - including the UK, the US, Australia, Canada, Japan, France and Germany - will get the iPhone 4S on 14th October. The device will be launched in 22 additional countries on the 28th. In the US, the 16GB version will cost $199, the 32GB model will be available for $299, while the 64GB iPhone 4S can be had for $399, all on a 2-year contract.

Panasonic Japan has announced that it is about to start shipping the Panasonic Lumix Phone P-05C, the world’s first camera phone featuring optical image stabilisation. Equipped with a multi-coated, bright f/2.8 wide-angle lens, the Panasonic Lumix Phone P-05C offers a so-called My Colour Mode with digital filters such as Miniature, Soft focus and Pinhole. In addition, the phone is also capable of shooting Full HD video. There is a dedicated website for the phone, but it’s available in Japanese only.

Via 1001 Noisy Cameras

Photojojo has announced what must be the craziest iPhone accessory yet: an adapter and case that allow you to attach a Canon or Nikon lens to the device. Turning your valued SLR optics into an add-on accessory for a smartphone does not sound like the greatest of ideas, especially given that you obviously lose auto focus (and aperture control too, at least with Canon lenses and most modern Nikkors), not to mention that if you’re willing to lug around a bulky SLR lens you might as well use it on a real camera - but we’re sure it’s crazy enough to ignite the imagination of many iPhone aficionados looking for some telephoto reach and shallow depth of field. If you’re one of them, Photojojo will be happy to sell you the case-adapter combo at $190 (for the iPhone 3) or $249 (for the iPhone 4).

Website: Photojojo’s iPhone SLR Mount

The Nokia N9 is a new smartphone / camera phone with an 8-megapixel image sensor and a Zeiss-branded wide-angle auto-focus lens. Nokia claims the N9 has “the fastest camera on any phone ­– from launch to focus to capture”, with features like Touch AF, a 3.9” AMOLED screen and an f/2.2 maximum aperture. In addition to capturing eight-megapixel stills, the integrated camera can also record HD-quality video with smooth continuous AF. Running on the MeeGo 1.2 Harmattan operating system, thee Nokia N9 will be available in three colours - black, cyan, and magenta - with 16GB and 64GB storage options. The N9 is scheduled to be in stores later this year, with availability and local pricing to be announced closer to the sales start..

Geekaphone has published a five-part series on using the Apple iPhone as a photographic tool. Written by Steve Russell, the series comprises four in-depth articles and a photo gallery. In Part One, Russell takes a look at how the iPhone compares to a DSLR camera. Acknowledging that in “some ways, comparing the camera in the iPhone 4 to a high end DSLR is like comparing a hamburger from the local pub to an 18 oz. porterhouse from Peter Luger’s Steak House in New York”, he starts with the limitations of the camera phone before moving on to the advantages. Part Two and Three examine a few photo editing and photo management apps, .while Part Four is a review of Takayuki Fukatsu’s QuadCamera app and three Jelly Lenses. You might not agree with every argument Steve puts forward in these articles, but the series does make for a good read.

Nokia UK has launched a search for photos taken with its Nokia N8 camera phone for a national billboard advertising campaign. The Nokia N8 billboard competition opened yesterday and runs for four weeks, closing on 7th April. UK residents can enter the competition by visiting Nokia’s Facebook page. The winner will get their image blown up to the size of a huge 96 sheet, billboard advert and displayed near their home.