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In the set of first generation Windows Phones, the Samsung Focus is generally accepted as having the best all around camera.  The 5MP camera with a built-in LED flash does a pretty good job, especially in daylight shots.  With Mango there were some added features given to the camera to improve contracts and saturation which has help a bit as well.

The impressive feature about the Samsung Focus that I see is often overlooked is the macro mode.  It is one of the few cameras on smartphones – let alone Windows Phone – that has a macro.  Even better though, it’s actually really good.  The photos in the post are unedited in any way and are as they were when I got them off of my Focus.

This first shot I took of my agenda and pen.

Focus Macro Image of Agenda and Pen

As you look at the photo up close you can see the etched serial number of my pen around the band and nice detail in the ink on the paper.  It is clear – pardon the pun – that the edges of the photos are a little soft so you will want to keep that in mind as you take macro shots with your Focus.  For this photo I was about 6″ away from the paper.

My second shot is a small model of the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, Czech Republic.

St. Vitus Cathedral Model Macro Shot

On this one you can see the fine ink details outlining the windows and doors and can even see where dust has collected on the base!  Details of the roof are also impressive.  Again, I was about 6″ from the model for this shot.

If you are a Samsung Focus owner and haven’t check out the macro mode you need to try it out for yourself.  If you are looking for this type of functionality on your next Windows Phone, the new Samsung Focus S has it as well as the HTC Titan.  The Titan is widely considered to have the best camera of the 2nd generation Windows Phones which is 8MP.
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If the thought of having to wait until 2012 for a Nokia Windows Phone has your skin crawling, the folks at NCIX have you covered.  Who are NCIX you ask?  They are a retailer up in Canada and they have Nokia Lumia 800’s in stock.  Even better, the units they have have the AT&T 3G bands!  From their description:

Nokia Lumia 800 Unlocked 3G Windows Phone 3.7IN Amoled Touchscreen 8.0MP Camera 16GB – Black 
GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz ; HSPA/WCDMA: 850/900/1900/2100 MHz 

The site is also clear that all sales are final and no exchanges can be made (unless it is defective of course).

The price is $689.99 (CAN) which as of this morning exchanges to $683.89 (US).  That price is good on their website only so for those of you who live along the Canadian border and wanted to just hop over to buy one, no can do.

For more information check out the NCIX Nokia Lumia 800 page

Really?

Do I really need to say much more than the title?  Did you download the Xbox Companion yet?  Why not?  Go!

Just go get it!

The Nokia Blog has posted a short article covering the release of the Nokia Lumia 800 Windows Phone in Singapore.  The article, which has some photos with it, points out that people waited up to 8 hours in line to get the new phone on its launch day today.  Granted, the first 100 also got an Xbox for their troubles but still, this is great to see!

Nokia Lumia 800 Line in Singapore (Courtesy of The Nokia Blog

It is clear that the Lumia 800 has drawn a lot of interest and focus on Windows Phone and it is also clear that Nokia has a much deeper relationship with Redmond than other Windows Phone manufactures.  Hopefully we will see similar scenes here in the US when the first Nokia devices start arriving in earnest in January 2012.

Source:  The Nokia Blog