These days, a phone isn't worth having if it doesn't have a top-notch snapper strapped to its back.
We've rounded up the crème de la crème of camera phones and delved a little deeper than simple megapixels to establish what handsets should be on any self-respecting mo-pho's (mobile photographer's) wishlist.
Here are our recommended 10 best camera phones for 2010.
1. Nokia N8
Nokia is fond of using a snazzy Carl Zeiss lens to lend credibility to its camera-phones and the Nokia N8 is no exception.
Its massive image sensor (the biggest of any smartphone currently on the market), f/2.8 aperture and 5.9mm focal length produce photos that are almost film-worthy.
Unfortunately, there's no optical zoom, just a disappointing 2x digital option - but the good quality optics, Xenon flash and manual controls for everything from the white balance to ISO settings make it an excellent choice for the photography-conscious.
Read our full Nokia N8 review
2. Samsung Pixon 12
The Samsung Pixon12 offers a 30mm wide-angle lens, which gives us a wider field of view than the majority of the handsets examined here.
ISO settings range from 50 to 1600 and with the option to manually set the ISO as well as controlling white balance, resolution and exposure compensation, so you can exert a measure of control over the final image that's missing from, say, the Sony Ericsson Satio.
For all those 12 megapixels, however, we'd like to see a better image sensor on board the Pixon12 to make the most of what's in front of the lens. That said, the handset is quick to focus and handles colour admirably.
Read our full Samsung Pixon 12 review
3. Sony Ericsson Xperia X10
When the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 finally launched, we described it as one of the best around – and we stand by that assessment. Although the LED photo light is a poor substitute for a flash, Xenon or otherwise, day-lit photography is not bad at all.
The 8-megapixel camera has a 4.7mm F2.8 lens – it doesn't sound very impressive on paper but in practice it makes for a good little point-and-shoot provided you're not trying to win Wildlife Photographer of the Year or anything.
The fixed lens means we've only got digital zoom to play with (16x) but the sharpness of images is quite impressive and we can adjust the metering and white balance settings to tweak image capture based on conditions.
Read our full Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 review
4. iPhone 4
Apple doesn't give you a great deal of control when it comes to the iPhone 4's camera. You're stuck with the handset's automatic white balance and metering, and the iPhone 4 will set its ISO anywhere between 80 and 1000 depending on the subject.
The LED flash offers the option to be always on should you need it for fill lighting – just as well, as the auto-flash tends to be a little shy. Some measure of exposure tweaking is offered by the HDR setting, which combines three shots with different exposure settings to provide a more detailed final product - this can work well if you have a steady hand.
The result is that images often look great on the iPhone screen, but loses some clarity and gains some noise when viewed at full size.
Read our full iPhone 4 review
5. Motorola Milestone XT720
There is a plethora of shooting options on board the Motorola XT720, from standard face detection to self-portrait and six-shot burst shooting.
The abundance of ways to tweak the settings mean you can really get the best out of most shooting situations, from adjusting the white balance to touch-focus to ensure your intended subject really is the subject of your shot.
What's more, the touch-focus tool also controls the shot metering so images tend to come out well balanced even with the Xenon flash deployed. With a short focal distance, you can also eke nicely detailed macro shots out of the XT720 too.
We've rounded up the crème de la crème of camera phones and delved a little deeper than simple megapixels to establish what handsets should be on any self-respecting mo-pho's (mobile photographer's) wishlist.
Here are our recommended 10 best camera phones for 2010.
1. Nokia N8
Nokia is fond of using a snazzy Carl Zeiss lens to lend credibility to its camera-phones and the Nokia N8 is no exception.
Its massive image sensor (the biggest of any smartphone currently on the market), f/2.8 aperture and 5.9mm focal length produce photos that are almost film-worthy.
Unfortunately, there's no optical zoom, just a disappointing 2x digital option - but the good quality optics, Xenon flash and manual controls for everything from the white balance to ISO settings make it an excellent choice for the photography-conscious.
Read our full Nokia N8 review
2. Samsung Pixon 12
The Samsung Pixon12 offers a 30mm wide-angle lens, which gives us a wider field of view than the majority of the handsets examined here.
ISO settings range from 50 to 1600 and with the option to manually set the ISO as well as controlling white balance, resolution and exposure compensation, so you can exert a measure of control over the final image that's missing from, say, the Sony Ericsson Satio.
For all those 12 megapixels, however, we'd like to see a better image sensor on board the Pixon12 to make the most of what's in front of the lens. That said, the handset is quick to focus and handles colour admirably.
Read our full Samsung Pixon 12 review
3. Sony Ericsson Xperia X10
When the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 finally launched, we described it as one of the best around – and we stand by that assessment. Although the LED photo light is a poor substitute for a flash, Xenon or otherwise, day-lit photography is not bad at all.
The 8-megapixel camera has a 4.7mm F2.8 lens – it doesn't sound very impressive on paper but in practice it makes for a good little point-and-shoot provided you're not trying to win Wildlife Photographer of the Year or anything.
The fixed lens means we've only got digital zoom to play with (16x) but the sharpness of images is quite impressive and we can adjust the metering and white balance settings to tweak image capture based on conditions.
Read our full Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 review
4. iPhone 4
Apple doesn't give you a great deal of control when it comes to the iPhone 4's camera. You're stuck with the handset's automatic white balance and metering, and the iPhone 4 will set its ISO anywhere between 80 and 1000 depending on the subject.
The LED flash offers the option to be always on should you need it for fill lighting – just as well, as the auto-flash tends to be a little shy. Some measure of exposure tweaking is offered by the HDR setting, which combines three shots with different exposure settings to provide a more detailed final product - this can work well if you have a steady hand.
The result is that images often look great on the iPhone screen, but loses some clarity and gains some noise when viewed at full size.
Read our full iPhone 4 review
5. Motorola Milestone XT720
There is a plethora of shooting options on board the Motorola XT720, from standard face detection to self-portrait and six-shot burst shooting.
The abundance of ways to tweak the settings mean you can really get the best out of most shooting situations, from adjusting the white balance to touch-focus to ensure your intended subject really is the subject of your shot.
What's more, the touch-focus tool also controls the shot metering so images tend to come out well balanced even with the Xenon flash deployed. With a short focal distance, you can also eke nicely detailed macro shots out of the XT720 too.