[ithinkin10]

Can someone please post some up-close pictures, please?

Also, please let us know what setting was used to take take the picture.

Thanks!

[ithinkin10]

Nobody has taken an up-close picture?

[Shao128]

Here ya go: http://crackberry.com/blackberry-bol...era-comparison

[experiment 626]

Is Auto-Focus software or hardware dependent? Can RIM add it to a later Bold 99xx OS update? It just makes no sense to go backwards with the camera tech on RIM's flagship device.

[ifarlow]

Oh, dang. That's not as good as I had hoped... for any of those pictures.

[ifarlow]

Is Auto-Focus software or hardware dependent?

As I understand it... hardware. That unfortunately means that what we see is what we get. And what I see isn't so good.

[useless_invention]

I'm hoping they can improve it via a software update... not holding my breath though.

I'm still on pre-order for it, there aren't any other phones out I'm close to wanting (this will be my first BB, coming from a Nokia n900).

[edwingmel]

I can't believe how bad the pictures are with the 9900. How can RIM do this? A step backward. Looks like I'll either wait for the QNX phone or see what Apple has in store with their next generation iphone. Very disappointed.

[ifarlow]

I'm still considering the 9900 despite this (since taking pictures isn't my top priority with a phone), and I've got a long time to think it over since I'm on AT&T, but I can't understand boneheaded moves like this. I don't think progress should ever mean losing ground. In other words, there is no way that the last generation BlackBerries should be able to take better pictures than the newest generation BlackBerries.

[JasW]

This might well be the deciding factor between the 9810 and 9900 for me. I love my 9800 but I loved my 9000 as well, and had been on fence before pretty much deciding to go with the 9810. Still, I wasn't sure. Now I think I am.

[dkonigs]

Thankfully, I just use my phone for simple "post random shots of something to FaceBook" use cases. If I want actual good close-up photos, I get out this sucker. Of course the real advantage of a phone camera is that you always have it on you, even when you didn't think/want to bring the camera bag, and I can definitely see the use cases for at least passable close-up photos. (have probably done some myself in the past, just to capture label text.)

[DukeL]

The sad part is they did this for thinness and the iPhone 4 a more than year old phone is still thinner WITH auto-focus. Sad, sad indeed. I am really having second thoughts on this one and actually starting to take a look at the 9850 even though I like the bold form factor.

[Qbunto]

The sad part is they did this for thinness and the iPhone 4 a more than year old phone is still thinner WITH auto-focus. Sad, sad indeed. I am really having second thoughts on this one and actually starting to take a look at the 9850 even though I like the bold form factor.

Yes but the iPhone doesn't house a huge keyboard. That adds a huge amount of thickness.

[ifarlow]

And the iPhone has a larger screen to take the place of the keyboard on the BlackBerry. I doubt the inclusion of a keyboard meant they had to ditch the autofocus camera.