According to TheNextWeb, the hardware specifications of Windows Phone, as it appears on Microsoft shows that the main camera (of which autofocus was a necessity) is now in the optional section. Since front facing camera is also optional, this means Windows Phones can appear without cameras whatsoever.

http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2011/11/06/microsoft-has-radically-changed-the-hardware-rules-for-windows-phone/

TheNextWeb speculates a few possible causes, mainly that Tango – lower priced phones, Nokia trying to reach lower price points. This doesn’t necessarily mean ommision of the main camera.

The main camera is at least one necessity in smartphones, perhaps it could mean, and I worry about this, the introduction of EDoF into Nokia WP? Well that type of full focus has its merits, but not on anything over 150USD. Perhaps Nokia can ship cheaper fixed focus (note fixed focus =/=full focus) to reach that 100USD price bracket.

(btw, wasn’t there an article on Nok Conv showing how much more complex and expensive EDoF systems were? But they were designed to take the ‘hassle’ of AF out, thus not simply a cost saving feature? Also wasn’t EDoF supposedly helping create slimmer phones. Some have pointed out that the 710 with 5MP AF is fractionally slimmer than 603 with EDoF. The quality of those units still has not been tested though, and also note the 710 has more overall surface area/volume to space out its innards – hence how a lot of big screen droids can be so thin).

EDoF as defended by its supporters (and it has some) would say it makes it incredibly easy to take pictures without having to worry about getting a focus.

Check out this post by Richard Dorman: http://onlyfoolsandmobiles.com/2011/09/30/nokia-701-just-another-edof-lens/

My concern is that it limits taking pictures of people or things close up. It also prevents apps that seem to rely on AF (eg. bing vision and certain barcode readers).

Although I can appreciate AF being much more versatile, to reiterate – for simplicities sake, instead of possibly investing on simpler, more accurate AF systems, EDoF cuts out the current learning step of waiting for the greenbox. Nokia’s EDoF is certainly better than any fisher-price pixelation cameras RIM enjoys putting on their BB.

Perhaps, if EDoF could’s depth of field could be extended further to allow a certain degree of closeness, it would gain greater acceptance?

Anyway, EDoF discussion aside…

A commenter of TNW article reminds us of uses where you may only be allowed phones that don’t have cameras.

“There are many organisations that require phones not have a camera – industry, secure defence establishments – and windows phones can now be made for those markets.”

Simon J Dawes

I’m hoping it’s more on the side that it just means more flexibility in the type of cameras Nokia can put in their WP. We know they are aiming to repeat something N8-like (and note, a successor is in the works, though it seems to be Symbian) to really bring up Nokia WP cameras [BTW, 800 camera does a good job], but also we might see some WP phones that may be more friendly to developing markets?

Not having front-facing cameras is less of an issue though. The Nokia 700 doesn’t have one. It would be nice if video calling was more mainstream in Nokias but it isn’t.

We would definitely be expecting the flagship 9xx Nokia Windows Phones to have a much fuller feature set. These would hopefully be the Nokia built WPs that have had more time to mature than the first two Lumias, so no excuse in leaving things out here Nokia (that are already in other WPs). Perhaps MS would have got their act together by then and have got Skype and skype video integrated into WP? (There is that “tango” video app, but still, WP is supposed to be all about the Integrated experience).

Standard Hardware

• A common set of hardware controls and buttons that include the Start, Search, and Back buttons.
• A large WVGA (800 x 480) format display capable of rendering most web content in full-page width and displaying movies in widescreen.
• Capacitive 4-point multi-touch screens for quick, simple control of the phone and its features.
• Support for data connectivity using cellular networks and Wi-Fi.
• 256 MB (or more) of RAM and 8 GB (or more) of flash storage.
• A-GPS
• Accelerometer

Optional Hardware

• Compass
• Gyro
• Primary Camera
• Front-facing Camera

Last week ended with a new promotion from Best Buy, allowing you to get a $149 32GB HP TouchPad with the purchase of any HP computing system, followed shortly thereafter with the news that HP was out of the final-run TouchPads despite having never directly sold any of that last batch. The natural assumption would have been to assume that we’re not likely to see many more TouchPads become available after that.

Wrong. TigerDirect got a limited stockpile, as did the webOS Developer Program (meh on the first, happy about the second). Today we’re finding out about a new promotion from Wal-Mart that seems pretty similar to what Best Buy is doing: Buy one of eleven HP laptops and get a 32GB TouchPad for $149.99 more! Unsurprisngly, similar deals are also available at Sam’s Club (owned by Wal-Mart).

We can see the light bulbs of anger and disappointment going off over your heads too. We would have called Best Buy a fluke – they love bundles in the big blue box. But the fact that practically the same thing is happening now at Wal-Mart raises red flags. Specifically, the “Wait just a gosh darn minute” red flag. Last week we were told that HP was out of stock of TouchPads, despite having never managed to sell any of the fire sale tablets through normal channels. If you want a TouchPad now you have to buy an HP computer. Our favorite also-ran tablet is being used as a tool to push crappy low-end HP laptops. We can hear the plan from the HP boardroom: “No need to make it available to customers, we’ve already taken the loss on our books, let’s use them as ‘value add-ons’ *snicker* to sell more laptops!” “Brilliant!”

As well as announcing the new Lumix GF1, Panasonic also added another new camera to its line up with the launch of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1, which according to Panasonic is the worlds smallest 3D camera.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 features a compact twin lens system with folded optics, and the two 25mm ultra wide angle lenses come with 4x optical zoom and can record full HD 3D video in 1080p.

The Lumix DMC-3D1 can also record full 2D HD video in 1080p and take 12 megapixel still photos, and it also comes with a 3.5 inch touchscreen display, you can find out more information over at Panasonic.

We have already seen a leaked photo of the new Panasonic Lumix GX1, and Panasonic has now officially announced the new Lumix GX1 interchangeable lens system camera, which comes with a 16 megapixel Live MOS sensor.

The Panasonic Lumix GX1 comes with an ISO range up to 12800 and it can record full HD video in 1080p in AVCHD format, and it also comes with an advanced AF system including practical full-time AF and tracking AF.

On the back is a 3 inch touchscreen TFT LCD display with a 460,000 dot resolution, and it comes with a number of built in features and effects to enhance your images.

The Panasonic Lumix GX1 will go on sale next month, and prices start at $699.99 for the body only, it will also be available with a number of lenses with prices starting at $799.99. Source Panasonic