The Nokia 5230 comes with all the stylings of the multi-million selling Nokia 5800 but at a reduced price. One of the compromises is the use of a 2-Megapixel camera but is this enough to satisfy the budding smartphone user? Read on and find out in our Nokia 5230 camera review…
The Nokia 5230 is a great handset for anyone on a tight budget looking for a touchscreen phone running the Symbian S60 5th Edition operating system. Sure it lacks Wi-Fi but it offers the same array of Ovi features as the more expensive Nokia 5800, so you can download thousands of apps, sign up for Ovi Mail and even access Nokia Music.
Check out our Nokia 5230 review
The camera on the Nokia 5230 is perhaps the most noticeable step down as the 2-Megapixel CCD lacks auto-focus as well as does away with a Flash. This means you’re restricted to where you can use it, such as indoors with good lighting and outdoors.
That said, we were fairly impressed with the snaps we took with the Nokia 5230 (below). Colour balance is decent and while images a limited to a maximum size of 1600 x 1200 pixels there is enough definition on offer to allow for image editing to quickly enhance what you’ve taken.
Like the Nokia 5800 you’ll find a dedicated Capture button on the side of the Nokia 5230, as well as dedicated zoom buttons. The smartphone allows for up to 3x digital zoom so you can get pretty close to a subject. Sure, you’ll need a steady hand at this range as without auto-focus you may find getting the right snap a little tricky.
Being a Symbian S60 5th Edition device you’ll find the same Viewfinder and Settings tools as you would on a more expensive device, so using the camera is really easy – simply point and click. The onscreen counter lets you know how much space you’ve left on your memory card and navigating the menu is relatively straightforward.
It’s worth remembering the Nokia 5230 doesn’t only capture still images, as you’ll find video capture built in too. You’ll find the same 640 x 480-pixel capture that is on offer on the Nokia 5800 and it even records at 30fps (Frames Per Second), which is something we were expecting.
Check out the Best Nokia 5230 Accessories
The Nokia 5230 camera is very much an entry-level device and there is no getting away from it various limitations. However, as long as you’re aware of its limits there is no reason why you can’t get the most out of the camera and take some cool snaps.
Check out our Nokia 5230 camera review photo gallery:
