Review: Motorola Defy
Photos
The Motorola Defy uses a 5 megapixel sensor for photo work, and images from the cameraphone did not look bad. Indoors, the camera had more trouble, with plenty of noise and grainy images that were less than impressive, but still usable for social sharing. Plus, the bright LED flash helped significantly, and it didn't throw off the camera's white balance. Outside, under bright sunshine, things looked much better. This is probably where the Defy's audience, adventure seekers and outdoor types, will take most of their photos, and here the camera did a much better job. Things were still a bit hazy, and I wonder if the water tight seal affected the clarity of the plastic in front of the lens. But even if these photos aren't print-worthy, I'd have no trouble sharing with my friends and social circle.
You can't really take photos underwater with the Motorola Defy because the shutter button is on the touchscreen, and the capacitive screen cannot register taps under water. In any case, the phone is only submersible to one meter, which is barely enough for a kiddie pool, let alone a snorkeling vacation.
Video
The Defy can shoot videos at VGA resolution. Videos did have some of the wavy quality you'll find on most camcorder phones, but it was not as pronounced as the worst I've seen. The phone did a fine job handling mixed lighting conditions, and at best, outside on a sunny day, colors looked bright and accurate. Sound quality recorded through the phone's mic was pretty good, though I still sounded a little distant in my sample videos.