Sony Ericsson T715 review

Slim and cheap - but is it too lightweight on specs?

The definitive Sony Ericsson T715 review
The definitive Sony Ericsson T715 review

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Sony ericsson t715

The T715 sports a routine 3.2-megapixel fixed focus camera rather than one of its more sophisticated shooting stablemates, such as the Sony Ericsson C905.

It does have an LED flash, improving its low-light shooting, but overall image quality is average for this grade of cameraphone.

The camera user interface is consistent with other mid-tier range mates; the camera button opens the shooting app in 2-3 seconds, and it flips automatically into landscape viewfinder mode.

A settings options menu enables you to tweak some typical cameraphone controls, including image resolution, white balance setting, night mode, self timer and colour effects.

You can also choose multi-burst shots (captured in low-res VGA quality), a run-of-the-mill panorama shot option and frame effects.

Sony ericsson t715

In addition, within the additional settings, you can choose to add positioning metadata to images.

While there's no GPS onboard, this option does enable you to automatically record approximate location info for shots for use with certain apps (including Google Maps), using automatic cellular triangulation.

Image quality is reasonable for this sort of cameraphone. Colours are generally good and the auto-metering system responds effectively to alterations in lighting environments.

Colours are bright, although they can appear slightly over-saturated at times. Without an autofocus system, you don't have the flexibility for precisely focused shots or sharp close ups.

The camera's results are reasonable for quick cameraphone snaps, but lack the sort of crisply focused quality you'd get from a decent standalone camera.

Sony ericsson t715

The LED flash is also limited, offering some illumination at close quarters but not with the subtly or effectiveness of a more powerful camera flash.

The T715 can capture video, too, although quality is mediocre. It shoots at maximum QVGA resolution at up to 15 frames per second, so is less than impressive when played back.

Once shot, both images and video footage can be immediately uploaded to web-based services. Settings for some – including Picasa Web Album, MySpace and Blogger – come pre-loaded, although you can also insert your own preferred services.

Sony ericsson t715

CASUAL SNAPPING: The T715's camera is a modest shooter but can be used for casual snapping. Here the contrast between trees and skies on a dull day isn't brilliantly captured, though there's a reasonable amount of detail for this grade of cameraphone

Sony ericsson t715

CLOSE RANGE: The detail here isn't bad for this sort of fixed focus cameraphone, although the red appeared slightly over saturated

Sony ericsson t715

SUBDUED LIGHTING: For a modest camera, it does OK in adjusting to subdued lighting conditions, the auto-metering system handling tones adequately

Sony ericsson t715

INTERIOR SHOTS: These can be OK, though the brighter the lighting conditions the better results you'll get

Sony ericsson t715

INDOORS: Under artificial lighting, the T715 is able to take acceptable snaps, although they're a touch soft. Again the lack of autofocus limits how you can choose what to focus on in the viewfinder

Sony ericsson t715

FLASH: The T715's LED flash is a photo lamp that can be switched on in dark environments. It's not very effective, only offering limited illumination close up. Even at this range it doesn't do a great job, barely throwing enough light from a metre or so away