Camera phone competition ideas!

Matt

Matt

Matt

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This ideas was brought up in the competition discussion thread and i thought it would be sensible to create a thread to discuss a few ideas.

My reasoning for a camera phone competition is to force people to think more about the photo and less about the kit they're using to get that image. A camera phone has virtually no options, and it just point and click, and usually fixed focal length, so this brings new challenges!

But how do you think it should be run? I'd like to see no theme, just a final submission date. I'm not sure on the judging of it though! Maybe everyone that entered could pick their top 3, and we could establish a winner that way?

Anyway, let me know your ideas :D


Rules
- Camera phones only
- Must give make and model info (might not mean that much to a lot of us, but it's interesting)
- 640x480 max resolution
- NO theme
- 1 month period
- Photo MUST be taken on or after the start date
- NO image editing, photo MUST be straight from camera phone
- NO macro

Judging
- Everyone who entered can vote
- Each person selects their top 3, the overall top 3 are then chosen from this
- You cannot select yourself
- Therefore the competition is just judged on the persons impression of the photo
 
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Yup, that sound like a good plan, its best to run it seperately from the normal competition as some folk who normally enter may not have a cameraphone, and would feel annoyed at dropping down the overall ranks.

Possible imposing a relative small fixed size limit (600x400), to futher reduce the advantage that having a better model, etc would offer.
 
Problem is though, everyone has different phones. My 6230 takes little tiny awful quality pictures, whereas my gf's 3g phone takes 1MP pictures. Of course you're going to be able to take a better picture on the latter phone because you can get more data into the image.

I like the idea of trying to reduce everyone to the same level, which is effectively what you're trying to achieve - by removing fancy flashy (hah!) technology, lets see who really makes the best pictures. However, just using mobiles is not the answer to this as there's too much variation between them. You can still have a huge advantage just by owning a better phone.

What would be better (but completely impractical) is to find the absolutest cheapest digicam that you can find (they must have really really bad, really cheap ones somewhere) and only accept entries from that model of camera. A lot of it would be based on trust, but that would bring everyone's technology down to the same level. Another idea would be to only accept entries from disposable film cameras, but then the quality of the scanner that scans the image comes into play. It's difficult....
 
Interesting idea, although I wouldn't be able to enter.
I have a K700i, which has a usable camera - that bit is OK, but I gave away my bluetooth dongle (hadn't used it for over a year) - so I couldn't get pics from phone > PC.

Still, sound fun for those who can enter!
 
The idea is to make the competition simple and accessible. So stop it with this thing about people having the latest phone having an advantage :p It's only a bit of fun and isn't about the tool at all, more about what you can do with a simple camera :)

Though the 640x480 rule might be a good idea to make it even more level.

hoodmeister, that's an awful excuse :p Just BT it to someone elses phone, or send it via another method!


To summerise, these are the possible rules:
- Camera phones only
- Must give make and model info (might not mean that much to a lot of us, but it's interesting)
- 640x480 max resolution
- NO theme
- 1 month period
- Photo MUST be taken on or after the start date

Judging
- Everyone who entered can vote
- Each person selects their top 3, the overall top 3 are then chosen from this
- Therefore the competition is just judged on the persons impression of the photo


Let me know what you think, and we'll get it started and see how it goes.
 
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can you suggest any other methods?
As ridiculous as this may sound, I don't see people very often - and even then the chances of them a) having a BT phone and b) being able to then shift that over to a PC are beyond slim.
It really isn't practical for me.
But carry on!
 
hoodmeister said:
can you suggest any other methods?
As ridiculous as this may sound, I don't see people very often - and even then the chances of them a) having a BT phone and b) being able to then shift that over to a PC are beyond slim.
It really isn't practical for me.
But carry on!
Click to expand...

My phone knowledge is somewhat limited, put couldn't you just send a picture message to someone?
 
Those rules sound good. Might want some clarification on if we can use PS.

I pointed my 6230 at the sun and now reds appear as bright orange. Bit of a daft thing to do.

Hoodi, can you not just use a data cable from your phone to PC? Nokias come with them but I don't know about SE.
 
don't have a data cable (didn't come with one) and I'm not forking out for a one-off :D
I really don't think I'm gonna be taking part in this one :)

PS is an awkward one, because some phones will produce punchy, sharpened, noise reduced results with fairly accurate WB straight out, while others are the complete opposite.
 
xolotl said:
Might want some clarification on if we can use PS.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure about this point yet, does anyone have any suggestions?

I'm tempted to say it can be used, though if used the original should also be posted.
 
Fstop11 said:
I have just ordered a K800i. I think I might have the edge :D
"6th September role on!"
Click to expand...

I've had one for over a month. You just lost your edge :p Still, we all know Ray will post a pic of some hotty just to pwn us all :D
 
Fstop11 said:
Id like to say that we'll share the edge :P
Click to expand...
Snap! :D

I don't think PS should be used, it should just be taken straight from the phone and posted here. I assume picture quality wouldn't matter just the subject? What about the likes of macro etc, can they be used?
 
I really like the idea my first OC photo comp entry was with my N70 and was so happy to not come last. ;)

I agree that we should stear clear of photoshop, I know my phone as a few feature like sharpen and invert colour would they be allowd or not?

I can sede why a few people may not like the idea but I also think there may be quite a few who would be interested especially if its just a bit of fun.
 
I think we need a theme or a pic of a hot "someone(s)" will get the win (as we're lacking a female judge). Also no macro's or the better phones will win.
 
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