The new Exilim C721 camera phone can go where your digital camera probably can't: underwater. The unusual waterproof coating on this handset makes it not only a worry-free phone for the accident-prone, but a fun alternative camera. The C721 is Verizon's best camera phone by far, and it's a great pick for outdoor enthusiasts--as long as you understand it won't replace a dedicated digital camera entirely.
The 5.1-megapixel C721 is the only U.S. carrier-model phone with optical zoom (3X, in this case), and the only waterproof phone that doesn't resemble industrial equipment. It's a big, but surprisingly good-looking flip phone measuring 4 by 2 by 0.8 inches (HWD) and weighing 4.5 ounces, with a 2.3-inch, 320-by-240-pixel display. You can swivel the phone's screen 180 degrees and flip it closed to put the C721 into pure camera mode. This phone is genuinely waterproof and meets military standards for shock and vibration resistance, but I wouldn't call it super-tough.
The C721 gets excellent reception on Verizon's network, although voice quality is just average. Its tested battery life, 4 hours 55 minutes of talk time, is fine but not great. Although the C721's photos looked much better than those of other camera phones, its shots are still no match for a dedicated digital camera. It is also not a great choice for playing music or Web browsing. Overall, you'll pay a premium for this phone, but for taking pictures at the beach, this is a unique--and undeniably cool--device.
PROS Verizon's best camera phone to date. 3X optical zoom. Waterproof.
CONS Won't replace a true digital camera. Crippled Web browser. Non-standard headphone jack.
Source Citation
Segan, Sascha. "Verizon's best camera phone so far." PC Magazine 28.9 (2009): 34. Academic OneFile. Web. 13 Mar. 2010.
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