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T-Mobile accused of misleading customers with inaccurate camera specs

Posted: , by Nick T.

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T-Mobile accused of misleading customers with inaccurate camera specs
Several weeks ago, we reviewed the latest myTouch and myTouch Q smartphones for T-Mobile, and one of the things we didn't quite like were their 5-megapixel cameras. Oops, did we say 5-megapixel cameras? Yeah, because that is what is listed on the specs sheets for both devices. Yet in reality, the photos that they snap are of lower pixel count, as a recent blog post at Consumer Reports points out.

Here is what it all breaks down to: the maximum resolution, at which the T-Mobile myTouch or myTouch Q can take photos, is 2560 by 1536 pixels, which translates to a 3.9-megapixel image with aspect ratio of 16:9. Other 5-megapixel cameraphones would usually go up to 2560 by 1920 pixels, which will produce 4.9-megapixel photos with aspect ratio of 4:3. In other words, the two myTouch smartphones crop photographs in order to deliver wide-screen images, but about 1 million pixels are being sacrificed along the way. And that isn't cool.

Yet technically, T-Mobile is not exactly misleading its customers as the myTouch and myTouch Q really do come with 5-megapixel camera sensors; it is the devices' software limitations that are causing all the confusion. On the other hand, it would have been nice if there was a disclaimer letting people know that the photos these smartphones produce aren't what they might expect. What do you, guys, think? 

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1. roscuthiii posted on 22 Aug 2012, 02:57 8 1

It's still a 5 megapixel sensor... yeah, they could add a disclaimer about the software imposed limitations, but even without it I'm not butthurt over this.

I don't see it as any different than having a sports car with a herd of ponies under the hood and being bound by traffic laws to keep it at 65 or under.

Besides, as long as the people taking photos with those phones are happy with picture quality where's the issue? I thought we were over quibbling about megapixels now... that's so 2010.

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3. thelegend6657 posted on 22 Aug 2012, 05:02

Thumb you down by accident , sorry

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4. Captain_Doug posted on 22 Aug 2012, 08:26 5

You can just press the thumbsup button and it takes away your downvote.

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6. -box- posted on 22 Aug 2012, 09:03 4

Thumb buttons disappear after your vote...?

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5. -box- posted on 22 Aug 2012, 08:58 1

Agreed. Take the best phone camera out right now for example: the Nokia 808 PureView has a 41MP sensor, but the max resolution for a photo is 38MP. It's classified as a 41 because of the software and how it takes the photos. This seems to be a similar [non-]issue

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8. thelegend6657 posted on 22 Aug 2012, 22:47

I rather take a lower resolution 16:9 photo than a higher resolution 4:3 photo

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2. KingKurogiii posted on 22 Aug 2012, 03:14 1

nahhh, T-Mo is in the clear. you can always get an app that'll take full advantage of the 5MP Sensor. the point is that it's the hardware that matters in this case.

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7. GALAXY-S posted on 22 Aug 2012, 11:08 2

People jus want to find something to B!tch about all the time.

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