Digital cameras have been a popular cell phone feature for years, but have only recently begun to truly shine and exhibit how far modern optic technology has come. Many models currently on the market feature high-megapixel cameras built into the phone itself, but seem to result in a device that takes acceptable pictures while attempting a few half-baked approaches to phone and organizer functionality. The LG Renoir, released in November of 2008, creates a happy bridge between these two extremes; with an on-board eight megapixel camera, the Renoir sells itself as a powerful, clear picture-taker. Yet with a fully modernized touch-screen and many entertaining multimedia options, this model exhibits an understanding of the needs of today's cell phone owner -- needs which some other feature-heavy models seem to have forgotten.



The Renoir's size is an immediate point of sale. At one hundred fourteen grams and just under fifteen millimeters thick, the phone is seriously slim, light, and easy to carry around. Despite its size, however, the Renoir manages to retain a solid and comfortable feel; not quite as inspiring as the iPhone yet nowhere near as clunky or plastic-like as many older models. The camera itself is on the back of the phone's structure and comes equipped with audio focus, video, xenon flash, and cool features like the ability to geo-tag pictures and auto-detect faces, smiles, and blinking. One hundred megabytes of shared memory and up to sixteen megabites via a card slot are available to store the camera's photos.

Aside from the camera, the star of the show is the Renoir's three-inch TFT touch screen, which has all the functionality and style of similar models on the market. Vivid colors, clear sounds, and crisp video make for appealing multimedia performance while accurate and fast motion detection makes navigation an absolute breeze. Speaking of multimedia, the Renoir allows users to import DivX and Xvid files for catching movie or TV clips on the go, in addition to making space for mp3 audio files. A lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack may cause problems for those who prefer to stay hands-free, though a simple adapter can be purchased to clear up this issue, as needed.

Those with a passion for texting can take advantage of either a full qwerty keyboard on-screen or use a quick and simple auto-complete board, depending on preference. User experiences with the keyboard rank in the top tier; while getting it just perfect with a phone keyboard is one of modern handset technology's greatest challenges, the Renoir does an admirable job of keeping the feature usable and intuitive. An all-around solid performer, the Renoir is an excellent choice for phone users looking for a little something extra out of the on-board camera. Without compromising the many perks of modern touch-screen phones or focusing too heavily on any one area, LG has managed to produce a picture-taking model that truly lets you capture and organize your world.