Traditional photographers often look down their noses at mobile phone cameras. The devices are regarded as toys which produce poor low-resolution images. However, times are changing very rapidly. Samsung recently reported the introduction of the first 10 megapixel camera phone with a 3X optical zoom, autofocus and a built-in flash. It also supports Bluetooth which enables users to send pictures wirelessly to other mobile phones, printers or Bluetooth headsets.

Some people may counter such information by claiming that the lenses used are of poor quality. However, new lenses which are almost flat and much thinner than a sheet of paper may soon revolutionize photography. With such technology even the smallest of cameras would be capable of producing good-quality images with none of the distortion associated with today's digital zoom facilities. It will also be possible to use the new cameras close to their subjects. Camera phones may even soon have lenses made from a couple of drops of liquid, but will still be capable of auto focusing and zooming.

The proliferation of camera phones which can take and instantly transmit images, and even short video clips, has raised all sorts of new issues regarding personal and workplace security. Sensitive information can be captured and sent to other phones, copied to websites or e-mailed anywhere in the world. Such fears have led some organizations to ban all camera phones from their premises.