The Nokia E55 is very much a messaging smartphone. It packs in a compact QWERTY keyboard and the 2.4-inch screen is sharp enough to read messages with ease. It’s also good for viewing images snapped using the 3.2-Megapixel camera. So, in theory, you should be able to snap away with wanton abandon. Check out our Nokia E55 camera review to see how we got on with it…

The Nokia E55 is first and foremost a business tool. The interface, keyboard and general functionality is all aimed at getting the best out of email and messaging. Then there is the battery life, which is an absolute belter.

What the Nokia E55 is not intended to be is a happy snapper. Sure, it has a 3.2-Megapixel camera built-in but with no auto-focus and no support for macro mode, this is very much an entry-level camera that can be used for taking the odd pic, rather than used for documenting your social life.

This was borne out when we started using the Nokia E55 camera, as while the results are interesting, they’re not exactly going to win any awards.

Check out our Nokia E55 review

The camera software is the same as found on other Symbian S60 3rd Edition smartphones, like the Nokia E52. We’ve been testing it out and found the software loads smoothly with camera mode – either Still or Video – located in the top left-hand corner, while the number of shots and current resolution can be found in the left-hand bottom corner.

All the main controls run down the right-hand side of the screen. So, you can choose Panaromic and Sequence modes, and even define the mode, such as Portrait, Landscape, Night or Sports. Then there are controls and Red Eye settings for the single LED flash. Getting the most out of the software is easy and you can even view images you’ve taken by dropping into the Photo Album.

However, usability of the camera is generally a little hit and miss, as with no auto-focus on this camera, getting the best results can be a little tricky. What’s more, the lack of macro mode also limits it somewhat. We like the Nokia E55 for it’s ease of use and battery life but we don’t think it will be making our ‘Best camera of 2009′ shortlist any time soon.

Nokia E55 Camera Spec:
Camera Resolution:      2048 x 1536 pixels
CMOS Sensor:     3.2-Megapixel
Camera Digital Zoom:     4 x
Camera Image Formats:     JPEG
Camera Features:     Auto Exposure, Extended Depth of Field, Flash, Full Screen Viewfinder, Red-Eye Reduction, Self Timer, Sequence Mode

Check out our Nokia E55 camera review images: