The Nokia N97 Mini comes packed to entertain, as the 5-Megapixel camera comes with dual-flash, auto-focus and of course the Carl Zeiss optics. What’s more, it also records video as decent frame rate. How does it compare with the likes of the Nokia N86 8MP? Find out how well is stacks up with our Nokia N97 Mini review…

In terms of design, Nokia has done away with the lens cover that was found on the Nokia N97 in favour of simply mounting the camera unit on a protruding part of the Nokia N97 Mini body. The surround is metal and the lens and flash recessed, so there is little risk of direct damage.

The 5-Megapixel CCD and Carl Zeiss optics is pretty much standard across all the Nokia high-end devices now, even the S40 device the Nokia 6700 Classic uses it. So, there are few real surprises in the fact that quality is very good indeed. OK, so you won’t find the range or size of image found on the Nokia N86 8MP but that is a more serious camera option.

Check out our Nokia N86 8MP Camera Review

You can fire up the camera from the Homescreen or simply by pressing the Capture button on the side of the Nokia N97 Mini. This method only works if the keyguard has been activated. The 3.2-inch screen means the viewfinder isn’t as big as on the Nokia N97, for obvious reasons, but it is big enough to get a decent idea of what you’re aiming at.

The interface is the standard Nokia setup, so you’ll find fixed controls down the right-hand side of the screen for Options, Mode, Flash, Capture and Exit. On the left-hand side of the screen you’ll find the soft zoom functions, so you don’t need to use the dedicated hardware buttons, as well as mode icon and the number of shots left to take.

Check out our Nokia N97 Mini Full Review

Options allows you to go the image Gallery, change to video mode or enter Settings.Have a look in the Menu Settings and you’ll find a couple of neat features that make sharing, uploading and generally keeping photos a whole lot easier. For instance, Auto-rotate is a simple trick for orientating images the way they should be. Then, along with the usual Date Stamp, you can set Default Image Name, great for setting just before you go away ‘Holiday Crete 2009′ is much better than ‘img01′ in our book.

Then there is GPS info, allowing you to tag each photo via the Nokia N97 Mini’s built-in GPS receiver. This is a nice tool that should work well with Nokia Good Things, for uploading and sharing your favourite activities.

When it comes to taking snaps, you’ll find the camera can be a little slow to focus in and the Capture button feels a little small. You’ll need to make sure you hold the camera firmly, as the button needs a solid push to react. However, the quality speaks for itself, as images tend to look rather impressive – even to our untrained eye.

Having the camera on the Nokia N97 Mini saves you the hassle of having to take a camera with you and for quick snaps when out and about, parties and visiting places for example, it makes a great addition to a more than pleasing smartphone.

Check out our Nokia N97 Mini Camera Review image gallery: