Photos: The Samsung Pixon, an 8-megapixel monster

Despite what you may have heard, LG and Samsung are the best of friends. Yeah, okay, they're out to beat each other senseless like Olympic Taekwondo fighters. Hot on the heels of the LG Renoir, Samsung is launching its own 8-megapixel camera phone -- the Samsung Pixon. This relatively slim phone boasts a large touchscreen that we're finding commendably responsive, plus HSPDA for fast access to the Internet and GPS. It also supports DivX movies and can shoot video in slow motion.

But it's the Pixon's camera that really does the talking, featuring auto-focus, face detection and the automated panorama mode we enjoyed using on the Samsung i8510. There's even smile detection so you don't miss your family and friends' rare grins during this glum time -- it might not beat the credit crunch blues, but it'll catch the odd glimmer of merriment. Click 'Continue' for more pics and deets.

On the side you'll find a dedicated shutter button, which makes taking pictures very natural. We found the Pixon reacted very quickly, with little shutter lag. There's nothing more annoying than lining up a shot and your camera phone not reacting fast enough.

Not exactly discreet, the Pixon's 8-megapixel camera sits on the back and juts out in a similar fashion to the LG Renoir's camera. Unlike the Renoir, though, the Pixon's camera boasts an automatic lens cover that opens and shuts when you turn the camera on and off.

The on-screen camera interface is easy to use and we found the Pixon's screen very responsive. It's not as sharp as the iPhone 3G or T-Mobile G1, but it will react with a gentle tap, unlike some of Samsung's previous touchscreen phones.

Here's a test shot of the CNET UK pool table. We're pleased with the colour and sharpness of the picture. If you want to see the 3,264x2,448-pixel full-size image, you can download it here.

The Samsung Pixon will be available in the next few weeks for free on a monthly contract on all major networks, excluding Vodafone.