Samsung Illusion photos and camera test

The Samsung Illusion quickly moved from rumor to reality, joining Verizon as one of its more budget-friendly phones.

The Illusion has a 3.5-inch HVGA touch screen and runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

A textured backing with a lightly rubberized coating is better than a plastic finish, and there's a 3.2-megapixel camera on the back.

As with two other Samsung phones, the screen has a hint of a curve at the top and bottom edges.

This candid photo was taken indoors, at night, in artificial lighting. Looks closely and you can see the lack of distinction in the hair, facial features, and hands. Colors looks bright in this shot, but are actually lackluster throughout--they were much more vivid in reality.

In the real world, these flowers are darker and sharper. The Illusion wasn't able to capture the large dew drops nor the crispness of the jagged leaf edges.

Taken outdoors in morning light, the Illusion gets the point across, but not sharply.

Every phone needs a fun, frivolous setting. For the Illusion, that's camera mode.

Taken indoors, the CNET 'C' statue looks fuzzy and washed out, with plenty of artifacts.