So we've just gotten the new Samsung Innov8 in the office, and obviously the first thing we wanted to do was to put that 8-megapixel camera to the test. With panoramic shots, Smile shots, and a whole lot of other features to be tested, there was definitely a lot to play with. Read on to see the pics we took.

The first thing I wanted to check out was the colour. I mean, 8-megapixels is great and all, but really what's the point of having a really big picture if its all faded and ugly? So I went outside and snapped a picture of the little mini-garden that someone in this complex keeps next to the elevator. As you can see from the pic, the green and pink are pretty deep. Maybe a little bit too dynamic and deep to be considered natural, but nevertheless it does make for a pretty picture.

While I was outside, I thought I'd give the panoramic mode a whirl. Using the panoramic mode is really simple. You just start from one side, press the shutter, and then you slowly move over. Once it detects your motion, it will let you know where to move to next by highlighting a square. Move your aiming square over the target square, and it will automatically take the next shot. Just repeat until you've done a full 180 degrees, and as you can see, the result is a pretty flawless panoramic view. Which is great when you're taking a panoramic view of Toa Payoh North. You could take pictures of the grand canyon too, but that pales in comparison to our industrial buildings, HDB blocks and smelly sewage canals.

The next thing to check out was the flash. Now the Innov8 doesn't come with a Xenon flash, but it does have two LEDs. Do you really need a Xenon flash? Maybe not, because as you can see in this pic, the LEDs are pretty bright and the colours don't come out all garbled after. It's pretty bright in our office, so I can't really test the range of the flash for now.

Smile shot is a feature that's being touted on the new compact cameras, and the Innov8 isn't missing out on the party. Activating the mode is pretty easy - simply hit options and select Smile Shot. After that, you just push the shutter to get it active. Point it around, and the moment it detects a smile it'll automatically take a shot. As Jack Neo would say in that aircon ad: "sim-puh!"

The Smile shot mode is pretty sensitive, and there's no option to adjust the sensitivity. But honestly, you probably wouldn't ever toy with that setting, even if it was there. Unfortunately for all you My Chemical Romance fans, there's no "Frown Shot" feature, so you'll just have to smile (it takes less energy, you know?) or use the manual shutter.

As for the unit itself, the slide feels a bit too light. I like my sliders to feel a bit firmer, with a quick solid "snikt!". Likewise, the buttons feel kinda soft, but I guess it all adds up to the lightweight feel of the phone.

One gripe is with the optical joystick, which doubles as the confirm button in the middle of the direction pad. By lightly running your thumb over it, you can operate the cursor like a notebook touchpad. It's great for browsing internet websites with the Innov8's Wi-Fi capabilities, but in the regular menus it's annoying cos you will always accidentally swish it when you reach for the d-pad buttons. Still, it's just a matter of switching it off.

The full review will be in the upcoming November issue of Gadget3. In the meantime, check out the optical focus capabilities in this picture of my fiancee's magpie Prince (we can't determine its gender). The Innov8 cleverly focuses on Prince instead of the cage bars.