Before the smartphone settled everything into a single slab of glass, a phone could still have a personality. The silver Sony Ericsson K800i that Daniel Craig’s Bond carries in Casino Royale is a good example: compact, metallic, and built around a camera with a sliding cover and a xenon flash. The Sony Ericsson K800i Casino Royale phone is no longer made, but it remains one of the most characterful objects of Craig’s first film.
In the film
Bond uses the K800i in Casino Royale (2006). When M calls him in Venice, about two hours into the film, the phone’s ringtone is heard. He also uses it in Miami, while wearing the Armani leather jacket. The phone on screen is a special silver version of the standard K800i.
The details of the Sony Ericsson K800i Casino Royale phone
The first Cyber-shot phone. The K800i was among the first Sony Ericsson handsets to carry the Cyber-shot name, and it was built around its camera. The sensor is 3.2 megapixels with autofocus, and the xenon flash is a proper one rather than an LED. For 2006 that was serious equipment.
A lens cover that does something. A sliding cover protects the lens. It is a small mechanical pleasure that touchscreens have since removed, and one of the details owners still mention.
BestPic. Press the shutter and the phone takes nine full-quality frames in quick succession, so you can choose the best of them. It is a modest idea, and a good one.
Compact and dense. At 115g and roughly 106mm by 47mm, it is a pocketable size. The screen is a 2.0-inch display at 240 by 320 pixels, which is small by any current standard and sharp enough for its job.
Memory Stick Micro. Storage is 64MB internally, expandable through a Memory Stick Micro (M2) slot, so photos, music and video can live on a card you can lift out and hold.
Owning it now
Nobody needs a K800i as a daily phone, and we would not suggest one. It was built for GSM and UMTS 2100 networks only, so check your carrier’s coverage before assuming it will connect. Its most sensible life today is as an object: a small, well-judged piece of design from a particular year, kept on a desk or a shelf.
Which one to look for. Bond’s phone was the silver version, and a standard K800i is a different colour. The standard K800i came in Velvet Black and Allure Brown, so buy with the finish in mind. If you want the film look, search for the silver Casino Royale edition, and expect it to arrive pre-owned. The phone is out of production and found second-hand, so the button below is a search of eBay for it.
What to check. Examine the sliding lens cover, the screen and the battery, which is a BST-33 cell. A box and charger add to its appeal as a collector’s piece. Because the phone is long discontinued, condition matters more than any single listing.
In the same spirit
If you want a small, characterful handset that is still sold new, our Nokia 3310 in grey is an alternative in the same spirit: a phone from an earlier era, with a personality. It is a different phone, not the K800i.
For the rest of what Bond carries, see the full Casino Royale page, or browse the wider gadgets and electronics category.
Specifications
| Model | Sony Ericsson K800i (Cyber-shot); Bond’s phone was a silver edition |
|---|---|
| Released | 2006 |
| Size and weight | Approximately 105 to 106mm by 47mm, 20 to 22mm thick (sources differ); 115g |
| Display | 2.0-inch TFT, 240 by 320 pixels |
| Camera | 3.2-megapixel autofocus, xenon flash, sliding lens cover |
| Memory | 64MB internal, Memory Stick Micro (M2) slot |
| Networks | GSM 900/1800/1900, UMTS 2100 |
| Battery | BST-33, removable |
| RRP | Out of production; found second-hand, so prices vary |
Questions
Is the K800i the phone Bond uses in Casino Royale?
Yes. Bond uses a Sony Ericsson K800i in Casino Royale, and its ringtone is heard when M calls him in Venice. The phone on screen is a silver version.
Can you still buy a new Sony Ericsson K800i?
Not new from the maker. The K800i is out of production, so buying one now means a second-hand or old-stock example. Check the condition of the lens cover, screen and battery before you commit.
Will a K800i work on a modern network?
It depends on your carrier. The phone supports only GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 and UMTS 2100, so ask your carrier whether it still supports those bands before you rely on it for calls.
What did the K800i cost when new?
GSMArena lists about €150. The phone has been out of production for many years, so that figure is no guide to what a pre-owned example costs now.
For more from Craig’s first film, see our pages on Daniel Craig’s Bond and the full list of Bond films.
