SmartPhone Cameras WOW!

[Qs Laptop]

There may be a way, but I have yet to have a phone that could take a good concert picture. The spotlight on the subject in an otherwise dark room just seems to hard to handle and the face is always washed out. Other than that specific situation, phone cameras are great. In general, it’s amazing what they pack into a piece of equipment the size of a phone.

Pixel phone in Night Sight mode. Easy peasy.

I'm sure Apple Night mode could handle it as well.

 

[audreyh1]

Yeah, I’m no longer willing to haul my DSLR to Europe or on distant flying trips. I’ll carry it for driving trips to particular locations. Night sky photography still needs the equipment.

At least I already visited the Alhambra with my DSLR.

I have an iPhone 8, but my new iPad mini on order has some nice new camera capabilities.

 

[audreyh1]

The last camera I bought was for underwater photography.

For this I’ll try the GoPro.

 

[camfused]

They now make underwater dive cases for iPhones.

 

[Katsmeow]

Yes, I use my DLSR less and less. Most of the time I just use my iPhone 12 Pro max. That said, there is one area where I really prefer the DLSR and that is when I want to use my zoom lens. Zoom on the iPhone is just not the same at all. Of course, carrying around the DLSR and the lenses is a pain and often not something I really want to do. It is so much more freeing not to have to lug everything around. Still there are shots that I made from the DLSR zoom that I could never have made with my iphone.

 

[braumeister]

Yes, I use my DLSR less and less. Most of the time I just use my iPhone 12 Pro max. That said, there is one area where I really prefer the DLSR and that is when I want to use my zoom lens. Zoom on the iPhone is just not the same at all. Of course, carrying around the DLSR and the lenses is a pain and often not something I really want to do. It is so much more freeing not to have to lug everything around. Still there are shots that I made from the DLSR zoom that I could never have made with my iphone.

Take a look at the Sony RX100.
This is the Model 7, a slight improvement over my Model 6. It fits in your pocket and gives you performance as good as most DSLRs. And I've never seen a review of it that was less than highly complimentary.

 

[Romer]

Take a look at the Sony RX100.
This is the Model 7, a slight improvement over my Model 6. It fits in your pocket and gives you performance as good as most DSLRs. And I've never seen a review of it that was less than highly complimentary.

The Sony is the same Camera I have and I use it on all my backcountry adventures. It takes great pictures. My camera phone is now pretty close though

 

[Ronstar]

I like wildlife and landscape photography. Most of my wildlife shots are with a dslr and 150-600mm lens. I carry this combo on almost all of my day hikes. Most of my landscape photos are taken with a dslr and wide angle lens. Have taken thousands of dslr photos this year. Some I have printed.

I also take a lot of photos on my iPhone 12 Pro Max. Most are improntu shots of people and things, many of which I text to family and friends.

My iPhone can’t achieve my dslr quality on wildlife and landscape shots, so I’ll continue to use my dslr on these. But nothing beats a cell phone for improntu shots. It’s always there when the need arises.

 

[tulak]

But nothing beats a cell phone for improntu shots. It’s always there when the need arises.

The best camera is the one that you have with you. [emoji2]

 

[martyp]

I have had plenty of compliments of photos I’ve taken with my iPhone XS. It’s time for an upgrade. I am looking forward to some improvement on low light photography with the iPhone 13 pro.

 

[Chuckanut]

Take a look at the Sony RX100.
This is the Model 7, a slight improvement over my Model 6. It fits in your pocket and gives you performance as good as most DSLRs. And I've never seen a review of it that was less than highly complimentary.

I've got the Sony RX100 Model 3. The ease of having it with me when I travel means it has taken some of the best photos hanging on my wall. And the faster f/1.8 lens makes for great photos under lower light situations.

It takes quality photos, though when one makes a big enlargement from a cropped image, the details can get a bit funky. Still, only the photographic cognoscenti will notice it. Composition, subject matter and good technique still rule the roost.

 

[Freedom56]

Professionals and serious enthusiasts will continue to use DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. The market is shifting to the higher margin high end cameras. Phone cameras cannot shoot video with a narrow depth of field and digitals zooms are no substitute for good optical zoom lenses. I think your are much better off buying an Android phone and a mirrorless camera for the price of a new iPhone.

 

[folivier]

One of the biggest problems (at least for me) is the shutter lag in phone cameras. As a former sports photographer when I press the shutter I want that instant of time, not a fraction of a second later as the camera struggles to focus and set exposure. Not a problem for most people but I want what I see. As the old saying goes: if you see your shot in your viewfinder you missed it!
Another big issue is not having a viewfinder, I like not having to deal with reflections and not being able to see my subject due to using a view screen.
But I'm old school and still will use my phone camera when I don't have my Olympus EM1 with me.

 

[mpeirce]

One of the biggest problems (at least for me) is the shutter lag in phone cameras. As a former sports photographer when I press the shutter I want that instant of time, not a fraction of a second later as the camera struggles to focus and set exposure.

I know this used to be an issue, but with the faster speed processors in the latest phones this is gone.

The latest iPhones are effectively taking continuous photos while the camera app is open and pressing the shutter button simple tells the app to save the photo from the instant you touch the button.

This also powers burst mode on the latest iPhones.

 

[folivier]

But does it do this at the highest resolution in RAW?

 

[imnontrad]

Yes, I love taking photos with my iPhone 12 Pro Max. I have gotten many complements on the photos too. But sometimes I think the photos look a bit "flat" and the color just a little off. I like the option to "bracket" shots with a camera though and recently bought another one for a trip.

 

[KenZ71]

A bit off topic but not really accurate to still call these devices ”a phone”.

Personally I do way more email, web browsing, navigating, etc than phone calls on my errr 'phone'. Don't have a landline or cable TV either.

 

[Midpack]

A bit off topic but not really accurate to still call these devices ”a phone”.

Personally I do way more email, web browsing, navigating, etc than phone calls on my errr 'phone'. Don't have a landline or cable TV either.

That’s why most people call them smartphones (note thread title).

 

[gooddog]

A thread of 'best picture' taken with a smart phone (and phone model) would be kind of cool.

 

[Gearhead Jim]

Yes, I use my DLSR less and less. Most of the time I just use my iPhone 12 Pro max. That said, there is one area where I really prefer the DLSR and that is when I want to use my zoom lens. Zoom on the iPhone is just not the same at all. Of course, carrying around the DLSR and the lenses is a pain and often not something I really want to do. It is so much more freeing not to have to lug everything around. Still there are shots that I made from the DLSR zoom that I could never have made with my iphone.

Zoom is the reason I still have a pocket camera.
The cellphones are great in many ways, but if I want big zoom or compressing the depth, nothing beats a real optical zoom.
Or is there an iPhone that can do that also?

 

[dixter]

nice thread to read..... for the iphone 13pro max.... 1 tb storage... all the lenses have been updated and the best so far... they even have a macro lens now that works quite well and the sensors gather light better for low light photos....
If you shoot iphone in Log V3 10 bit then you get options... to shoot in log 10bit you need to have the app... Filmic Pro... after the footage is taken you bring the iphone footage into a free editor called Davinci Resolve... and there you get a plug in called Cinematch and with the plug in you just tell Resolve that you shot the footage on an iphone with Log 10bit...then you get to tell Resolve that you would like the iphone footage to match a camera like the Arri Alexa (a $70,000 camera) and Resolve outputs the iphone footage as if it was an Arri Alexa Cam.... and it looks amazing....of course

for you that might like to take your pics and print them to hang on the wall then a company in Texas called Topaz Labs.... that software can make a bad picture look amazing and a great picture perfect

 

[sengsational]

Zoom is the reason I still have a pocket camera.
The cellphones are great in many ways, but if I want big zoom or compressing the depth, nothing beats a real optical zoom.
Or is there an iPhone that can do that also?

The 12x optical zoom on my Canon ELPH easily beats my phone's camera. Also, the zoom means leaving the binoculars at home (for those trips where binoculars are called for). On a sailing adventure, my crew mates struggled finding a distant landmark, passing the binoculars back and forth. I took a couple of 12x pictures and found it in a few seconds

Also, yes, you can find waterproof cases for your phone, but I wasn't willing to risk it....I just bought another point and shoot... water proof.

 

[mpeirce]

The 12x optical zoom on my Canon ELPH easily beats my phone's camera. Also, the zoom means leaving the binoculars at home (for those trips where binoculars are called for). On a sailing adventure, my crew mates struggled finding a distant landmark, passing the binoculars back and forth. I took a couple of 12x pictures and found it in a few seconds
.

I also have a Canon PowerShot SX740 w/ 30X zoom. The iPhone takes better “normal” photos, but I use the Canon for identifying wildlife. It’s very helpful identifying birds from far away.

I just got the iPhone 13 Pro with 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 X lenses and have found them to provide a nice range of optical zoom for most everyday situations. I’m looking forward to trying out the new macro functionality too..

 

[Camas Lilly]

I have the iPhone 12 Pro and am equally amazed, especially in almost total darkness. I am no photographer, but I did stop carrying a camera around. For what I want, it is more than fine.

 

[camfused]

BTW, 16:9 photos are now (finally!) possible on iPhones, with the recent iOS update.