The best camera is..
Nov 5, 2017 10:02:43 #
jonjacobik
Loc: Quincy, MA
I was on an outing with the South Shore Camera Club yesterday when 10 minutes into the adventure, my Camera's battery failed. My iPhone 6S allowed me to continue the adventure and not miss a shot.
Nov 5, 2017 10:06:14 #
a6k
Loc: Detroit & Sanibel
Notorious T.O.D. wrote:
I believe the iPhone 7 only has a dynamic range of a little over 4 stops. It can make a decent photo but has its limitations.
Best,
Todd Ferguson
Best,
Todd Ferguson
I'll risk the copyright problem to show you this. My monitor's dynamic range measures about 6.5 stops with a light meter. And you can use HDR on the better phones.
Yes, it has limitations, many of them. My purpose in posting was to inform UHH readers about how an app can get past the limitations of the included SW and come closer than many cheap point-shoots. I think that many phone users do not know that some of the limitations they observe are HW but some are SW and easily overcome. And mine is no longer the top camera in either Android or iOS models.
I used a sunrise that I took with my 6s, printed 8x12, in a class I just taught. As good as I could have done with a high end Nikcan? Probably not, but a larger sensor only forces the printer to merge pixels down to the 3600 dots across in a 12" print. If you look into the shadows you will see a surprising amount of detail.
"With you.." in this case meant that I can't walk the dog and use a regular camera at the same time and in this case the dog had priority.
Nov 5, 2017 10:42:16 #
Since we are posting pictures from cell phones, hereâs one I tookmthis fall with my iPhone 8 plus. I thought it came out well. Would it make a large wall hanger? Probably not if itâs larger than 8x10 or 11x14, but not bad for a phone camera. This one I posted in the gallery before, I believe.
Nov 5, 2017 10:48:28 #
a6k wrote:
..the one you have with you. Since I always have m... (show quote)
The best camera is as good as the worst photographer.
Nov 5, 2017 11:00:26 #
a6k,
IMHO, you are correct. The cellphone camera is just another photographic tool. Nothing more, nothing less. There is a whole genre of photographic art where the artists use smartphones as their primary photographic tool. They produced some 'very' beautiful art that many photographers, even ones with the most expensive DSLR's and lens, would find difficult or impossible to match.
For example, a good auto mechanic would wonder about the skill of another mechanic that only used the most expensive ratchet set to do all his auto repairs. There is an appropriate tool for any task at hand. A good photographer, like a good mechanic, will use the tool that best meets their needs to accomplish a task.
I personally use a cellphone camera about 80% of the time, since that's what I always have with me and I don't always carry my camera gear with me. First, it allows me to always practice my photography. And it's enabled me to capture many images that, may not be appropriate to be enlarged to a 36"x48" wall print, but has been perfect for a coffee table photography book.
Each tool has an appropriate use. None is the best for all tasks.
Just my opinion.
Mike
IMHO, you are correct. The cellphone camera is just another photographic tool. Nothing more, nothing less. There is a whole genre of photographic art where the artists use smartphones as their primary photographic tool. They produced some 'very' beautiful art that many photographers, even ones with the most expensive DSLR's and lens, would find difficult or impossible to match.
For example, a good auto mechanic would wonder about the skill of another mechanic that only used the most expensive ratchet set to do all his auto repairs. There is an appropriate tool for any task at hand. A good photographer, like a good mechanic, will use the tool that best meets their needs to accomplish a task.
I personally use a cellphone camera about 80% of the time, since that's what I always have with me and I don't always carry my camera gear with me. First, it allows me to always practice my photography. And it's enabled me to capture many images that, may not be appropriate to be enlarged to a 36"x48" wall print, but has been perfect for a coffee table photography book.
Each tool has an appropriate use. None is the best for all tasks.
Just my opinion.
Mike
a6k wrote:
..the one you have with you. Since I always have m... (show quote)
Nov 5, 2017 11:09:37 #
wolfd
Loc: Vancouver, Canada
bsprague wrote:
I vote for the OP. Good photographers should be able to use good smartphones to add to the experience.
Nov 5, 2017 11:18:38 #
SharpShooter wrote:
Yes I carry my phone always, but it's rare I use it for a photo! I wouldn't waste my time. I really don't understand those that carry a real camera around all the time anyway. I'm either doing photography or I'm not!!!
But I do talk on my phone and sent texts!!! LoL
SS
But I do talk on my phone and sent texts!!! LoL
SS
I tend to use my phone as a tablet rather than a phone. Gps is useful If i'm out and about shooting i turn on the gps logger and then add the gps data to the 'sacred Exif' of my photos, lots of handy apps on it. I never really bought it for a phone although it does have a number i can be reached on and things like skype viber and whatsapp also work better than the cell network for call quality and the calls are free.
I just need to top it up by $5 once every 6 months to keep the number.
Nov 5, 2017 11:22:08 #
I was at Conowingo Dam last month as were a whole bunch of other photographers. The way most of us seem to check out all the cameras everyone around us are using, I have concluded that the best camera must be the one the person next to you is looking through.
---
---
Nov 5, 2017 11:26:44 #
Bill_de wrote:
I was at Conowingo Dam last month as were a whole bunch of other photographers. The way most of us seem to check out all the cameras everyone around us are using, I have concluded that the best camera must be the one the person next to you is looking through.
---
---
😄😄😁
Nov 5, 2017 11:46:29 #
barbie.lewis
Loc: Livingston, Texas
Cell phone cameras are a great addition to the photographer's arsenal and can be a lot of fun to use.
In addition to SW add-ons think about adding some HW too. There are some nifty accessory lenses (I particularly love the wide-angle and "fisheye" lenses, still looking for a better quality telephoto) and filters available - CPL, starburst, and many, many more. My whole kit of accessories fits in a corner of my purse.
In addition to SW add-ons think about adding some HW too. There are some nifty accessory lenses (I particularly love the wide-angle and "fisheye" lenses, still looking for a better quality telephoto) and filters available - CPL, starburst, and many, many more. My whole kit of accessories fits in a corner of my purse.
Nov 5, 2017 12:18:32 #
sirlensalot
Loc: Arizona
Hate to admit it, but daughters latest iphone does at least as well or better than all of my Canons but not quite on par to my Sony, but darn close speaking subjectively. I can see why iphones are so popular for many.
Nov 5, 2017 13:21:11 #
sirlensalot wrote:
Hate to admit it, but daughters latest iphone does at least as well or better than all of my Canons but not quite on par to my Sony, but darn close speaking subjectively. I can see why iphones are so popular for many.
Several years ago I was teaching at a small local college. As I headed back to my car one day, I noticed a maintenance man, in full zombie stretch, pointing his phone in the general direction of my car. When I asked him what was going on, he pointed at a hawk sitting on a lowish branch over my car. I got my phone out, and discovered that a full zombie stretch still left a great deal to be desired - I just could not get my phone close enough to the hawk. I did a certain amount of PP, including a lot of cropping, but I never got the picture I wanted. The process would have been so much easier if I'd had my Pentax Q-7 with its lens that gives a view equivalent to 70-210 on a 35mm camera {smart phones are designed for selfies - the original was taken with a view equivalent to 28mm on a 35mm camera}.
On a later trip with our daughter, we both had great difficulty taking pictures of scenes as we passed - cell phone cameras have to do so much thinking to focus when motion is involved that they are invariably late.
So, I'd agree that the typical smart phone is great for selfies, but not so much when motion is involved or telephoto is appropriate.
original image {16MP}
improved image {1.2 MP}
Nov 5, 2017 13:39:19 #
mjbrock2012
Loc: Grants Pass,Oregon
I agree with the OP. I still use my Canon SX50 for "real" photos, but boy, this Samsung Note 4 takes some amazingly good stuff! And I have it with me most of the time, so I get shots that would just be memories without a camera. The Note has image stabilization, so usually pretty sharp pics. JMHO
Nov 5, 2017 14:16:23 #
a6k wrote:
..the one you have with you. Since I always have m... (show quote)
The advantage we have with smartphones is the likelihood we will have a camera with us when we need one is about 98%. It may not be the camera we WANT, but it’s much better than nothing, and much better than any 35mm film fixed focal length point-and-shoot. With advanced camera apps, that’s quite good!
Don’t overlook the fact that the iPhone camera records great video, can be used as a FAX machine and barcode reader, and can be linked to your serious camera via WiFi. It can be connected to the Internet via WiFi or LTE, for quickly relaying images over long distances.
Of course you can text images, share with AirDrop to nearby iOS devices, share with your iPad and Mac via iCloud, and email images...
I don’t care how good my serious camera is, I will always have a smartphone for its unique advantages and to extend the reach of my serious tools when I use them.
Nov 5, 2017 14:22:21 #
a6k wrote:
It saddens me when I see people commenting on something the OP did not say.
Which part of
"It won't replace my real cameras but see above"
was unclear?
Which part of
"It won't replace my real cameras but see above"
was unclear?
For sure. Most times if you're like me you don't have a DSLR with you. You always have a cell phone, if you're like me. I've captured some really nice images with my phone. Like with any camera, it's about composition, exposure and subject matter.
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.