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Dec 2, 2019 14:34:17   #
BrHawkeye
 
A last word (from me at least) about equipment. It's almost exactly 20 years since I told an interdisciplinary seminar of college upper division honors students that we've reached an age when cameras no longer have to look like cameras. I illustrated my point by pointing to a camera that only looked a little like a camera and that had been silently filming them as I spoke. It was an early generation digital camera.

That was well before the emergence of the iPhone which even better illustrates my point. Intelligence agencies and NASA were already making cameras that didn't look like cameras. Technologies that have made radical advances in issues of memory and optics make the appearance of our Canons, Nikons, etc. more a matter of nodding to convention than to practicality.

In the future, perhaps, we as photographers may follow the lead of those agencies that already dictate the shapes and features of their cameras based on their requirements by we too telling manufacturers when we place our orders what we want our cameras to look like and be capable of doing.

We shouldn't let what we know limit us to thinking that's what's possible.

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Dec 2, 2019 14:48:41   #
Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan
 
A cellphone camera is an excellent camera if it's the only one you have at the time.

And in some conditions it can be the better choice. Shooting moving Jellyfish through a curved glass tank at the zoo comes to mind.

I would like to see some side by side comparisons though.

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Dec 2, 2019 14:55:02   #
Adamborz
 
Fotoartist wrote:
A cellphone camera is an excellent camera if it's the only one you have at the time.

And in some conditions it can be the better choice. Shooting moving Jellyfish through a curved glass tank at the zoo comes to mind.

I would like to see some side by side comparisons though.


This is off topic but I took photos at the Baltimore aquarium and found that putting the front of the lens right against the aquarium glass produced the best results... of course your lens has to internally focus...

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Dec 2, 2019 15:18:42   #
Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida
 
The cell has provided many, many, “photographers” with a means to create great images. My wife knows nothing about f-stops, depth of field, white balance, exposure triangles, whatever, associated with my DSLRs; but she creates incredible images of her grandchildren every day. This is a lady who would never buy or even carry a “real camera”. Thousands of great images are created everyday by those like her with cell phones—images that would never have have been created, seen, or shared if not for the convenience, and quality of the cell phone.
I personally will not give up my DSLRs; but I respect the use of the cell phone, for my own use, and the use of those who would have otherwise never picked up a “real camera”.
Cell phones are great, and continually improve—-We should all accept that as reality.

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Dec 2, 2019 15:22:09   #
gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast
 
Kmgw9v wrote:
The cell has provided many, many, “photographers” with a means to create great images. My wife knows nothing about f-stops, depth of field, white balance, exposure triangles, whatever, associated with my DSLRs; but she creates incredible images of her grandchildren every day. This is a lady who would never buy or even carry a “real camera”. Thousands of great images are created everyday by those like her with cell phones—images that would never have have been created, seen, or shared if not for the convenience, and quality of the cell phone.
I personally will not give up my DSLRs; but I respect the use of the cell phone, for my own use, and the use of those who would have otherwise never picked up a “real camera”.
Cell phones are great, and continually improve—-We should all accept that as reality.
The cell has provided many, many, “photographers” ... (show quote)

👍👍👍👍

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Dec 2, 2019 16:00:45   #
E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada
 
There are at least dozens of posts each month, right here on this site, about gear upgrades. They vary in content but many share the same kinda theme: "I'm unhappy with my pictures and should I upgrade my camera, lens, flash, tripod or whatever, change brands, and basically spend more money? I'd e bet that a majority of their issues could be solved with the poster's existing gear if they actually knew how to use it and maximize its potential.

Another common occurrence is where someone posts asking advice on setting up a home studio or tackling a particular photographic job and most of the contributions are about buying gear. Many of these suggestions are certainly relevant but hardly anyone mentions TECHNIQUE or asking what the OP knows about that particular specialty or where the skill level is at.

Yet another thing that kinda frustrates me is that I will give some simple lighting advice and the questioner will come back telling me that they don't want to speed thousands of dollars on lighting gear, forgetting that I told them that that particular lighting can be carried out with a simple ligh bulb in a cheap aluminum reflector and a sheet of waxed paper! And...the results only has to do with the direction and position of the light.

All of this is evidence that too many photo enthusiasts, hobbyists, and even aspiring professionals still think that successful photographic results are solely dependent on the equipment and a worse misconception that the higher the cost of the gear, the better the results will be.

As for the question in this thread: An advanced DSLR or mirrorless camera, even in programmed mode or one of the automated priority modes are far more difficult, in the hands of an inexperienced operator, to control properly than the average cellphone camera- simply stated, they are more like to mess up with a more sophisticated camera.

The latest cellphone cameras are far more "intelligent" that an inept operator of a "big real" camera and will automatically handle more difficult lighting levels and issues without the operator having to select any particular settings. There is where the cellphone camera can outdo the big guns!

Another question is WHAT does the OP in this thread dislike about his results from his DSLR as opposed to what he sees form the cellphone images. If it is exposure issues, color rendition, perhaps focus or sharpness differentials, I can understand the technical implications. If it is composition, content, or other aesthetic issues- that has little to do with the equipment. Even in the areas of expression and capturing the action- if the photographer is fiddling too much with complex gear, he or she will miss spontaneous shots.

I try to advise against useless GAS attacks but folks won't listen! Listen- I have enough gear to sink an aircraft carrier because I use it all professionally. I tell this story: For certain jobs, I rented some medium format digital equipment with a street value (for purchase) is in excess of 100,000. The only difference in results from my Canon DSLR gear is that a BILLBOARD size print could be made with little no enhancement almost right out of the camera. Other than that, for the average commercial job, keeping gear like that in regular inventory and making that much of capital investment is a total waste of money.

So...my advice is to take the time to maximize the potential of the gear you own. This may seem silly, but shoot something with a high-end cell phone and if you like it, try to match it or better with your DSLR or mirrorless camera. If you have exposed properly and done everything right and your big gun just won't perform- it may be time for a better camera?

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Dec 2, 2019 16:15:05   #
khildy Loc: Brownsburg, IN
 
CHG_CANON wrote:
Are you as good as your sister?



Reply
 
 
Dec 2, 2019 18:42:27   #
aellman Loc: Boston MA
 
n3eg wrote:
Once again...a cellphone with a camera is a spork. It does multiple things, and none of them well.


A patently ridiculous generalization.

Horseneck Beach, MA. Sept 2019. iPhone 6s.


(Download)

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Dec 2, 2019 18:52:11   #
Adamborz
 
If my portable camera (IPhone XR) would stop dropping calls, that would be great!!

I remember my first car phone that was actually mounted in the car... ahhh technology.

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Dec 2, 2019 19:00:37   #
TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC
 
aellman wrote:
A patently ridiculous generalization.

Horseneck Beach, MA. Sept 2019. iPhone 6s.


Nice shot, but you have just (perhaps inadvertently) perfectly demonstrated the limited dynamic range of the cellphone camera.

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Dec 2, 2019 19:10:18   #
ralf Loc: NJ
 
Did you ever try to print a phone pic bigger than 4x6?
I agree that phones get amazing results considering the hardware limitations (tiny sensor, tiny lens), but it ain't the same thing. Phones get snapshots. DSLR's are capable of much more.

Reply
 
 
Dec 2, 2019 19:12:30   #
aellman Loc: Boston MA
 
Adamborz wrote:
If my portable camera (IPhone XR) would stop dropping calls, that would be great!!

I remember my first car phone that was actually mounted in the car... ahhh technology.


I'm with you on that one. When it comes to the actual phone function, my iPhone is a frequent problem.
I have two Sony DSLRs, but I don't drag them around 24/7. I believe "The best camera is the one you have with you."

Best wishes,
Alan

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Dec 2, 2019 19:38:26   #
BebuLamar
 
E.L.. Shapiro wrote:
There are at least dozens of posts each month, right here on this site, about gear upgrades. They vary in content but many share the same kinda theme: "I'm unhappy with my pictures and should I upgrade my camera, lens, flash, tripod or whatever, change brands, and basically spend more money? I'd e bet that a majority of their issues could be solved with the poster's existing gear if they actually knew how to use it and maximize its potential.

Another common occurrence is where someone posts asking advice on setting up a home studio or tackling a particular photographic job and most of the contributions are about buying gear. Many of these suggestions are certainly relevant but hardly anyone mentions TECHNIQUE or asking what the OP knows about that particular specialty or where the skill level is at.

Yet another thing that kinda frustrates me is that I will give some simple lighting advice and the questioner will come back telling me that they don't want to speed thousands of dollars on lighting gear, forgetting that I told them that that particular lighting can be carried out with a simple ligh bulb in a cheap aluminum reflector and a sheet of waxed paper! And...the results only has to do with the direction and position of the light.

All of this is evidence that too many photo enthusiasts, hobbyists, and even aspiring professionals still think that successful photographic results are solely dependent on the equipment and a worse misconception that the higher the cost of the gear, the better the results will be.

As for the question in this thread: An advanced DSLR or mirrorless camera, even in programmed mode or one of the automated priority modes are far more difficult, in the hands of an inexperienced operator, to control properly than the average cellphone camera- simply stated, they are more like to mess up with a more sophisticated camera.

The latest cellphone cameras are far more "intelligent" that an inept operator of a "big real" camera and will automatically handle more difficult lighting levels and issues without the operator having to select any particular settings. There is where the cellphone camera can outdo the big guns!

Another question is WHAT does the OP in this thread dislike about his results from his DSLR as opposed to what he sees form the cellphone images. If it is exposure issues, color rendition, perhaps focus or sharpness differentials, I can understand the technical implications. If it is composition, content, or other aesthetic issues- that has little to do with the equipment. Even in the areas of expression and capturing the action- if the photographer is fiddling too much with complex gear, he or she will miss spontaneous shots.

I try to advise against useless GAS attacks but folks won't listen! Listen- I have enough gear to sink an aircraft carrier because I use it all professionally. I tell this story: For certain jobs, I rented some medium format digital equipment with a street value (for purchase) is in excess of 100,000. The only difference in results from my Canon DSLR gear is that a BILLBOARD size print could be made with little no enhancement almost right out of the camera. Other than that, for the average commercial job, keeping gear like that in regular inventory and making that much of capital investment is a total waste of money.

So...my advice is to take the time to maximize the potential of the gear you own. This may seem silly, but shoot something with a high-end cell phone and if you like it, try to match it or better with your DSLR or mirrorless camera. If you have exposed properly and done everything right and your big gun just won't perform- it may be time for a better camera?
There are at least dozens of posts each month, rig... (show quote)


Did you check with CHG_CANON about this?

Reply
Dec 2, 2019 19:43:14   #
gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast
 
ralf wrote:
Did you ever try to print a phone pic bigger than 4x6?
I agree that phones get amazing results considering the hardware limitations (tiny sensor, tiny lens), but it ain't the same thing. Phones get snapshots. DSLR's are capable of much more.


Advanced photographers on this forum have made acceptable prints up to 8x12 and 16x20.

Reply
Dec 2, 2019 19:49:11   #
gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast
 
TriX wrote:
Nice shot, but you have just (perhaps inadvertently) perfectly demonstrated the limited dynamic range of the cellphone camera.


I think it depends more on what you’re trying to portray rather than the technical specs of the device. Phone cameras are not designed to match the specs of a high end DSLR or mirrorless and so there are takeoffs that the user has to make. I suspect that those who desire optimum dynamic range in their photos are a minority of the photographers on this forum.

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