Cell phone cameras vs. DSLRs (Page 4): I think that eventually cell phones will replace most SLR's. I took this shot while traveling through Connecticut where we stopped to eat. I...

normpel Loc: Mass, R.I., Maryland

I think that eventually cell phones will replace most SLR's. I took this shot while traveling through Connecticut where we stopped to eat. I don't think my SLR (if I had it with me) would have taken a much better shot.

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rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

normpel wrote:

I think that eventually cell phones will replace most SLR's.

Quite possibly. 15 years from now, who knows what technology will bring us. Cell phones have already evolved into sophisticated multi-purpose devices, continuously getting better at the many things it does. Essentially, they are little pocket computers. I don't see this trend stopping anytime soon. And I think this ancient flipping mirror business has about run its course anyway.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

rook2c4 wrote:

Quite possibly. 15 years from now, who knows what technology will bring us. Cell phones have already evolved into sophisticated multi-purpose devices, continuously getting better at the many things it does. Essentially, they are little pocket computers. I don't see this trend stopping anytime soon. And I think this ancient flipping mirror business has about run its course anyway.

Ditto that last sentiment. I hated the first flippy mirror I encountered back in 1968!

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

rmalarz wrote:

The situation could have been remedied at the start. When you wrote "..got out of the car and looked at the lake." The correct phrase should have been, got out of the car with camera in hand and looked at the lake.
--Bob

Well, things always look better when one is holding a camera, especially a good one; or, did you mean 'use' a camera.

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

rook2c4 wrote:

Quite possibly. 15 years from now, who knows what technology will bring us. Cell phones have already evolved into sophisticated multi-purpose devices, continuously getting better at the many things it does. Essentially, they are little pocket computers. I don't see this trend stopping anytime soon. And I think this ancient flipping mirror business has about run its course anyway.

Oh hell, does this mean that someday SLR and DSLR photographers will be called "flipper floppers."

Besperus Loc: Oregon

Petapixil has a comparison of a new Chinese cell phone and a Canon with a 50 megapixel sensor. Withholding zoom lenses and light modification programs, etc. Both cameras produce nearly identical results. The cell phone has three cameras which can work in unison to produce fantastic images.

Chaostrain Loc: Hillsboro, Oregon

Jersey guy wrote:

Does anyone know the effective f values of typical cell phone cameras? It is very frustrating for me, a DSLR owner, to struggle to get a decent image in dim lighting situations, fumbling with high ISOs that create too much noise, and even with IS I too often have a blurred photo from movement, (mine or the subject's) while the non-photographers with their cells grab a bright, sharp image with no hesitation. My15-85mm Canon...not a cheap lens...is at best, f 3.5.

My Samsung S9 in Pro mode says F1.5.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Reinaldokool wrote:

Tiny sensor. When they zoom, it is by cutting off pixels. Image quality suffers. But most of those folk will be sharing their snapshots in tiny jpeg that will be viewed, at best, on a portion of a laptop screen. They will be happy. A photographer will not.

This is not what the OP asked, but since you just had to say this ..... a true photographer is interested in the overall picture, and looking at it with a magnifying glass is not appropriate. People periodically say "It's the photographer, not the equipment", and then we get bogged down in one of these silly discussions.

BebuLamar

To answer the OP, cell phone camera lenses have relative large aperture like around f/2 or so. The depth of field is still very great because their sensor is very small. You seem to say that the phones could take good picture in low light better than your camera, did you examine those pictures closely?

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

Jersey guy wrote:

Does anyone know the effective f values of typical cell phone cameras? It is very frustrating for me, a DSLR owner, to struggle to get a decent image in dim lighting situations, fumbling with high ISOs that create too much noise, and even with IS I too often have a blurred photo from movement, (mine or the subject's) while the non-photographers with their cells grab a bright, sharp image with no hesitation. My15-85mm Canon...not a cheap lens...is at best, f 3.5.

I have an iPhone 8 Plus. The attached image was taken at 1/1000 and f/1.8. Simply check the metadata in your software to determine the information you want. I believe that most cell phones shoot at relatively wide open f/stops.