Cellphone?

[RichC]

For the kind of "serious" photography I do, a mobile phone (we don't call them "cellphones" in British English!) doesn't have the image quality nor flexibility. I don't use compact cameras for my photography either for the same reasons.

However, I did own a compact for snapshots - holiday photos, casual photos and the like. I say "did" because I sold my Canon S95 some years ago because my mobile took better-quality photos and was more convenient to carry. The S95 was not so long ago Canon's top-of-the-range compact...

Today's top-range mobiles take photos of amazing technical quality and have decimated the compact camera market. I won't ever by another compact: what's the point?

The only cameras I now use are high-end "proper" ones such as my Mamiya 645 and Sony A7R II, and my phone for snaps.

Those who have complained here about the quality of mobile phone photos clearly have no idea how good recent top-range phones are! Yes, the default look is contrasty and saturated - deliberately so, because most people want that! But you can easily change that. Phones now give you quick access to controls such as shutter speed and ISO, and even shoot in raw - so DNG files can be processed in Lightroom to give amazing technical quality and a look suited to your taste.

Mobiles do have drawbacks such as noise, limited ISO range, no shallow DOF and poor ergonomics - but these afflict the majority of compact cameras too (many cheap ones being worse than phones!).

So I'm a definite convert to mobiles as cameras. When I go on holiday now, my phone is the only camera I take.

Those who complain above how terrible phone images simply don't know what the current generation of mobiles are capable of!

My mobile is always with me, so I'm now more likely to take photos. This is when I got caught in a storm the other day...

 

[dourbalistar]

I use a Pixel 2 for most of my shooting since I purged most of my camera collection a few years ago (and before that, my iPhone 4s and 6). For the most part, they can completely replace a point-and-shoot for me. The quality is more than sufficient for online viewing and I could probably make a pretty solid print from some of the shots I've taken. It's no DSLR, but I always have it with me.

The Pixel 2 has a great camera. This was one my the early photos I took with mine using portrait mode, and the image quality blew me away. 😱 I did not expect that result from a cell phone.


by dourbalistar, on Flickr

 

[jsrockit]

I just can't handle the things, I've dropped mine twice trying to take a picture. I don't care how good the image quality is I don't like the feel of them as an image taking tool. I don't like the feel of Nikon cameras either.

I found a case by Moment that allows me to have a better grip on the phone and also attach a wrist strap. This is it:

https://www.shopmoment.com/shop/photo-case/iphone-xs-black

I`m starting to get used to holding it and I`m very sensitive to ergonomics and haptics. I feel more confident with the wrist strap. I use the down volume button as my shutter release.

 

[jsrockit]

Am leaning to this direction as well. It's good enough for shots in good light, and most likely first device on your hand when something photo worthy happens. Otoh am glad not shooting much with early iPhones etc. from beginning of this decade, and took the trouble of using real camera.

Yes, exactly. I do not look at it as something I use instead of my real cameras. I look at it as something I use instead when my real camera is not with me for some reason. Also, I look at it as something different. I can do a different type of photography with it then I do with my other cameras. Like a digital holga of sorts (with an unfortunate price tag). It is a great computer though and they are interesting cameras if you can work within their constraints. We are certainly spoiled regarding the choices we have these days. It is a great time to be into photography - equipment wise.

 

[willie_901]

@jsrockit

XS raw files are worth the trouble for making photographs. For IM, mail, etc. I just use JPEGs.

I use either the 645 PRO Mk III or LR CC apps for photography. I don't do any in-camera image processing.

I agree sensor area is a huge handicap. This is particularly obvious in low light – and pushing shadow regions is not gonna work (said Captain Obvious).

I don't find the AI features to be particularly useful.

 

[charjohncarter]

In college and immediately after I had two cameras: a Leica IIIf and a 104 Instamatic. The Instamatic was my I phone camera, I took it everywhere (my Leica was too precious).

104:

1964-5 by John Carter, on Flickr

1970s Slides by John Carter, on Flickr

60s found slides by John Carter, on Flickr

So for me nothings changed; except I don't have a cellular phone.

 

[jsrockit]

@jsrockit

XS raw files are worth the trouble for making photographs. For IM, mail, etc. I just use JPEGs.

I use either the 645 PRO Mk III or LR CC apps for photography. I don't do any in-camera image processing.

I agree sensor area is a huge handicap. This is particularly obvious in low light – and pushing shadow regions is not gonna work (said Captain Obvious).

I don't find the AI features to be particularly useful.

I agree with everything you say based on my limited dealings with the phone, but I want to thank you for the 645 Pro tip... I didn`t know of the app. So far, I like Halide a lot.

 

[jsrockit]

In college and immediately after I had two cameras: a Leica IIIf and a 104 Instamatic. The Instamatic was my I phone camera, I took it everywhere (my Leica was too precious).

...

So for me nothings changed; except I don't have a cellular phone.

Are you trying to tell us that you still have and use the 104? In the late 90s, I was re-buying them and using them at times still... the Instamatic X-15 was my first camera as young kid, so I wanted to see what they were like as an adult.

 

[taemo]

I found a case by Moment that allows me to have a better grip on the phone and also attach a wrist strap. This is it:

https://www.shopmoment.com/shop/photo-case/iphone-xs-black

I`m starting to get used to holding it and I`m very sensitive to ergonomics and haptics. I feel more confident with the wrist strap. I use the down volume button as my shutter release.

congrats on the XS, I have the X and love it. heard the minor upgrades they did on the XS and XS Max improved the IQ on the images with sharper files and better HDR although from the 5min test I had with the XS, you can't control when HDR is on.

I've looked into the Moment case and lenses but decided not to get one as you still can't do long-exposure on the phone (you can in faux software but useless in low light).
Ordered a ring holder to attach on the back of my iphone to reduce my chance of dropping my phone although it has never been an issue for my iphone photography for the past couple of years even when I was shooting with the Plus size phone.

 

[jsrockit]

congrats on the XS, I have the X and love it. heard the minor upgrades they did on the XS and XS Max improved the IQ on the images with sharper files and better HDR although from the 5min test I had with the XS, you can't control when HDR is on.

Thank you. My last iPhone was the 6 Plus, so this was a huge upgrade for me. If I had the X, I wouldn`t have upgraded.

I've looked into the Moment case and lenses but decided not to get one as you still can't do long-exposure on the phone (you can in faux software but useless in low light).

I understand... I just liked the case because it feels good and I could attach a strap. The lenses don`t interest me either.

Ordered a ring holder to attach on the back of my iphone to reduce my chance of dropping my phone although it has never been an issue for my iphone photography for the past couple of years even when I was shooting with the Plus size phone.

I`m more concerned with theft. In Santiago, there are a lot of snatch and run thefts of cellphones and I photograph on the streets often.

 

[charjohncarter]

Are you trying to tell us that you still have and use the 104? In the late 90s, I was re-buying them and using them at times still... the Instamatic X-15 was my first camera as young kid, so I wanted to see what they were like as an adult.

They stopped the film (126) so I cut the lens out of it and fixed it to fit my Leica. I still have the IIIf and an Instamatic lens: so best of both worlds.



TriX HC-110h by John Carter, on Flickr


Instamatic lens on IIIf

 

[jsrockit]

That’s wonderful CJC.

 

[narsuitus]

Cell Phone vs Pinhole by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[Tom Diaz]

How do you take your pictures - camera or phone? Popular as it is “real photographers” scoff at the phone. I’m one of the scoffers. I use “real cameras.” But, I remember when I started photographing with a 35mm film camera, an older, wiser and better photographer friend said to me, “Why don’t you use your real camera?” It was a 4x5 Speed Graphic, and as the local Associated Press photographer he had been able to get me a discount on it.

I think of others, better photographers than me, from Bresson to Duncan to Smith to Mydans , whose 35mm cameras were at one time looked upon by some as not up to the job. True, there are cameras that capture finer detail in larger prints, but there can be more to good photography than that. Is the phone the “Leica” of the digital world? In a way I think it is. Good lord, am I going to have to spend money on a cellphone with a decent camera? Your thoughts…

Bill, a great topic. I am older and "serious," so I still use a combination of Leica and m43 digital cameras.

However, I have very recently (with Christmas coming) been asked by a couple of different couples what I would recommend they get their teenage daughters, who at 15 are fascinated by photography.

I advised them to get their daughters a better phone if they need one and to spend the money on some high quality photo-art instruction for them.

Not only do I stand by that advice, but I am a bit at a loss these days to tell such people what they might spend their money on—scarce money in those families—when in a few years not only would the particular models be obsolete, but the company who made them might have exited the business.

I am of course not willing to argue that phones offer the creative control or quality of good cameras.

Best wishes,
Tom

 

[jsrockit]

I agree Tom. These days, let them start with a phone or a hand me down camera and IF they like it a lot and are doing it often, then get the nicer camera.

 

[jsrockit]

Ok, so maybe things are worse ...

https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/apple-sees-weakness-iphone-sales-60126085

That said, using the iPhone XS has been really nice imo.

 

[jarski]

Zooms are coming to phones, here’s recent news: https://www.dpreview.com/news/5618578510/oppo-to-announce-10x-lossless-smartphone-zoom-camera

Methinks there’s parallels with this gradual progress in phones, to that of compact digital camera a decade ago. Remember the fanfare when 10x or 20x zoom first became available? And with bigger and bigger sensors. This leaves me thinking of how much to rely on current models, when they obviously take big leaps in every year or two. Better shoot good quality photos with a dedicated camera and let industry keep improving things?

 

[Contarama]

And whole bunch of my phone camera snaps make me say to myself I wish I would have had one of my Nikons with me. I bet Nikon would make specialized camera phones before they would make new film fed rangefinders but I digress. Afterthought:. If Nikon made camera phones the lens would probably be so damn big even darthfeeble would probably be comfortable using them 🙂

 

[DougK]

Over Christmas I upgraded from my Pixel 2 to an iPhone XR. I think the iPhone is maybe slightly better, but frankly both are really good for a walk-around camera that I always have with me. One thing that I've noticed is that no one notices me taking a picture with my phone, even if I do it right in front of them. I've taken some good candid shots that I never could have gotten with a camera because my subject would have noticed.