iPhone 3Gs

[Bike Tourist]

I bought an iPhone 3Gs yesterday. This week, for me, will be iPhone pics in the gallery. It's definitely pocketable and available at all times. Very limited in capability, all f2.8 all the time, fun, useful for much more than photography but better than no camera (arguably).

It uploads with NikonView just like my CF cards.

Three megapixels.

I'm enthusiastic.

 

[jan normandale]

i like iphone pics

 

[kully]

Why is an iPhone pic any different to any other-camera phone pic?

(I'm not being sarcastic, just wondering - never used one)

 

[coelacanth]

iPhone 3GS camera is quite capable little thing. It had been my only digital camera for quite a while (now E-PL1 added), and helped me sell several hundred dollar items in 12 hours time in RFF classifieds many times. Oh, and the app called LightMeter works quite well on 3GS. (this app needs 3GS' camera so it won't work on older models)

 

[coelacanth]

Why is an iPhone pic any different to any other-camera phone pic?

(I'm not being sarcastic, just wondering - never used one)

With iPhone 3GS (only 3GS models), you can touch where you want to focus and meter, can do quite good close-up, and manipulate/upload pictures with variety of applications.

Sure there are P&S digital cameras with touch screen capability, but I carry cell phone anyway so this camera goes everywhere with me anyway.

I now can safely say that I don't need any P&S digital camera at all.

 

[palec]

This my favourite iPhone app: http://hipstamaticapp.com/

 

[Bike Tourist]

Why is an iPhone pic any different to any other-camera phone pic?

(I'm not being sarcastic, just wondering - never used one)

You are too being sarcastic. 🙂 It's OK. I like sarcasm.

Well, to my mind, the 3 MP image gives you enough real estate to work with. So far, I've found it underexposes a little and needs boosting in PS. I am a viewfinder person and so the cell phone way of working is strange and unfamiliar but it's always good to broaden one's horizon and not be branded technologically inept.

I don't think it's any competition for my D700 or Bessa R2, for that matter.

 

[Bike Tourist]

This my favourite iPhone app: http://hipstamaticapp.com/

Thanks. As soon as I break this pony for riding I will look at this and other photo apps.

 

[kully]

Not at all Dick.

I asked because there's a columnist in B&W photography magazine here in the UK who was also enthusing about the iPhone, something about the way it lets you take photographs rather than any technical merits.

The sarcasm note was in there because there seems (here in the UK at least) to have grown a little anti-Apple tide.

 

[coelacanth]

Another fun way to use 3GS that I've been doing:

Lazy film scan.

6x6 negative on small light box, shot with iPhone 3GS then inverted to get positive. No crop need to get this close.

 

[crawdiddy]

Not at all Dick.

I asked because there's a columnist in B&W photography magazine here in the UK who was also enthusing about the iPhone, something about the way it lets you take photographs rather than any technical merits.

The sarcasm note was in there because there seems (here in the UK at least) to have grown a little anti-Apple tide.

I was a little anti-Apple my own self. But I finally decided the iphone was a genuinely innovative device. Mainly because Apple opened it up for developers. I must admit, the Light Meter app is what decided it for me.

 

[Ezzie]

This my favourite iPhone app: http://hipstamaticapp.com/

+1
Had immense fun with this little app. I get thrown back to my mum and dads snaps of the 60ies.

 

[Ezzie]

Hipstamatic (astmatic?) iPhone examples (lo-fi but fun):

 

[kuvvy]

Like kully I saw the article in B&W mag. The published shots looked pretty good to me. I was looking yesterday at the video for the 3GS on the Apple site and was quite impressed. That was until I saw the price of 'em.

 

[Ezzie]

The camera og the 3G I've got is not that good, there are better cameraphones out there, the 3GS amongst them most likely. That's why the Hipstamatic app is such fun, degrading the technical quality yet a bit to gain something else.

 

[palec]

Ezzie, I agree, it was one of the most refreshing moments in my photographic life (since getting vintage M3).

 

[martin s]

Check out Todd Heislers "Portraying Moscow with a camera phone" on the NYT Lens blog. I especially like the gurskyesque 6th picture.

martin

 

[Bike Tourist]

Thanks everyone. Lots of inspiration for doing a lot with a little!

 

[reuno]

Im working on a blog since exactly one month, putting one pic a day thanks to the iPhone. I take pics with the camera, process them with Tilt shift generator just like i would under the enlarger working on contrast and brightness and upload them to the wordpress blog thanks to the official app. That's amazing and helped me being creative... and actually shooting more the Leica 🙂

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

I am a big fan of iPhone photography. Being able to edit the photos in the device and easily share and upload them via wi-fi or 3G makes the iPhone the most fun digital camera I have. You learn to accept the limitations of the device in exchange for the ease of sharing them via the web, email, or SMS. (That said, I have made some great looking 4x6" prints from iPhone photos. I may have to try to make some larger prints just for giggles.) Since the iPhone camera is so simple, it makes it easier to concentrate on seeing and composing compelling images. (IMHO, at least.)

Take a look at Chase Jarvis' "Best Camera" book, app, and website:

http://www.thebestcamera.com/

The idea behind the book, app, and website is that the best camera is the one that's with you. The book is a nice little photo book shot entirely on the iPhone. The app lets you edit your pics using different filters and combinations of filters. This app lets me creatively edit my iPhone pics more quickly and easily than any other app I've tried (and I've tried a bunch). The website is a convenient way to share iPhone photos (the app can also simultaneously upload pics to Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr).

Another app I really like is Photogene. Basically a mini-Photoshop for the iPhone. It is MUCH better than Adobe's Photoshop.com Mobile app.

Lightmeter looks like a very useful app--wish it would work on my iPhone 3G.

Apple is going to make a "camera connection kit" for the iPad which will allow you upload photos via your camera's USB cable or SD card:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC531?mco=MTczNzY0NDg#overview

It would be awesome if this thing works for the iPhone, or if someone develops an app (or hack) to make it work for the iPhone. It would allow you to enjoy the picture quality of your digicam or DSLR (or M9 if you're really lucky) and share your pics with nearly the same ease as iPhone pics. Fingers crossed...