Parking

[Bill Pierce]

Bill, I am curious. What would happen if you just pulled into a parking space at your grocery store without checking in on your phone? Or what if you did check in on your phone and accidentally pulled into the wrong space? Is there a grocery store employee out in the parking lot resolving disputes?

The phone system seems to be put in place to replace the grocery store employee who was a nice old guy who helped you find a spot or park in a tight spot when things were crowded, made sure there were no parking lot thefts and spotted folks who were using the grocery store parking lot but not shopping there. He also tossed in a pleasant greeting. Draw your own conclusions about technical advancement.

 

[willie_901]

Like lynn. If you want a good smartphone try IPhone or GooglePixle.
...)

While I prefer the iPhone, a newer Android phone would be fine.

In either case, check out third party-camera apps that support DNG, flat TIFF and, or raw file formats.

I use my phone camera for two very different purposes.

• Visual notes or send quick, casual snap-shot equivalents to family and, or friends. These images have no creative intent. They are disposable.
• Photographs for the same purposes I use my still cameras.

For the former I just use iOS HEIC images within Apple's ecosystem. This is about 90% of my phone camera usage.

For the later II use Lightroom for iOS and 645 Pro MK II.

For LR CC subscribers , the camera function in Lightroom iOS is fast, convenient and effective. I save and transfer DNG files. I never make post-production adjustments using LR iOS.

645 Pro MK II raw is not exactly a raw file. Raw files only contain DN (digital number integers) and are not rendered images. 645 Pro MK II raw are lossless compressed TIFFs. They contain a rendered image with no adjustments or modifications of any sort. This means the 645 Pro app does the demosaicking and nothing else. 645 Pro MK II calls these dRAW (for developed raw). The 645 Pro MK II app emulates a conventional camera interface. This means some of the controls and adjustments are somewhat awkward to use with smaller screens.

There are many other camera apps to choose from, so be sure to look around.

Another thing to consider is how to get the images from your phone to your computer's photo library. This should be straightforward with newer mobile and computer technologies. iOS uses the HEIC (High Efficiency Image File Format) by default. HEIC is a lossless alternative to JPEG. I don't know much about HEIC because I am not interested in AI-based photography.

 

[Pál_K]

…
Another thing to consider is how to get the images from your phone to your computer's photo library. This should be straightforward with newer mobile and computer technologies. iOS uses the HEIC (High Efficiency Image File Format) by default. HEIC is a lossless alternative to JPEG. …

One thing about copying your photos from a newer iPhone to a Windows PC: if you’ve edited the photo on your phone, such as a simple crop or exposure adjustment, the iPhone keeps both the original photo and tracks your edits. This is how it can let you revert your changes back to the original photo.

However, on a Windows PC at least, when you copy your photos from the iPhone to your PC what you get is the original photo (unedited) - along with that is another file which contains your edits in some encoded form. Then I believe there is yet another image which is the edited photo.

When I was using Android phones, I copied photos to my PC all the time. With the iPhone it’s a hassle, so I don’t do it frequently. I also keep my photos out of the “Cloud”.

 

[former member]

I'm not a big user of "Cellular Telephony Devices", still use a flip phone, "Flippy". My Daughter lost one Smart-Phone, after replacing it- "Next phone you get will be Flippy".
So my wife and Daughter have been using for a long time. One feature that I look for: user replaceable battery. Unless you plan on replacing the phone often, probably the battery wearing out is likely to do it in. Some models still have user replaceable batteries, as we are used to in other technology.

 

[raydm6]

For US users, an FCC note on 3G phase-out for those with older phones. I believe 4G LTE will co-exist with 5G for awhile[SUP][SUB]1[/SUB][/SUP] (about a decade).

[SUP][SUB]1[/SUB][/SUP]4G is expected to last for at least another decade, and possibly longer with the help of Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), which shares available spectrum between 4G LTE and 5G devices. DSS provides improved coverage for 5G devices and greater longevity for 4G LTE devices. The first 4G LTE sunset announcements are expected after 2030, which means that companies can safely invest in 4G-based IoT solutions today and for the foreseeable future.

 

[former member]

For US users, an FCC note on 3G phase-out for those with older phones. I believe 4G LTE will co-exist with 5G for awhile[SUP][SUB]1[/SUB][/SUP] (about a decade).

Fortunately my family knows to send me a Text Message by using a Sticky Note and folding it into my Flip Phone.
Maybe I can get my original Quaker phOATons set, use a Fiber Optic Cable to tie two Oatmeal cans together. It works...

 

[PaulDalex]

Hi Bill,
you might be interested at watching this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ayaQOBgbbo
I have instead the Xperia1 II which has focal length 16, 24, and 70. I do not use the 16 but I like the 16 - 70 combo. There are pro app for photo and video with manual control and AF similar to the alphas camera. The pro has a larger sensor, but the longer lens is a 50. Too bad Sony has limited the cameras to 12MP.
Overall I don't like shooting with a phone but they are getting better. Had Sony gone with 24 MP (my former Xperia the Z5+ has 23 MP) it would be still better. On the other hand when I find myself without a camera I still appreciate using my Xperia.
All the best
Paolo

 

[Out to Lunch]

Sure...that phone goes for the measly amount of $1,800.-.

 

[jsrockit]

Anyone making prints from their phone or are you just posting them to the internet? If you are just posting to the internet, then almost any phone will do. I would say the same thing about cameras too. Do you really need a 60MP camera if you are just posting you images to the internet? Is anyone who just posts his photos on the internet really going to upgrade from an M10 to an M11? I am not sure I want to know.

You are right of course, but people buy a lot of things that are more powerful than they need. I actually do print and I want the ability to print large if I need it...for gallery purposes. That said, I prefer to make books. However, I am a firm believer in using the best you can for future proofing. You never know what you can use your images for in the future.

 

[jsrockit]

Find a place where this requirement to park your car doesn’t exist.

It seems to me that he lives in a desolate area that does not have much to offer in regards to options.

 

[css9450]

"Checking in at the parking lot" probably just means checking in to pick up something curbside.

Especially last year, I was ordering a lot of stuff online and picking up curbside, because the stores were closed to shoppers. Almost always, I would get to the store and I'd have to call them... You know, on the phone. I only have a "dumb" phone so I can't "check in" with it.

I have a medical appointment later this morning. They want me to "check in" when I get there.... From my car. Best I can do is call them and tell them (by voice) that I've arrived. It is annoying.

 

[Darthfeeble]

First I would tell the owners of the grocery to shove it. If that's just not an option I would get the cheapest modern phone and forget that it has a camera. Unless you've grown up with the progression of "smart" phones the challenge of learning the ins and outs of the new one are baffling, at least for me they are. Seems like every time I touch the damn thing something goes off that requires more attention than I care to give the thing.

 

[raydm6]

You could always look into getting a simple burner phone for ~$30/month.

 

[Pál_K]

What we know so far:

1. Cellphone service in Bill’s town is poor. From that, it’s easy to conclude it’s not a large densely populated town.

2. The store apparently has a parking lot which cannot accommodate much volume - people visiting other businesses would occupy the store’s lot to the extent that they once had an older employee guide customers to a vacant spot and keep non-customers away. He’s gone, presumably to save labor costs. Solution offered is the smartphone, which some genius at the store believes everyone has or wants.

So the question arises: how are they going to enforce this register-your-space scheme? If they have someone patrol the lot, they’ve just re-incurred the cost of the attendant they dismissed.

Ultimately, you have to decide what is worth the trouble. The cost of a smartphone and the plans that come with it are not insignificant. The experience of learning how to use it effectively might be fun - at first - but if all you really want and need is a simple phone for emergencies or occasional chat, it’s not worth it. I will say that having a pocketable digital camera, albeit simplified, as part of the phone does have value in all sorts of situations.

 

[pixelated]

If the parking system is implemented using text messages, even dumb phones can send and receive text, though your cell carrier may charge extra per message unless it's included in your plan. If you have to load the store's app, I'd be inclined to tell them to take a hike in one way or another. Maybe stop by the customer service desk each time I go in and tell them I parked in space 123, and I don't have a phone compatible with their stupid app. Assuming you have no other choices for where to shop.

 

[Oscuro]

Bill,

We use iPhones. We often use them for quick edits in working and sending things to editors. Think of a light table in your hands! Screens can be calibrated. Very good voice recorders also. Anything after they make large screens available is a good choice. We are Mac users so the co-integration is very excellent.

Ciao!

Mme. O.

 

[kbb]

If you use Apple computers, the iPhone integrates very nicely.

This is key.
Yes, there are a million possible adjustments and preferences that can be set on the smartphone (which would more accurately be called a 'dataphone'), but remember all the discussions about digital camera settings and how you can set the camera up the way you want, and then hardly ever change the settings after that?
Remember, the modern smartphone is a small portable computer on which the telephone service is merely an app. You may not have been entertaining the idea of buying another personal computer, but I think they're more useful than annoying. Others may disagree.