which phone for photographs?

[jhthomasii]

I've printed up to 8x10 from my iPhone 5s and was pleased with the results. i like how easy it is to shoot photos with an iPhone vs the android phones I've owned.

 

[GaryLH]

If integration w/ the apple Eco-system is one of the main factors here, I would agree.. Go w/ an iPhone. There are some interesting photo related rumors associated w/ next iPhone.

http://www.macworld.com/article/245...w-what-we-dont-know-what-wed-like-to-see.html

http://www.techradar.com/us/news/ph...one-6-release-date-news-and-rumours-1099865/3

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-iphone-6-could-have-a-protruding-camera-lens-2014-8

If picture quality is a bigger concern.. Sony rumor kw1 phone is interesting. New curved sensor and 19mp sensor.

http://photorumors.com/2014/08/20/you-will-not-care-about-the-upcoming-sony-kw1-selfie-camera/

And then there is the Nokia phone that has been out a while which has 41mp. Their zoom is really cropping. Widest angle lens (about 27 fov) u get just about all of the 41mp. Longest tele is around 74mm fov and u are now down to 5mp.

http://connect.dpreview.com/post/5234892048/nokia-lumia-1020-camera-review

Gary

 

[Doug]

Thanks Godfrey for the clear instruction for copying photos off the iPhone. I had two pics stuck there and had not thought of Image Capture as a solution. Obviously I don't really use the camera in my iPhone 4s... it's a phone! 😀 I would probably still be using the neat little Motorola RAZR if AT&T hadn't shut down the cell system it worked on. I think it had a camera too!

 

[Godfrey]

I must be the only unimpressed smart phone owner in the world. I resisted even buying a smart phone for years... and then after the iPhone 4s was introduced I finally broke down and bought a cheap used iPhone 3gs. I used it until none of the new apps would run on IOS 6, so I sold it and bought a 4s, also used. I use my phone as a phone <gasp> and a PDA. Most of the time it doesn't even occur to me that it has camera capabilities. I do like that I can check the weather on it tho, and I finally bought text capability this year for the first time. Frankly, I liked it better when I had a flip phone and my Dell Axim X51v PDA, but those days are long gone.

Why do you think you need to be "impressed" by a smart phone, Roger? It's simply a versatile communications tool. For me it serves the function of portable telephone, address book, date book, and music player, all in one device. In a pinch, I check email and exchange txts with it. And I can look up movie theaters and use the dictionary when needed. It also serves the function that I'd otherwise want a GPS device for. Oh yes, it also has a useful calculator and multi-function clock in it. It's more convenient than having to carry two or three devices and notebooks around to do all that.

The fact that it has a decent camera is a secondary nicety. I almost always have a better camera with me anyway. 🙂

G

 

[helen.HH]

I still have the 4s iphone ...meh For photo taking
But the 5s is far Superior, yummy crisp and richer color

 

[Godfrey]

Thanks Godfrey for the clear instruction for copying photos off the iPhone. I had two pics stuck there and had not thought of Image Capture as a solution. Obviously I don't really use the camera in my iPhone 4s... it's a phone! 😀 I would probably still be using the neat little Motorola RAZR if AT&T hadn't shut down the cell system it worked on. I think it had a camera too!

You're welcome, Doug.

I still have my Motorola L3 SLVR, the last model they made without a camera. I bought it used, unlocked, for $40 or so in 2007, I think. It's a solid, GSM quad-band phone that you can buy inexpensive chip and service for nearly anywhere in the world to obtain basic telephone and txt communications. After seven years, the original battery is still going strong. Pretty neat device.

I haven't used it much since I bought the iPhone 4S, but it's too good a phone to just toss in the junk pile and it has come in handy once or twice in the past year.

G

 

[Prest_400]

I've noticed most of you are from the other side of the pond (US). IIRC with contracts you get iPhones at 99$ whereas here usually phones are purchased at full price (about 700$+ here).

I've got a Samsung S4 and I quickly found use for its camera module. On holidays not much, but while I'm at college it's great for some causal shooting when I don't want to carry a camera. Infact I'm fairly oldschool and the camera is the only thing I top off specs wise.
The lumia 1020 I wished for, now it's going down in price, but WP has less ecosystem for choosing apps et al. As you are with mac, I'd stick to an iPhone as well.

With RAW seemingly on the works there will be some improvement, at least being able to control the oversharpening and noise reduction.
As far I know, it is being talked that the new iPhone will have a 1/2.3" sensor. Quite good that they begin to leave the 1/3" standard behind on the top of the line models. Hope it fosters competition so things improve in general!

I printed up to 8x11" (exactly 20x27cm, native 4:3) and at base ISO without stressing it much it's quite good. After all it is a tiny tiny camera!

And I was skeptical at first, but it's fun to play with some apps like VSCO Cam. I tend to think of my cellphone camera akin to a Polaroid.

 

[KevinS]

Recently Alamy, (London based library that I contribute to) began accepting smartphone photos for a new collection called Stockimo. I got a used iPhone 4s and find the challenge of getting images accepted interesting and fun. Tried some add-on grips, cases, etc, but prefer to keep the device small. I do carry a small, clip-on polarizer. It seems that the more heavily filtered images get accepted more often, so the camera on the 4s is just fine for Stockimo and point & shoot use. Very happy with the IQ on the iPhone and using a cheap Tracfone for calling. When the budget allows I'll activate phone service on an iPhone to streamline things.

 

[Lauffray]

I must be the only unimpressed smart phone owner in the world.

It's probably because you expect to use it as a phone (call, text, address book). This isn't criticism, but they're more like small computers, if you don't use them as such then I agree they're not particularly special

 

[shortstop]

I have an iphone 4s. is my only digital camera. it works great and always. I saw the pictures taken with android samsung and I do not like the colors and white. I do not see a difference with the 5s to justify replacement. and then my 4s looks nicer.

 

[Prest_400]

I have an iphone 4s. is my only digital camera. it works great and always. I saw the pictures taken with android samsung and I do not like the colors and white. I do not see a difference with the 5s to justify replacement. and then my 4s looks nicer.

iPhones are quite good software wise when it comes down to the camera. I have a snap taken by a friend with her 4s and with a slight WB adjustment on post it made a great small print, and may make a great 8x10. Before that, I had to make do with some files from a 4 of an event; ISO 1000, noise and color casts.
I won't own one (crazy expensive here) for a long time but having "worked" with some of its files I've liked it.

Little funny fact I've just reminded now. iPhones use Sony camera modules, as do many other brands.

As I wrote above, I'm looking forward to the new iPhone with its alleged new 1/2.3" sensored camera module and see if it promotes a bit of an improvement across the competitors.

Also, if anyone knows mobile phtography resources around the web it would be nice to see them. There isn't much talked about compared to other areas of photographic gear. Not to encourage hijacking, but it might be interesting for the OP and all.

 

[semrich]

I have the iPhone 5S, I occasionally use the phone to stay in contact with home or office while out and about, very important use for dual verification for internet access for banking transactions, staying on top of email, apps for calendar, alarm clock, calculator, maps for finding my way around, light meter, film developing, etc. I use the camera most for scanning with Scanner Pro, shots of things I want to check ordering over the internet, and sometimes a photograph.

My keep my iPhone in my back pocket, an amazing thing when I think back to the day when I hung out in bank computer rooms, with appliance size processors and peripherals, huge air conditioners, raised floors over thick hose like cables snaking between devices, when 5 platter disk packs held a whopping 5 mb of data.