Indeed but that's not what I meant. Ain't no one but the hardcore going to carry a separate camera around everywhere, so they want the best quality they can get via a phone.
PS. Atleast 3 of us in here with the 18-35
The constant want for better cameras?
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PS. Atleast 3 of us in here with the 18-35
Caporegime
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I use my Phone to take photos of nothing….I think the last photo I took of it was my dad's car's number plate so I can remember it when I get home to do a price comparison search. That's what I use the phone camera for.
I don't use it to show people what I take. The reason being I don't think the standard of them are high enough, and although the phone cameras are alway getting better and better, the other side of the coin is the standard of what is a good photo is also moving higher and higher.
Let's say the latest phone can do what a DSLR can do 10 years ago (with a really cheap lens). but 10 years on, both the phone and DSLR also moved on so the standard are higher and I think with the popularity of Instagram, people's exposure of good photos are also increased so it takes more than an iPhone X or Pixel 2 photo to impress people these days.
What people really want is bokeh, that's why the development of these "portrait" mode, the fake bokeh by software. People think this would give the photo a professional look, a look that can only be achieve with a fast lens, generally an expensive lens. I agree though that these fake bokeh can be quite convincing at a glance but I can tell they are fake, there is no smooth transition in objects in accordance to distance and the edges of subject can be a bit jarring.
I am sure one day it will be good enough though but we are not there yet.
(then there is the last thing, lighting, you can't be knowing how to light your subject, and that is not from where the lens sits, certainly not 5mm away from it)
I don't use it to show people what I take. The reason being I don't think the standard of them are high enough, and although the phone cameras are alway getting better and better, the other side of the coin is the standard of what is a good photo is also moving higher and higher.
Let's say the latest phone can do what a DSLR can do 10 years ago (with a really cheap lens). but 10 years on, both the phone and DSLR also moved on so the standard are higher and I think with the popularity of Instagram, people's exposure of good photos are also increased so it takes more than an iPhone X or Pixel 2 photo to impress people these days.
What people really want is bokeh, that's why the development of these "portrait" mode, the fake bokeh by software. People think this would give the photo a professional look, a look that can only be achieve with a fast lens, generally an expensive lens. I agree though that these fake bokeh can be quite convincing at a glance but I can tell they are fake, there is no smooth transition in objects in accordance to distance and the edges of subject can be a bit jarring.
I am sure one day it will be good enough though but we are not there yet.
(then there is the last thing, lighting, you can't be knowing how to light your subject, and that is not from where the lens sits, certainly not 5mm away from it)
Man of Honour
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I dont think the average consumer cares much about specs and what their photos look like on a large monitor/printed.
You can create better filters and post processing using Lightroom or whatever but most are just gonna head to Instagram or use built in filters.
I've had a DSLR for the last 6 years and carrying it with me on holiday or to parties is annoying as hell. Having something small and light thats ready to take a decent photo in seconds is way more convenient. Even a small point and shoot doesn't come close unless you're lugging around a bag or something with large pockets.
I've also printed tonnes of mobile photos and couldn't really care less about them being the best possible quality, it's the moment captured that matters more.
You can create better filters and post processing using Lightroom or whatever but most are just gonna head to Instagram or use built in filters.
I've had a DSLR for the last 6 years and carrying it with me on holiday or to parties is annoying as hell. Having something small and light thats ready to take a decent photo in seconds is way more convenient. Even a small point and shoot doesn't come close unless you're lugging around a bag or something with large pockets.
I've also printed tonnes of mobile photos and couldn't really care less about them being the best possible quality, it's the moment captured that matters more.
Soldato
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I’d go as far as to say image processing is better on mobiles now than actual cameras. They also employ better technology.
Imagine something like a Sony RX100, with a high end image processor, with camera processing done by Google. Imagine all the tricks they use, such as dual pixel autofocus, for phase detection focusing on every pixel, insane EIS on top of OIS. Something like a V30 but with a much larger sensor, and the size of a pocket camera.
Where hardware meets software.
I think people don’t quite get how insane the software optimisations are on smartphones, to get images like we do out of such comparatively small image sensors.
Imagine something like a Sony RX100, with a high end image processor, with camera processing done by Google. Imagine all the tricks they use, such as dual pixel autofocus, for phase detection focusing on every pixel, insane EIS on top of OIS. Something like a V30 but with a much larger sensor, and the size of a pocket camera.
Where hardware meets software.
I think people don’t quite get how insane the software optimisations are on smartphones, to get images like we do out of such comparatively small image sensors.
Caporegime
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Who the hell would want to carry a DSLR camera or even a smaller camera around with them all day everywhere they go..
I own a RX100 mk2 camera but I never have it with me when I need it
Depends on your priority.
If you place photography as No.1 then you do, otherwise you don't, so anything the phone can capture is "that's nice". As opposed to, that is incredible.
Sometimes (a lot of the times), I find it worthwhile.
I hate to see a good photo go to waste and so I take them where and when I can. I wouldn't get 99% of my photos if I had to rely on a phone and I simply wouldn't get taken seriously at all if I asked to take somebody's photo using a mobile phone. I've taken some fantastic photo's of people met by pure chance, many of them "characters". I recently took a shot of a guy I kept bumping into in Llangollen who had spent the last 13 years living in a tent who looked like someone out of a Western called The Long Riders, complete with long waxy coat and leather hat.
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TBH it sounds in part like it’s a function of the type of photography you do. If you’re really into street photography then sure, taking round a small dedicated camera makes sense. If you’re more of a landscape/wildlife guy then there’s no chance you’re going to be lugging your kit around you everywhere you go, on the off chance you need your 300 f/2.8 lens and tripod...
Most people, including many photographers, don’t want or need to carry around a dedicated camera. For example I only carry a bag around when I’m moving photography kit, certainly not when I’m commuting to and from work, or going out with friends. Should I carry around a bag just to put a small camera in on the off chance I may need it? Even if I do it’s unlikely I’ll ever use those photos or print them anyway.
On the other hand having a “decent” camera on your phone means you always have something with you for those moments that probably won’t ever be printed, but are still special to you. Most of those images will probably be of people in less than ideal circumstances. The drive over the last decade for cameras on phones has been towards better capturing fast moving and low light imagery. Those changes make a very significant difference to all photos and medium, even just looking at them on the phone itself. Choice between a dark and (properly) blurry image or something that is clear and understandable? I know which one I’d rather have, even if it is only a photo of some friends. Heck, I’m more likely to actually share those sort of photos if I take them on my phone than my camera. With the latter try just end up sat in Lightroom never to be seen again.
Yes, sometimes it’s frustrating only having the camera on my phone, but there’s no way I’d be willing to carry 5-10kg of photography equipment “just in case”.
Soldato
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I haven't read any posts other than the OP but I'm also a professional photographer and film maker and because it's my job I absolutely never take a dedicated camera with me anywhere. Not day trips, not holidays, nada. As such I rely on my phone and personally I like the restriction; on holiday I don't want to be thinking about lenses, batteries, fiddling massively with settings etc (tho my phone does allow for manual control).
Because of that I am absolutely in the market for a fantastic phone camera and annoyingly none of the latest reason or much/any better than my G4.
All my phone photos FYI: www.instagram.com/rghjones
Oh and resolution etc? Not really an issue: https://i.imgur.com/6NIwB9u.jpg
Because of that I am absolutely in the market for a fantastic phone camera and annoyingly none of the latest reason or much/any better than my G4.
All my phone photos FYI: www.instagram.com/rghjones
Oh and resolution etc? Not really an issue: https://i.imgur.com/6NIwB9u.jpg
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Associate
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If you get paid to take photos = DSLRs and all that expensive equipment.
Everybody else will be fine with a high end mobile phone camera.
Everybody else will be fine with a high end mobile phone camera.
I used to be about the best camera on my phone, but now I have a dedicated camera for days out, holidays, trips etc. The results are so much better and means I don't need the latest phone. The camera I have isn't large either but the results are great (Fuji X-E2S).
Also depends on your expectations. My Lumia 640XL and first gen Moto-G take what I consider to be excellent photos whenever I need to, which isn't that often. Yet most people on these forums would say both those cameras are crap. Well, I don't think they are. They do the job just fine for me.
We are not always carrying around 5kg-10kg of photography gear. That is the point. For non pro work I would be carrying a Fuji XE2 with a 35mm f2 lens with a combined weight of 560 grams; which is what Lie has illustrated and is far superior in results to any phone. I appreciate many would prefer to use a phone for convenience or simply because all they have or want to do is press a button. Priorities differ.
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Great little camera Lie. I changed a Sony Rx100 Mk2 for this little beauty. Quite cheap second hand for the body. You could probably pick the XE2 and the 27mm up for £450.00.I used to be about the best camera on my phone, but now I have a dedicated camera for days out, holidays, trips etc. The results are so much better and means I don't need the latest phone. The camera I have isn't large either but the results are great (Fuji X-E2S).
As I said it depends on the type of photography you do. If you like street photography then sure, the little Fuji EX2 camera with a 35 f/2 will be great, but it’s going to be bugger all use when trying to get a photo of that peregrine falcon etc.
That’s why for me I’d rather have a decent camera on my phone. I need a dslr and heavy lenses to get decent images for the type of thing I photograph. There’s not much reason to carry big lenses around on a night out, or daily commute though. In those cases a phone with a decent camera for a few snaps is fine.
So no, not all photographers carry around 5-10kg of kit, but a 500g camera/lens combo that needs a bag may be no better if your bag is usually that heavy. If you carry around a bag everyday and everywhere you go then sure. But I don’t, much like many others, so even a small dedicated camera is an inconvenience, even if it somehow fits into a pair of suit trousers.
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I paid a bit more as I went for a X-E2S and the 35mm F2, but yea picked up like new 2nd hand kit. Since then, I can't stand using my phone camera. There's no comparison. My phone camera is now just used for taking general snaps that don't see the light of day.
I also love the retro look
I’ve carried both (phone and dslr) around with me before. But these days phones are so good at taking photos, and especially videos (4K 48Mbits video rate and excellent low light? Many phones do this without issue).
I have so much photo and video content taken with my phone now that unless a phone has over 128GB of storage, then that phone is pointless to me. Every friends/family event or day out I take photos of interesting/memorable things from that day, and often share snippets with people who are also on WhatsApp/social networks.
A good quality phone camera is considered a necessity for many people in 2017, in a world where keeping an archive of important and memorable events in high quality is desired makes sense people rate camera quality quite highly.
Phones like the Pixel 1 and Galaxy S7 series started the high quality photo and video trend really, cameras that are happy shooting in any lighting condition and capturing great results.
For me, if I know I'm going to be taking photos of scenery or stuff that I'll then post to 50px/Flickr/Insta, then I'll take a dslr with 35mm lens and nothing else. I have no issues carrying a kit that weighs a few KG around all day long if I know I'm going to get the results. otherwise everything else is done on the phone.
I have so much photo and video content taken with my phone now that unless a phone has over 128GB of storage, then that phone is pointless to me. Every friends/family event or day out I take photos of interesting/memorable things from that day, and often share snippets with people who are also on WhatsApp/social networks.
A good quality phone camera is considered a necessity for many people in 2017, in a world where keeping an archive of important and memorable events in high quality is desired makes sense people rate camera quality quite highly.
Phones like the Pixel 1 and Galaxy S7 series started the high quality photo and video trend really, cameras that are happy shooting in any lighting condition and capturing great results.
For me, if I know I'm going to be taking photos of scenery or stuff that I'll then post to 50px/Flickr/Insta, then I'll take a dslr with 35mm lens and nothing else. I have no issues carrying a kit that weighs a few KG around all day long if I know I'm going to get the results. otherwise everything else is done on the phone.
