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So that is not an easy answer. I consider a dedicated camera to be flat out better... but there is something to the old saying: the best camera is the camera you have.
Team camera. It's also that digital detox, when you're with your camera and go roaming the streets or forests or parks, that provides a feeling that a smartphone can't.
Team camera. It's so much easier to change your settings and achieve the look you want with a camera and you can be sure of the quality of the lens you add onto your camera.
When you started talking about multiple lenses and computational features on your phone I had a laugh, because my phone doesn't. I do though use my phone a lot for photography lately. To light mushrooms so I can take nice photos with my camera 😁 Definitely team camera!
Just bought a well used cheap looking D90 and 35 1.8 g lense for this same reasons, there's only so much one can do with a Smartphone, very handy for assembly and disassembly of components as a reference, interesting article, cheers Mike
For me, smartphone photos are like fast food in terms of convenience and quality (and the taste designed to please as many as possible with low quality ingredients). I only recently came back to digital cameras after a decade of phone-exclusive life, and already regret the past as if I've been only eating McDonalds the whole time.
Of course. Did you take pictures with your camera jpeg only? No? Most of the time, it's a raw, and you're processing your raw files. Out of camera jpeg is just boring. Did you try to shoot raw with your phone? No? The results are going to surprise you. Quality is good enough for most of the street photography - and it doesn't look over processed. Do you know that samsung has computational ND filters up to 1000, and it works with raw? Do you know that samsung has dedicated astrophotography mode thar works with raw, and results are close to the m43 (of course with a tripod)? There was a time period when the camera gave you an instant benefit. If you invested in a camera, you are a photographer. This time is gone. Now, you can either create content or not. No one cares about your camera. But if you are good with a smartphone, most probably you are going to be even better with a camera (if it's better than your phone). Things are more complicated now.
@@igorpust6400 I shoot RAW+JPEG all the time and find that many of my shots look great in JPEG and require very little in the way of post processing which works as well on a JPEG image as a RAW one. I'm an Olympus/OM System user, and they have a long reputation for beautiful JPEG images, but the JPEGs out of some cameras are not as pleasing to some users which is why some only shoot in RAW. I think is your point about smart phones - that their RAW files have more potential for post processing. Possibly, but by the nature of RAW images, they don't include all of the computational tricks smart phones use to make very usable JPEGs, and I wonder just how much additional work it would take in post - and how many would have those skills - to even duplicate the phone's JPEG engine output, much less improve on it. I think it would be a great to see a video about shooting the same challenging subjects on a phone and a MFT or larger sensor camera and then seeing just what could be done with either in post.
@@igorpust6400Yeah but camera users don't care that others don't care. It's the personal satisfaction you get and if others notice great.. For many a phone is good enough and don't care about ergonomics, manual physical controls, etc. That's just fine for them.
I guess the key takeaway is a good photographer can pretty much take a good photo with any camera. But for me, I’m Team Camera. Creative optical control, lenses, depth of field and yes, image quality are what I need. Sensor size, not so much. Because I’m also team MFT.
With a dedicated camera you simply have much more possibilities to play around, try different stuff. That's also how you will learn photography better. Using a dedicated DSLM/DSLR also improved how I take smartphone photos, because only then I got a better understanding/idea of composition etc.
Team phone: the Xiaomi 14 Ultra have an 1" sensor... Team câmera: a G80/85 with a zoom and a prime cost less then half... Both teams: lets take pictures🎉 PS, I'm team CÂMERA. Great video
The phone camera is like a blender, microwave and airfryer. Dedicated camera with manual controls is like a knife, frying pan and stove top. Would Gordon Ramsey make better food than me in all scenarios? Most definitely. Would I make better food with the "manual" setup? Equally definitely.
The biggest disadvantage besides the ones you mentioned about smartphone photography to me is the artificial look of a smartphone photo. I have yet to discover a smartphone where that's not the case, even when you shoot raw. Smartphones are always implementing some sort of computational photography that tries to enhance edges (achieving the opposite though). You'll often get away with it when viewed on a phone but on the big screen it looks like soup.
I find that too. I wonder if i either need a better phone, or all phone photos are like that and they're just designed to look good on a screen at a small size on social media
i think the main issues causing the "artificial" look are the fact that there's so much noise due to the typically smaller sensor, there is really a much lower level of detail than would be acceptable in most cases (so you have to try hard to compensate with processing), plus the fact that main phone lenses are almost always like ~4mm focal length and shorter, which means even at f/1.8 (many phone camera lenses are here) it keeps everything in focus in almost all situations, including the far away things with even lower amounts of detailed captured than the close-up subjects... doesn't help that adding more megapixels in a sensor so small doesn't help unless they work in tandem at a lower effective megapixel resolution to basically "subsample". and overall because the parts are so small it's way more difficult to get the parts like the lenses to be built with such high quality as with larger pieces of glass (as i've generally seen, the smaller the lens, the worse the image quality tends to become)
@@MicroFourNerds you need an Android phone with a big sensor (bigger than 1/1.5") that allows the camera2 API (so, no Samsung) and a good camera app that works with the camera2 API. There are some cameras apps that are simple, with full manual controls, like ProShot, ProCamX, FirstLight or Pixtica, and deliver raw image. There are free apps but the user interface is horrible (HedgeCam2 and OpenCamera). Even more, there is an app called MotionCam that allows you to fine tuning the raw (yeah, any raw have some processing even in pro mirrorless cameras). Some warning: - The raw in some phones have a tint that messes with the skin tones. In my basic Oppo is a green tint, in my midrange Xiaomi is a magenta tint only in low light. It depends on the sensor. - Most smartphone sensors deliver only 10bit raw, so not too much latitude, few of them deliver 12bit and only a pair of them deliver truly 14bit. That's for speed, the phone need light raw to process the HDR and other computational things and stack several shots in 10bit is far lighter and enough for smartphone standards.
Smartphone manufacturers seem to not realize that having shadows is a good thing. They don't always have to be boosted into oblivion. Also I just really dislike the feel of shooting on a phone, it's awkward and using any manual controls is just irritating. I can change all settings on my cameras without even looking at controls, I can have my eye at the viewfinder the whole time and change whatever I need. Also forget shooting waist level, ground level, or above your head with any accuracy. Am I glad I have my phone to take quick snapshots and capture my daughter on a daily basis? Of course. But I don't have any pics that go in nice albums or on my wall that came from a phone. There's no comparison in quality, intention, and feel.
This is why I user older iPhones and iPods as cameras. The iPhone 4S and iPod Touch 5th gen (both 5mp) dont over-sharpen and HDR everything to death. They are cheap, small and light compared to modern smartphones and make a great alternative to a "digicam". I know the 3GS has been very popular over the last year for its old school "retro" vibe. They have gotten a bit too pricey though.
Hi! For myself, as someone who wants to take up photography only as a fun hobby and way to document my life and have a little creative outlet, the biggest deterrent to buying a camera was the cost when I already had a phone in my pocket at all times that can take decent photographs. But for so many of the reasons you mentioned: the tactile experience, being able to photograph without the distractions of a phone, having more creative freedom and control with different lenses, etc. I went did buy a camera and I am so glad I did. After watching so many of your videos I went ahead and bought myself a small old micro four thirds camera on ebay for cheap and I am having just an absoltue joy of a time with this new hobby. Thanks for all of the time and thought you put in to your videos:)
Even 15 year old point n shoots look better than my iPhone photos. Also just the experience of using the camera is much more fun than using a smart phone. Team camera here all the way.
I specifically bought a camera to take a deeper breath, focus more on the process of taking a photo. Its a hobby to me and having no distractions makes it more fun to me. Besides that, even if i do things perfectly my phone sometimes makes images look like pants. The colours are all over the place sometimes and the main lens is wahaaay too wide i think.
What a thorough discussion and I flatter myself that I would have said the same things. To me the computational photography on a phone is astounding in what it does to overcome the small sensor limitations. However the phone is an ergonomic nightmare as a camera and I make an image with it despite the device not because of it. And it is missing a mechanical shutter which, with a camera on a quiet day, gives a quiet little echo in my mind back to the 19th century.
Years ago I got a Sony Xperia SP and I've always loved how it have a dedicated shutter button with a proper and tactile half-press to focus function. The phone's sensor and performance itself is nothing to write home about, but that shutter button was the gateway into my love for tactile controls; I predictably carry a Fuji camera now paired with a manual focus lens.
Well I use both, phone and cameras, depending on the moment, the type of photo I'm taking, or the need to shoot very quickly. But I prefer using the camera. I'm an old school photographer: I did learn with a film SLR in my hands, hence using a camera is to me the "natural way" of taking photos.
The best camera is the camera you always have around. For most of the time that would be my phone. But shooting with my phone, though I get some decent shots feels joyless. It's like owning an EV. It gets the job done bringing me back and forth but I do miss driving a manual internal combustion car. It's about how it feels. How tactile something can be and how that communicates with you. A dedicated camera is a joy to use. I recently got a used GX85 because of this channel and I found the love for photography again. No need to swipe menus to change setting when I can turn dials and click buttons. The sound of the mechanical shutter does the same joy for me as the start of our old gas car.
the main two reasons for me is that 1- i am very slow if i am not using tactile buttons. despite being a gen y (1987) and using smartphones since they are invented, i am very slow making the adjustments on touch screen, thus i generally miss the moment when i use touch screen controls. 2- i need an OVF or EVF to be able compose properly, i also have a little sony digicam i use a lot, and i still sometimes use my phone to shoot but results are composionally horrible in general so i only use them to snap every photos which i take to document things rather than artsy photos.
I specifically purchased the phone I have because of the camera. However, I rarely use it. The ergonomics suck. Only the main sensor is any good, but too wide most of the time, and the RAWs aren't really RAW. Accessories might help, but would I carry them with me? Moreover companies that make accessories dont realize Android phones exist.
I’m a full frame user with the largest digital photography camera, the canon 1dx. Sometimes I use my phone in emergency situations where I need a wider field of view. The images on the phone just feel too digital, especially if I view them on a larger screen. Phone pictures suffer from lack of dynamic range and over sharpening. I tried shooting raw on phone. For the love of god don’t do that. Just use the default app with auto settings. Phones use software trickery for a reason to increase dynamic range and resolution. A single raw exposure that is edited still looks inferior to a jpeg using the native app with auto settings. M43 is the sweet spot of you want something compact and still have good files.
The specific thing that keeps me going back to cameras is the loss of low contrast environmental detail on phones. Here in BC that often means distant forests on mountainsides just falling apart into gray-green smears that suggest trees, but aren't really. And that's before you get into the world of lenses - lens choice, lens character and what they bring to the image. Nevertheless, I have my bases covered with my phone, Panasonic G9 and a Canon 5D classic for scratching the occasional full frame itch.
Very fair and balanced take. Nice. Having said that, I feel that phone pics start to breakdown in terms of realism once you start zooming them. I rarely get a genuinely good image in a phone that is not somehow computerized/artificial/forced.
An important thing that never seems to come up on the Phone vs Camera debate (though it plays into ergonomics) is safety straps. Cameras by default have them. Whether its a neck strap, a side sling or even a wrist strap there is something between you and dropping your camera 40 feet onto a rocky outcropping, into a river or a lake, or preventing your photo device from being the Gorrila's favorite new toy at the local Zoo. I know of a few daring photographers who take off straps of all kinds because they annoy them. I am not one of them. I've dropped my phone so many times from just casual use. I don't need to be even more prone to drop it while gripping it in a manner its not normally gripped in order to get a better more stable photo. Give me a grip for my fingers, and a strap over my wrist, chest or neck. Those are my requirements on Team Camera.
I have the opposite experience: People get suspicious/defensive of you while brandishing a dedicated camera(exactly because they recognise you as a photographer, you must have some ulteriror motive or be some sort of pervert, i've had people demand of me to "delete the photo of their child" while i was pointing the camera in a different direction and upwards, and didn't even take the shot cuz they walked into it), and not even bat an eye if someone just stops to take a phone picture.
Depending on where you live there should be no expectation of privacy in a public place. It's a coin toss between them being unrealistic and how you present yourself and your professional image. I have laminated sheets with important stuff highlighted. I've been threatened for flying my drone and my response is I'm licensed and insured and to speak with me after my commissioned flight. If they refuse and cause an accident with the aircraft (yes a drone is considered an aircraft) it is a felony and I will press charges they will be arrested. I tell them to look at the laminated sheets and call the police department and wait for them. They have always walked away from me after that and left me alone. Be aware of your surroundings and laws and you should be fine.
The situation is pretty fluid. About fifteen years ago, people were very paranoid about photography in places like the UK, and you would have retail establishments with signs - not always very prominent - forbidding photography. Fast forward into the age of mass idiocy, however, and those same establishments not only tolerate people waving their phones around, but they have actually constructed dedicated spots encouraging picture-taking and sharing on "the socials".
Agree completely - I know several people with cameras who have been challenged in that way, quite often by security guys who usually haven't a clue about the law, and also Brian James , "That M43 guy" on UA-cam was verbally abused by a young girl because he unintentionally caught her in his photo - quite scary and as several people commented, unlikely to have happened if he'd been using a phone. Perhaps if we find ourselves in that situation using a camera, we should take it as a kind of back handed compliment.
Team camera, also micro 4/3. I like the size and it's fun to carry around. Great vacation camera, and it's just nice to have a little control over your pictures.❤
To me, in my personal opinion, using a phone to take a picture feels soulless. It's like driving a Tesla instead of a manual transmission classic car. I like using a camera for the full experience of taking a picture
@@BobbiRae-p7q I think much of that 'souless' feeling is not hearing and feeling the vibration from a physical shutter. With an electronic shutter it feels more like you just captured a still frame from video rather than a photograph. Which is why I'm not a fan of electronic only shutters.
My Pixel 9 pro will never replace my good old Gx9 with the 12-32. Phone camera app apply a treatment even to RAW files, I've had to use a 3rd party app to get the true RAW data from the sensor. Phone image quality depends on the sensor you are using, with a dedicated camera, you get the same quality from wide to zoomed focal length, true color temperature and tint control.
I've had several phones that captured really nice images (either SOOC or using a GCam mod), but only two of them were good to shoot with: the LG G3 and the LG G4. The G4 had a brilliant RAW shooting mode where you had very quick and easy access to manual focus, shutter speed and white balance, and both were quick and responsive, so were great for discreet street photography. Later phones had more processing power and made use of computational photography to take quite impressive low light, astro and fake shallow dof portraits that might fool you for a moment. This was great, but none of them were nice to use. You just didn't really have real control. You are so right in saying it's the little things that make a difference. It's the lovely buttons and dials, the tilting screen, the viewfinder, the weight and heft of the camera body. Then there's the proper lenses! Last but not least: no distractions! So it's a no from me to those commenters. Why would I just use my phone when I can use a little MFT powerhouse instead? I'd rather enjoy the excellent balance of small size, good image quality, great handling and complete control that my MFT camera gives me, but thanks anyway.
This is such a good video and I'm SO glad to have seen this just now. I started getting into photography over the last 4 years exclusively on smartphones (Pixel 4a then 6a) and have learned a ton about editing and not so humbly lol think I've made some pretty great images. I've been a very vocal proponent and firm believer in mobile photography yet all this time I'm still nagged by the desire for a "real" camera, but money is a real issue. Not only does this video let me feel better about remaining with my device until I can comfortably afford the equipment, it really does clarify exactly why I should or should not upgrade. This helps immensely to stop the nagging feeling because now I have a much better understanding of exactly what I'm missing or not missing. It seems like a small thing but it's seriously helpful. Thank you so much. Oh also I'm really appreciating that I'm finding more and more info like this that's showing me that I don't necessarily need to spend an ENTIRE months rent to get started with a dedicated camera.
i got myself an lx100 to take on trips and family stuff and the like, because of a few things - it doesn't oversharpen and blowout the shadows in my photos, the pictures have depth to them rather than the "everything is in focus" look, i can use the evf which makes it feel way more intentional, and it's absolutely beautiful to look at itself. i will always take my camera if my intention is to take "nice" pictures.
Well said, Em. I find myself in team both. I don't find taking pics with my phone an enjoyable feat, but it gets things done and works best on certain occasions (like when documenting my daughter's first step or taking a group photo on a casual hang out with friends). But when I go travelling, I always carry my Fujifilm camera to get the images I know I want. That being said, it still blows my mind to find that people are still arguing camera vs smartphone. Just use whatever tool that works best for you and have a great day, people 😁
I'm team camera when I have one with me, otherwise I'm team phone. And video is photography as well, you didn't discuss which one is better for video. Great video, thanks for sharing.
One thing no one talks about is viewing the screen. My eyes are at an age where even with multifocal lenses I cannot readily go from the viewfinders to the screen. If I’m out shooting I’m wearing glasses for mid-distance viewing so cameras that have no viewfinder are challenging to use as I can’t comfortably hold them far enough away to see what the screen . This means putting a lot of faith in the AF to get what I want (talking to you S9). However I can adjust the diopter on a viewfinder to accommodate the glasses I’m wearing. Phones do have a larger more useable screen but it is a device designed for arms-length use and I’m not convinced that camera manufactures really consider this aspect of the camera system (looking at you Olympus). A smaller screen with small fonts and complex icons is not a great user experience.
Or as a certain commercial has taught me: why not both? I got my m43 camera that i use to take higher quality pics and where i try to think about composition and stuff like that. On the other hand, I use my phone for the more silly stuff like funny street signs and such. In some cases it´s easier to quicky get out my phone and take a pic in 1 second and in other cases it works better with a camera to take some times to get the composition and things like that right. If you can´t pick between 2 choice, always go for the 3th one 😊
Great Video Em… Yes, I do prefer a dedicated small camera for edc photography too :) I am however looking to get into a bit more smartphone photography in 2025 - There is this thing called the “G-Grip” invented by the photographer Greg Williams - that is a Bluetooth shutter that clips onto your phone & it looks very interesting! - But yeah, nothing will replace an actual camera 📷 :)
Yep, always have a "real camera" in my pocket, or in a small bag (in the summer when it is too hot). Try taking a photo directly over your head with a phone. Or from your feet. Also taking pictures of anything fast moving. Thanks.
Just grabbing my "camera" that has no optical zoom, can't simultaneously use the screen and best lens to take holiday selfies with the family, can't flip up the screen for low angle shots so have to get into the dirt, has no tactile controls to get ready for shots while powered down, really wants ideal lighting to maintain quality, can't quickly swap batteries out for 100% charge but rather needs a power bank plugged in, probably can't swap in more storage when full, has no custom modes to quickly get settings dialed in for a sudden shot of the pets being silly, has to be updated every year because it was loaded with bloat to artificially shorten the product lifecycle, won't stop pinging me with doom scroll ad seeking or work notifications while I'm out and about, and for a reasonable quality one I've shelled out as much or more than any compact camera that comes packed with better dedicated features and usually a larger sensor. I can watch UA-cam on it though. Absolute lemon. 🤦
If you're trying to use your phone like a camera Just get a camera. Because i don't really see my phone as anything but a computer with a camera on it. It's pretty okay as a camera but pretty good at literally anything else you use it for like a computer
Good video. A great photo not only captures the soul of the subject. It has a little of the soul of the photographer. Even the best phones are sterile, have a lot of Ai and artificial processing and lack soul. They are amazing but I think we could learn a lot from the pictorialist area of Photography. The art of the photo is not the resolution or sharpness in the end. It's the FEELING that the image you creates has.
I generally reserve my phone for snapshots and documentary purposes. I occasionally do that with my camera too, but I'm wayyyyy more likely to seek out a composition and be deliberate with my decisions when I have my camera in my hand. I just never feel the urge to do all that with my phone. Maybe that's why I take my camera everywhere.
I'm team both - which, in my case, currently means a three-year-old Samsung smartphone or up-to-date Sony full-frame mirrorless equipment. I find your content so compelling, Emily, that I watch it even though I have never shot Micro Four Thirds, though I have shot some digital compacts and Canon APS-C DSLRs in the past. There is no substitute for a camera in challenging conditions, which in my photography might mean shooting moving subjects, low-light and night photography, shots with high dynamic range, shooting from moving vehicles, and creative use of flash. I agree that the ergonomics of a camera are better too - I hate trying to compose on a touch screen and almost always use my electronic viewfinder rather than my display. However, the key advantage of a smartphone is that it is always with you. At least my phone has a mode where I can control aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Phone RAW files are noisy and a bit rubbish as you note, but at least they are an option. That said, any attempt at the kind of post-processing workflow that I use for my mirrorless shots typically results in disappointment when I realise how poor the signal-to-noise ratio and the dynamic range of the phone shots are. I don't always want to carry a full-frame body and one or more large lenses around with me. My main bag is full of full-frame f/2.8 zooms which are immensely capable lenses on a modern body, but not exactly renowned for portability. Occasionally, I might limit myself to one body and an f/4 zoom, but that is still not that compact. This is partly why I am interested in your channel; I might eventually add a "tiny camera" to my equipment as an everyday carry option that is less compromised than a phone. The big advantages of a phone are that it is always with you, and you can take photos on a phone in places where cameras are banned or are impolite (I would never pull out a full-frame camera in a restaurant unless I was shooting the event for someone). I am really not interested in computational photography being done for me; I stack images for focus, dynamic range or compositional reasons, also I will use AI denoising, sharpening and generative techniques when appropriate, but I want to be in control. As you note, a lot depends on what you want from photography. If you have modest photography skills, want to hand much of the work over to the device you are using, and do not intend to do much retouching, then a phone is an ideal tool, especially if you are shooting to share on social media. If you want to take control of the process and shoot in situations where a phone cannot deliver the output you desire then a camera is the better tool. I am no photography snob; if a modern smartphone camera does all that you need, then that is the correct tool for the job.
A very smart, enjoyable high-level view. I use three formats: iPhone 15 Pro is stupendous for Apple ProRes RAW song video clips. The APS-C Canon R50 gives insane portraits at 300/2.8 equivalent with the EF 70-200/2.8 L II. The Canon R6 is wonderful for theater events needing 1/500-plus in low light (Adobe's Denoise AI is crazy good). That said, Tyler Stalman's Peru iPhone 16 Pro video is super.
I have been without a camera for so many years, but working, life, kids, stopped me from going back to "photography" now I'm retired and one of the first things I did was..... buy a camera (G9) !! Said that I shot with my wife's phone for many years, if you know "Light-Subject-Composition" you can take some great pictures, if you learn tecniques I used to use on my Nikon F1 (breathing on your lens, panning, short movements and on and on) the phone can be great. I took some good "impressionist" photos and even some great Street. But beware, your brain will ALWAYS say: wish I had a camera for this, wish I had a tripod, wish I could put 3 seconds or "B" wish I had a decent zoom and on and on..
6:12 With a proper protective case, screen protector you can drop it hundreds of times and it will be fine. I went for Nillkin Camshield, to protect the lenses, it lasts 2 or 3 years, before the door opens on it's own. But other cases exist.
Completely agree about tiny cameras but… everyone (well pretty much) has their phone with them all the time. You’ll never miss the potential fantastic picture :) Just to add I generally carry my Pen F everywhere but ALWAYS have my phone!
I seldom carry my phone with me. I seldom receive phone calls. If someone wants to leave a message I’ll call them back when I return home. Where the phone is. I miss using a land line. A minority position. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
7:30 A battery bank is nice. I have iWalk Spartan Powerbank 13000mAh battery bank, I had it for years, it's heavy, but works. But the cable included is fragile, and the included compass doesn't work properly and cover for ports will fall off after few years. This year I got Upio Tricharge, for my Sony NP-FZ100 batteries. So I bring that instead now, unless I might need other batteries for my camera as camera battery is low and phone is low.
Team Camera. I do have a phone, but after a year of trial and mostly error i gave up and got myself a proper smol camera that takes some of my favorite photos so far.
I take better photos with a viewfinder - preferably optical - to my eye and the edge of the camera pressed to my eyebrow.. It's as simple as that for me. Slightly old-school. Maybe, but that's what I like. I have a nice phone which takes truly excellent pictures. I consider it indispensable and a joy - whenever I'm just not prepared to carry camera.
Team camera. But, sometimes I onlyhave my phone. So, that is what I use, … but mostly just to capture a ‘record shot,’ a quick, best I could do under the circumstances shot, where I don’t care about an over processed jpeg/HEIF or RAW file with the inherent phone sensor limitations.
I use my phone when it is a photo where getting it right the first time is more important than getting a good looking shot (e.g. back lit shots, shots of kids/pets moving around or even just big groups that's hard to wrangle, super wide) but will take my camera out if I have the time to actually think about the shot and adjust for the lighting, framing. Phone for function, camera for art.
I much prefer a camera. The over sharpened is often really terrible. I do like the computational aspect for sure. Snapping a photo at night and getting something usable is always great, compared to when it takes 1-2 minutes to set up my camera and tripod. In some cases it might be the only option as well depending on outside variables.
I'm team camera but I still get some amazing images from my phone. I love the experience of using a camera... especially the lack of notifications! My phone is a Sony b/c it gives the most camera-like experience for any phone on the market imo. It's a bit like watching a movie on your laptop vs. a proper tv, they're both fine but one is easier to be immersed in the experience.
Larger sensors are better but the smaller sensors have also gotten better over time. Plus with newer noise reduction programs you can take some really good images. Within the same generation of cameras the larger the sensor will be better. But sometimes small sensors can be better for some special jobs.
It's like comparing a multi-tool to a proper wrench or screwdriver. The multi-tool is certainly capable of getting some small jobs done and has the advantage of being small and portable, but it's not able to replace the toolbox once things get a little more serious.
A phone is fine when you are in a situation where you won't have a camera on hand or can't carry a camera but need a quick shot. I started with point and shoot film cameras then used my dads film bridge camera in the 90s before getting my first digital cameras in around 2004-2005. I started with a crappy Medion camera, then a Vivitar 4345, Samsung Digimax L85, moved to Canon and used their DSLRs for years until I bought a Panasonic GH4 in 2016 and have been only using Panasonic cameras since. I have a GH5 I bought new in 2017, owned and used a GH6 and now have an S5II. While I find smartphones useful in situations where you can't bring a normal camera or just want a quick shot as it is with you all the time where a camera probably wouldn't be, I much prefer an actual camera for many reasons, many you mentioned. Cameras are designed to be ergonomic and feel more comfortable and stable to hold. I have found it is far easier to handhold cameras and take photos and video than trying to do the same thing holding a thin rectangle shaped phone. You are also stuck with the lenses (and lens attachments) on Smartphones. With cameras, you have a large range of native lenses to choose from and you can adapt 3rd party and vintage lenses. I shoot wildlife photos sometimes and macro and its far better for me using my actual cameras with the right long telephoto lens or macro lens as I then know I can get the shot which will be better than a smartphones fixed lens which probably can't even get me as close to the subject as I often need at a distance. I don't want potential distractions from the phone like getting notifications, phone calls, texts or having to use apps while using it to take photos and videos, I just want to get on with doing it and not have those issues to think about. I don't like how artificial phone photos can look. With in camera processing they can come out over sharpened as you mentioned, have potential artifacts or the colours might look too vibrant etc... If I wanted looks like that, I can just take RAW photos with my cameras and edit the unprocessed RAW images and I'll alter it however I like to get the look I want, I don't want to have it done for me in a camera.
Since getting my iPhone 15 Pro - my first iPhone with a very good camera system - I've discovered it make a useful second camera. For instance, I was in Budapest recently and I stuck my 55-200mm lens on to my trusty EOS M5 when we visited the zoo. I was able to get up close to the glass for small animals and insects with the iPhone that I just couldn't with a telephoto attached. Likewise, with the 18-55mm "walkaround" lens attached when wandering the city, sometimes it wasn't wide enough, but the iPhone was.
Team Camera for sure cause of the OVF/EVF. But if i dont have a camera on me, I use ProCam on my iphone so I have full control over the camera and shoot in raw.
Team camera…but I do use my phone a lot, simply because it’s almost always accessible and fast! I still prefer to use a camera when I want to get the best photos or video (video on iPhone quite good however and likely meet most needs for me). For zooming in…absolutely a camera!
It’s all about optics, I have a Blackmagic pocket cinema camera that replicates 16mm film, but I can shoot raw onto a drive using a iPhone but it all comes down to optics.
Down here in the Southwestern USA the strong bright sun makes it hard for me to use a rear screen on a good camera or a phone screen for composing. Viewfinders only. Depending on the assignment and conditions, I will often grab one of my trusty DSLRs. My 76 year old eyes appreciate it.
Post processing software and AI on a phone can be a curse as well: For instance, my Motorola Edge 40 will distort human faces that are in the background, especially in low light. This phone has an f1.4 aperture, it is not even that hard to get an out of focus background with it (at least with close up images). So it takes very nice low light photos. But it still needs to post process images to look decent. When I was in Sopot, Poland I made some photos on the pier there at night. It looked so nice and the photos looked so good on the phone. But when I viewed them on my computer and zoomed in on human faces, they looked like some sort of possessed humans. That's where you can clearly see the limits of what AI or post processing on a phone can do. Software only "squeezes out" the last bit of "image quality" and cannot do wonders either. Also the post processing is so aggressive with colors that the photos always look way off (greens and reds). I have changed some settings so that effect ain't so strong, but still the photos are far from what a flagship phone can do. So a mid-range phone will not be equipped with the best camera. Keep that in mind. If you want a phone with a very good camera, expect to pay more than 1000 bucks for it. And then you still have a camera that is being outperformed by a compact camera with an 1-inch sensor (if you are not having one of the very few phones that also have a 1-inch sensor). You could also get a mid-range phone for 400-500 bucks with more focus on other good aspects than the camera and get a very portable and compact digital camera (like a Lumix LX15). Because I focused too much on the camera quality for a 400€-phone, I got a phone that I am not happy with in the end, because it lacks quality in other aspects like performance and software. Nowadays I rather want a good phone, that does not feel sluggish to use, has no software issues, that has a decent battery life with a good software support and I do not care that much about its camera quality anymore. I got the compact camera, which also fits in the pocket. I can take it with me, without the intend to shoot photos, but with the intend to take it out when I see an interesting composition in my everyday life. That is what I used the phone for before that. For planned photoshooting sessions, walking around deliberately with a camera etc. I want to get an Olympus OM-D EM-1 II. I had a Sony A6000 before, which I was not happy with. I bought the Lumix LX15 as a transitional solution, but also for spontaneously deciding to take pictures. A replacement for the smartphone camera when I am in public. Then I instantly sold my Sony with the intetion in mind to buy a more decent DSLM camera. With me being just a hobbyist and not wanting something that is an overkill, because money is also a factor, I have discarded the idea to get a full frame or a new APS-C beast of a camera (like the EOS R7). Instead I came to the conclusion that a decent used MFT camera might be the best compromise between not needing to spend too much money and having a decent camera. The Lumix LX 15 will then be my secondary, more portable, camera.
For me the benefits of using a phone are (a) the speed with which I can go from taking it out my pocket to photo taken, and (b) it's discrete - most people don't pay attention to someone holding a phone whereas they would a phone. If neither of those matter, my GM1 is my everyday carry and gives so much more easy control over composition than the phone camera can.
I'm team both. While very convinient, the iPhone 15 Pro Max renders small details poorly (this is most noticeable when taking street photos at a distance even with the 5x lens at noon). I still take pictures/videos in 4K DAILY with my phone, but I much rather use a separate camera that I bring with me most of the time while traveling.
I am fortunate to have Xperia 1 VI and RX100 VII. The phone takes really nice pictures, realistic, not oversharpened or oversaturated. Exactly opposite to iPhones or Samsungs. Great macro, waterproofing, faster adjustments of settings on a touch screen and being invisible on the street are main advantages but RX100 offers way better image quality in every situation. To be fair, good light makes the gap slightly smaller. Between those two it is convinence vs fun (if we forget about quality).
I find smartphones frustrating and annoying for, well, everything.They certainly get in my way when I'm thinking about the picture. So my setup is a flip phone, a daily carry, and a DSLR outfit. The phone does have a camera, but I'd get better results from a potato print. The daily carry is a Sony A6000 with the smaller 16-50mm kit lens; I bought it for £250 from a mate and it's small and light. One thing the phone and this camera have in common is that they can be put into action quite quickly. The main outfit is Pentax. If you are not familiar with this brand, they are solidly made so not the lightest DSLRs you can buy; I love 'em but if I'm not going out just to take photos the Sony sits unobtrusively in the shoulder bag; I don't have to look after it. By the way, I don't have a M4/3 camera, but I still like your videos.
My main photography interest is wildlife, and so there's no real comparison for me, and I can't really imagine there ever will be. You can't take a good, sharp, clear picture of a bird 100 meters away with a phone, you need a LOT of glass to get there. I suppose, at some point, you might see a phone that can connect to large lenses, but it might mean having a mount that would add so much size and bulk to the phone that it would lose the pocketable convenience that draws people to phones in the first place.
don't get me wrong, i don't hate phone photograph buat Phone always look so artificial, compared to more natural look that you can customize however you want on most modern camera. that said, i still prefer old point and shoot jpeg only digicam rather than phone. i love photo that comes from those japanese phone like sharp or sony, they can produce beautiful image but it still look heavy processed and artificial
I actually dont consider the computational features on phones a plus, they tend to give that "phone look" to pictures. I do consider my phone as an assist in photography. For bulky film cameras that don't have a photometer I can compose my shot to check if it's worth it, and use a lightmeter app I'd I consider the shot is worth it.
Even with the newest smartphones, they still tend to take pictures that look as though shot through thick glass. Sure, they get bumped up automatically in post, but often there’s just something off about colours and detail. A camera also wins in ergonomics. Physical controls beat touchscreens every time.
Hello Emily, I'm in agree with your analysis at least at 90%. I just have a different experience on how "people perceive" phones and Cameras. Here in Italy you can take pictures with phone in the street and remain totally invisible, while happen exactly the opposite with the camera. With a camera others see you like an alien! Shooting at a street, or aso in a park, may happen that someone come to you asking "why did you photograph me?" even if the pictur was made at the entire street/parc/green field.
There is the same discussion in music production. "Why don't you simply use software-synthesizers via plugin on your PC"? Because real ones, even if totally compatible, have a totally different feel. You have actual buttons, you have a relation to the equipment, a display (and buttons!) that is always in your sight without having to open the special dialogue for that synth, and so on.
I've used "proper" cameras for over 50 years - starting out working for a portrait photography studio. Since then, I've used all manner of cameras, as well as currently running a photography website. Recently I sold all my cameras apart from a Fuji bridgecamera. I've purchased a new generation smartphone as my primary camera as I am totally sick of carting around heavy cameras and extra lenses. Where I live, when out in public I get seriously eyeballed if I have a camera and a bigish lens on it - conversely a smartphone is discreet and goes unnoticed. As I approach 70, I don't need to be burdened with a bag full of gear, when a smartphone and when necessary, a small gimbal is all I need. For anything else I can use the bridgecamera. No more gear bag and other extras. I think we have to move past the idea that only a real camera can take a real photo. We no longer live in that world any longer and it's time to recognize that the smartphone is an excellent camera in its own way.
Ι never bother taking images via my phone unless it's a "gotta keep that moment" situation and nothing else. That said I have no issues with anyone thinking otherwise. But I could never connect with my phone; it just doesn't feel right in my hand. And the image quality on most phones is just crap, my 2005 compact Olympus takes (much) better images than my 2023 android. Sure ...I could get an iphone! And spend 1500$ in order to get images no better than a pocket-size 2008 1/2,5" sensor camera that can now be found for 30$. So, no thanks. Not for me. Had I had the spare money I'd choose to get something really useful to add on my photography kit.
I use my iPhone 12 mini a lot. For work mainly. But I have some “real” photos also. Good for landscape in good light. Good for video. Obviously not for long telephoto work or shallow DOF portraits. I won’t ever carry a camera for in-case. But when I have pre-meditated plans, then I get the camera. If your phone photos look artificial it’s probably not a good phone camera
100 percent. I am team camera, but only because I've made attempts to ditch it all and go phone only, even spending on the latest Samsung flagship only to be greatly disappointed with trying to push or pull the RAW files and the limitations posed by the device.
I think convenience would be the biggest thing for why most would prefer a smartphone over a camera. I think though that some, not all, that advocate for such probably either don't understand or aren't really interested in photography as such, but they just want a camera with them for those special moments.
My preferred ‘pocketable’ camera is the Fuji X100-series. People enjoy to be photographed by it and I enjoy mastering all exposure. However, it’s not always in my pocket and then I am allways happy with my phone. Or when I have both and I want to make a more wide-angled photograph ‘because the church doesn’t fit into my Fuji..’
I'm team camera. I can't stand taking photos with my phone. It is just uncomfortable to hold after a few minutes. The only time I use my phone for photos is when I'm at the furniture store for example and I'm taking notes of what I might want to buy in the future. Or if there is just a random snapshot I want to take. This is why when I upgraded phones, I didn't get the pro model since I felt like the boost in price just for an extra lens and a few other features were just not worth it.
Hi, I enjoyed your vlog! A phone is a decent everyday camera. I find that the camera captures a lot more detail and there are different shots and things that are not captured in a phone camera. The pictures are bigger and more detailed in a photo taken with a camera compared to a phone camera.
Great discussion and presentation! I see smart phones as the modern day replacement for the old disposable film cameras, and as such they are many times better. I also think that more photos are better - whatever the source. For what they have to work with, modern smart phones are very impressive and if that's all you have, then use it. BUT, they are not, and can not be equivalent to, much less superior, to a dedicated camera as a creative device for all the reasons you so well expressed. Phones will get some people to take photos that they would never take otherwise, but others will start with a phone and want more and better, and move on to a dedicated camera. We are seeing that now in the incredible demand growth for old P&S cameras, and instant print cameras. I do take some exception to your discussion of sensor size ratios between FF, MFT, and phones. I think it's pretty well understood that the benefits of lager sensors (or the limitations of smaller ones) are not linear. Somewhere between the MFT and FF size seems the be the sweet spot for the most cost/benefit for today's use cases. If you keep doubling sensor sizes above FF you won't get a doubling of IQ. Conversely, as sensors go down to the size in smart phones the issues with reduced dynamic range, image noise, etc. grow disproportionally larger. And lastly, I also wouldn't discount the incorporation of about any kind of computational technology into dedicated cameras. Not that many years ago few would have predicted in-camera focus stacking, HDR, LiveND, or LiveGND. The future direction of technology is very hard to predict, but over all it always seems to go further than we can ever imagine at any one point in time.
Yes, phones can be an everyday alternative to cameras for the casual person. But just as with cameras in lenses, you should look out for the best phone camera. And I have observed that, especially with the built-in app, phone cameras got worse over the years.
Even if I have to choose between compact camera with sensor as small as 1/2.5" sensor and a phone, I still prefer that compact camera even if there is no real advantage. I still think phone is not a device I supposed to take photo with, an it's not feel nice in hand at all when using phone for taking photo other than emergency or errand photo. Whenever I have only smartphone and I didn't take camera with me I don't feel like I want to take any photo at all, maybe only just 4-5 snapshots if I happened to be at where I don't really have a chance there again or an one off event, if that's not the case I will just pretty much sit around and might bring my camera there next time if I really want to take photo of that place. They will never be the same no matter what, smartphone is at best a pocket computer, its camera is just one coupled function that's good to have and sometime necessary but it doesn't make phone a camera and never can be. Any characteristic of how phone camera work is also a contributing factor of why I thought like this but the main reason is just I feel like "Why?" when I have to use phone for taking photo without enough reason to do.
I shot m 4/3 and have since the OMD MK 1. It’s my main system for wildlife and outdoors. I shoot a Sony a74 for video and some photos if I know it will be a challenge on M 4/3 For many years my main walkabout was a Sony rx100 VI However recently I have got rid of it. I use just the iPhone 16 pro. The reason is it’s good enough. Sometimes the limitations increase your creativity. Mucking around with different lenses etc for myself can stifle my ability to see a shot. That’s the main reason I dropped the rx100. It was for the limitations. I do have tools like topaz labs photo Ai to make an image bigger reduce noise and increase sharpness if I need to do so.
I am a grumpy old person and for some reason I just cannot get on with a smartphone for photos. I am not saying they are bad or anything like that nor is it the technology that is a problem - I just don't like using it for photography. Obviously there are times when I do but I prefer the feel and sound of a camera - it just works for me. Having said all that I think it is a case of use what works for you - it is the joy of taking the image that counts - at least for me
Well... why not use both? I have a gx9 with 25mm 1.4. Im contemplating whether to get a wide angle zoom or a telephoto zoom. My phone, oneplus 12, can take really good pictures given it's below 85mm. I might just save money (can only afford one lens anyways) and get myself a telephoto zoom.
The fact that there are discussions nowadays on which is better explains why phone is winning for the majority. Ask the same question ten years ago and there wouldn't be any doubt which is better. But for the minority, including me (team mft camera) which just have converted from team phone this year, it's about which device captures memories the best. Try to capture someone's potrait with 42.5 mm (85mm FF equivalent) lens compared to '3x phone optical zoom' which has similar FOV, or taking photos of fast moving kids / sports in low light situation with fast prime/zoom lens compared to smartphone. How about real bokeh vs fake one? More importantly for me though is the fun of creativity processes that involves by using camera. The technical aspect of shooting manual, which combination of shutter speed, aperture, and iso that is best for particular scene. It stimulates my old brain. The art aspect of it, shooting below eye level, rule of thirds, leading lines, layers, frame in frame, patterns, negative space, complementary colors, and so on, that somehow has never been in my mind when I was using my phone. I knew about it a little (rule of thirds especially), but having a real camera makes me want to learn more for a first time. And the last aspect is the fun of editing. I shoot only in raw and use Lightroom Classic, because without it, it won't be a fair fight vs computational photography in smartphone. Both capture memories, but for me, camera captures them better.
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So that is not an easy answer. I consider a dedicated camera to be flat out better... but there is something to the old saying: the best camera is the camera you have.
Team camera.
It's also that digital detox, when you're with your camera and go roaming the streets or forests or parks, that provides a feeling that a smartphone can't.
Team camera. It's so much easier to change your settings and achieve the look you want with a camera and you can be sure of the quality of the lens you add onto your camera.
When you started talking about multiple lenses and computational features on your phone I had a laugh, because my phone doesn't. I do though use my phone a lot for photography lately. To light mushrooms so I can take nice photos with my camera 😁 Definitely team camera!
Just bought a well used cheap looking D90 and 35 1.8 g lense for this same reasons, there's only so much one can do with a Smartphone, very handy for assembly and disassembly of components as a reference, interesting article, cheers Mike
For me, smartphone photos are like fast food in terms of convenience and quality (and the taste designed to please as many as possible with low quality ingredients). I only recently came back to digital cameras after a decade of phone-exclusive life, and already regret the past as if I've been only eating McDonalds the whole time.
That's a really good analogy!
Exactly. Would a fine dinner be the same if you ate it standing at a table in McDonalds?
Of course. Did you take pictures with your camera jpeg only? No? Most of the time, it's a raw, and you're processing your raw files. Out of camera jpeg is just boring. Did you try to shoot raw with your phone? No? The results are going to surprise you. Quality is good enough for most of the street photography - and it doesn't look over processed.
Do you know that samsung has computational ND filters up to 1000, and it works with raw?
Do you know that samsung has dedicated astrophotography mode thar works with raw, and results are close to the m43 (of course with a tripod)?
There was a time period when the camera gave you an instant benefit. If you invested in a camera, you are a photographer. This time is gone. Now, you can either create content or not. No one cares about your camera.
But if you are good with a smartphone, most probably you are going to be even better with a camera (if it's better than your phone). Things are more complicated now.
@@igorpust6400 I shoot RAW+JPEG all the time and find that many of my shots look great in JPEG and require very little in the way of post processing which works as well on a JPEG image as a RAW one. I'm an Olympus/OM System user, and they have a long reputation for beautiful JPEG images, but the JPEGs out of some cameras are not as pleasing to some users which is why some only shoot in RAW. I think is your point about smart phones - that their RAW files have more potential for post processing. Possibly, but by the nature of RAW images, they don't include all of the computational tricks smart phones use to make very usable JPEGs, and I wonder just how much additional work it would take in post - and how many would have those skills - to even duplicate the phone's JPEG engine output, much less improve on it. I think it would be a great to see a video about shooting the same challenging subjects on a phone and a MFT or larger sensor camera and then seeing just what could be done with either in post.
@@igorpust6400Yeah but camera users don't care that others don't care. It's the personal satisfaction you get and if others notice great.. For many a phone is good enough and don't care about ergonomics, manual physical controls, etc. That's just fine for them.
I guess the key takeaway is a good photographer can pretty much take a good photo with any camera. But for me, I’m Team Camera. Creative optical control, lenses, depth of field and yes, image quality are what I need. Sensor size, not so much. Because I’m also team MFT.
You tell them Marlene!
Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
With a dedicated camera you simply have much more possibilities to play around, try different stuff. That's also how you will learn photography better.
Using a dedicated DSLM/DSLR also improved how I take smartphone photos, because only then I got a better understanding/idea of composition etc.
Team phone: the Xiaomi 14 Ultra have an 1" sensor...
Team câmera: a G80/85 with a zoom and a prime cost less then half...
Both teams: lets take pictures🎉
PS, I'm team CÂMERA. Great video
The phone camera is like a blender, microwave and airfryer. Dedicated camera with manual controls is like a knife, frying pan and stove top. Would Gordon Ramsey make better food than me in all scenarios? Most definitely. Would I make better food with the "manual" setup? Equally definitely.
The biggest disadvantage besides the ones you mentioned about smartphone photography to me is the artificial look of a smartphone photo. I have yet to discover a smartphone where that's not the case, even when you shoot raw. Smartphones are always implementing some sort of computational photography that tries to enhance edges (achieving the opposite though). You'll often get away with it when viewed on a phone but on the big screen it looks like soup.
I find that too. I wonder if i either need a better phone, or all phone photos are like that and they're just designed to look good on a screen at a small size on social media
i think the main issues causing the "artificial" look are the fact that there's so much noise due to the typically smaller sensor, there is really a much lower level of detail than would be acceptable in most cases (so you have to try hard to compensate with processing), plus the fact that main phone lenses are almost always like ~4mm focal length and shorter, which means even at f/1.8 (many phone camera lenses are here) it keeps everything in focus in almost all situations, including the far away things with even lower amounts of detailed captured than the close-up subjects... doesn't help that adding more megapixels in a sensor so small doesn't help unless they work in tandem at a lower effective megapixel resolution to basically "subsample". and overall because the parts are so small it's way more difficult to get the parts like the lenses to be built with such high quality as with larger pieces of glass (as i've generally seen, the smaller the lens, the worse the image quality tends to become)
@@MicroFourNerds you need an Android phone with a big sensor (bigger than 1/1.5") that allows the camera2 API (so, no Samsung) and a good camera app that works with the camera2 API. There are some cameras apps that are simple, with full manual controls, like ProShot, ProCamX, FirstLight or Pixtica, and deliver raw image. There are free apps but the user interface is horrible (HedgeCam2 and OpenCamera). Even more, there is an app called MotionCam that allows you to fine tuning the raw (yeah, any raw have some processing even in pro mirrorless cameras).
Some warning:
- The raw in some phones have a tint that messes with the skin tones. In my basic Oppo is a green tint, in my midrange Xiaomi is a magenta tint only in low light. It depends on the sensor.
- Most smartphone sensors deliver only 10bit raw, so not too much latitude, few of them deliver 12bit and only a pair of them deliver truly 14bit. That's for speed, the phone need light raw to process the HDR and other computational things and stack several shots in 10bit is far lighter and enough for smartphone standards.
The latest generation of phones all have amazing image quality on the main sensors.
@@nicholaseales well... that's what they always say but... have you tested it yourself and viewed the pics on a monitor?
Smartphone manufacturers seem to not realize that having shadows is a good thing. They don't always have to be boosted into oblivion.
Also I just really dislike the feel of shooting on a phone, it's awkward and using any manual controls is just irritating. I can change all settings on my cameras without even looking at controls, I can have my eye at the viewfinder the whole time and change whatever I need. Also forget shooting waist level, ground level, or above your head with any accuracy.
Am I glad I have my phone to take quick snapshots and capture my daughter on a daily basis? Of course. But I don't have any pics that go in nice albums or on my wall that came from a phone. There's no comparison in quality, intention, and feel.
Smartphone image processing makes everything look so strange...
This is why I user older iPhones and iPods as cameras. The iPhone 4S and iPod Touch 5th gen (both 5mp) dont over-sharpen and HDR everything to death. They are cheap, small and light compared to modern smartphones and make a great alternative to a "digicam". I know the 3GS has been very popular over the last year for its old school "retro" vibe. They have gotten a bit too pricey though.
200MP on my phone sucks compared to 61MP on a Sony A7R IVa I haven't compared to my GH7 yet with a 25-50mm f/1.7 🤔
I wield both. GX85 with a prime or telephoto or for long exposures, and my Pixel 6 for ultrawide and Night Sight.
Hi! For myself, as someone who wants to take up photography only as a fun hobby and way to document my life and have a little creative outlet, the biggest deterrent to buying a camera was the cost when I already had a phone in my pocket at all times that can take decent photographs. But for so many of the reasons you mentioned: the tactile experience, being able to photograph without the distractions of a phone, having more creative freedom and control with different lenses, etc. I went did buy a camera and I am so glad I did. After watching so many of your videos I went ahead and bought myself a small old micro four thirds camera on ebay for cheap and I am having just an absoltue joy of a time with this new hobby. Thanks for all of the time and thought you put in to your videos:)
I did the same thing about 5 years ago, and I am very happy I did. They are great cameras and easy to carry around and easy to use. Team lumix.😂
Even 15 year old point n shoots look better than my iPhone photos. Also just the experience of using the camera is much more fun than using a smart phone. Team camera here all the way.
I specifically bought a camera to take a deeper breath, focus more on the process of taking a photo. Its a hobby to me and having no distractions makes it more fun to me.
Besides that, even if i do things perfectly my phone sometimes makes images look like pants. The colours are all over the place sometimes and the main lens is wahaaay too wide i think.
What a thorough discussion and I flatter myself that I would have said the same things. To me the computational photography on a phone is astounding in what it does to overcome the small sensor limitations. However the phone is an ergonomic nightmare as a camera and I make an image with it despite the device not because of it. And it is missing a mechanical shutter which, with a camera on a quiet day, gives a quiet little echo in my mind back to the 19th century.
Years ago I got a Sony Xperia SP and I've always loved how it have a dedicated shutter button with a proper and tactile half-press to focus function. The phone's sensor and performance itself is nothing to write home about, but that shutter button was the gateway into my love for tactile controls; I predictably carry a Fuji camera now paired with a manual focus lens.
Well I use both, phone and cameras, depending on the moment, the type of photo I'm taking, or the need to shoot very quickly. But I prefer using the camera. I'm an old school photographer: I did learn with a film SLR in my hands, hence using a camera is to me the "natural way" of taking photos.
The best camera is the camera you always have around. For most of the time that would be my phone. But shooting with my phone, though I get some decent shots feels joyless. It's like owning an EV. It gets the job done bringing me back and forth but I do miss driving a manual internal combustion car. It's about how it feels. How tactile something can be and how that communicates with you.
A dedicated camera is a joy to use. I recently got a used GX85 because of this channel and I found the love for photography again. No need to swipe menus to change setting when I can turn dials and click buttons. The sound of the mechanical shutter does the same joy for me as the start of our old gas car.
the main two reasons for me is that
1- i am very slow if i am not using tactile buttons. despite being a gen y (1987) and using smartphones since they are invented, i am very slow making the adjustments on touch screen, thus i generally miss the moment when i use touch screen controls.
2- i need an OVF or EVF to be able compose properly, i also have a little sony digicam i use a lot, and i still sometimes use my phone to shoot but results are composionally horrible in general so i only use them to snap every photos which i take to document things rather than artsy photos.
I specifically purchased the phone I have because of the camera. However, I rarely use it. The ergonomics suck. Only the main sensor is any good, but too wide most of the time, and the RAWs aren't really RAW. Accessories might help, but would I carry them with me? Moreover companies that make accessories dont realize Android phones exist.
I’m a full frame user with the largest digital photography camera, the canon 1dx. Sometimes I use my phone in emergency situations where I need a wider field of view. The images on the phone just feel too digital, especially if I view them on a larger screen. Phone pictures suffer from lack of dynamic range and over sharpening. I tried shooting raw on phone. For the love of god don’t do that. Just use the default app with auto settings. Phones use software trickery for a reason to increase dynamic range and resolution. A single raw exposure that is edited still looks inferior to a jpeg using the native app with auto settings.
M43 is the sweet spot of you want something compact and still have good files.
The specific thing that keeps me going back to cameras is the loss of low contrast environmental detail on phones. Here in BC that often means distant forests on mountainsides just falling apart into gray-green smears that suggest trees, but aren't really.
And that's before you get into the world of lenses - lens choice, lens character and what they bring to the image.
Nevertheless, I have my bases covered with my phone, Panasonic G9 and a Canon 5D classic for scratching the occasional full frame itch.
Love my iPhone. Love my X100. Love my 50R. Soooo yeah, tiny sensor, APSC and medium format digital.
Thanks. Just at the right time too
Very fair and balanced take. Nice.
Having said that, I feel that phone pics start to breakdown in terms of realism once you start zooming them. I rarely get a genuinely good image in a phone that is not somehow computerized/artificial/forced.
The answer is simple. Proportions and final quality of the images, colors, textures, depth of field. I use my phone for “emergency photos”
An important thing that never seems to come up on the Phone vs Camera debate (though it plays into ergonomics) is safety straps. Cameras by default have them. Whether its a neck strap, a side sling or even a wrist strap there is something between you and dropping your camera 40 feet onto a rocky outcropping, into a river or a lake, or preventing your photo device from being the Gorrila's favorite new toy at the local Zoo. I know of a few daring photographers who take off straps of all kinds because they annoy them. I am not one of them.
I've dropped my phone so many times from just casual use. I don't need to be even more prone to drop it while gripping it in a manner its not normally gripped in order to get a better more stable photo. Give me a grip for my fingers, and a strap over my wrist, chest or neck. Those are my requirements on Team Camera.
I have the opposite experience: People get suspicious/defensive of you while brandishing a dedicated camera(exactly because they recognise you as a photographer, you must have some ulteriror motive or be some sort of pervert, i've had people demand of me to "delete the photo of their child" while i was pointing the camera in a different direction and upwards, and didn't even take the shot cuz they walked into it), and not even bat an eye if someone just stops to take a phone picture.
Depending on where you live there should be no expectation of privacy in a public place. It's a coin toss between them being unrealistic and how you present yourself and your professional image. I have laminated sheets with important stuff highlighted. I've been threatened for flying my drone and my response is I'm licensed and insured and to speak with me after my commissioned flight. If they refuse and cause an accident with the aircraft (yes a drone is considered an aircraft) it is a felony and I will press charges they will be arrested. I tell them to look at the laminated sheets and call the police department and wait for them. They have always walked away from me after that and left me alone. Be aware of your surroundings and laws and you should be fine.
The situation is pretty fluid. About fifteen years ago, people were very paranoid about photography in places like the UK, and you would have retail establishments with signs - not always very prominent - forbidding photography. Fast forward into the age of mass idiocy, however, and those same establishments not only tolerate people waving their phones around, but they have actually constructed dedicated spots encouraging picture-taking and sharing on "the socials".
Agree completely - I know several people with cameras who have been challenged in that way, quite often by security guys who usually haven't a clue about the law, and also Brian James , "That M43 guy" on UA-cam was verbally abused by a young girl because he unintentionally caught her in his photo - quite scary and as several people commented, unlikely to have happened if he'd been using a phone. Perhaps if we find ourselves in that situation using a camera, we should take it as a kind of back handed compliment.
Team camera, also micro 4/3. I like the size and it's fun to carry around. Great vacation camera, and it's just nice to have a little control over your pictures.❤
To me, in my personal opinion, using a phone to take a picture feels soulless. It's like driving a Tesla instead of a manual transmission classic car. I like using a camera for the full experience of taking a picture
@@BobbiRae-p7q I think much of that 'souless' feeling is not hearing and feeling the vibration from a physical shutter. With an electronic shutter it feels more like you just captured a still frame from video rather than a photograph. Which is why I'm not a fan of electronic only shutters.
Your videos are always interesting. Thank you!
My Pixel 9 pro will never replace my good old Gx9 with the 12-32.
Phone camera app apply a treatment even to RAW files, I've had to use a 3rd party app to get the true RAW data from the sensor.
Phone image quality depends on the sensor you are using, with a dedicated camera, you get the same quality from wide to zoomed focal length, true color temperature and tint control.
Which app did you use to get the true raw data?
I've had several phones that captured really nice images (either SOOC or using a GCam mod), but only two of them were good to shoot with: the LG G3 and the LG G4. The G4 had a brilliant RAW shooting mode where you had very quick and easy access to manual focus, shutter speed and white balance, and both were quick and responsive, so were great for discreet street photography.
Later phones had more processing power and made use of computational photography to take quite impressive low light, astro and fake shallow dof portraits that might fool you for a moment. This was great, but none of them were nice to use. You just didn't really have real control.
You are so right in saying it's the little things that make a difference. It's the lovely buttons and dials, the tilting screen, the viewfinder, the weight and heft of the camera body. Then there's the proper lenses! Last but not least: no distractions!
So it's a no from me to those commenters. Why would I just use my phone when I can use a little MFT powerhouse instead? I'd rather enjoy the excellent balance of small size, good image quality, great handling and complete control that my MFT camera gives me, but thanks anyway.
This is such a good video and I'm SO glad to have seen this just now. I started getting into photography over the last 4 years exclusively on smartphones (Pixel 4a then 6a) and have learned a ton about editing and not so humbly lol think I've made some pretty great images. I've been a very vocal proponent and firm believer in mobile photography yet all this time I'm still nagged by the desire for a "real" camera, but money is a real issue. Not only does this video let me feel better about remaining with my device until I can comfortably afford the equipment, it really does clarify exactly why I should or should not upgrade. This helps immensely to stop the nagging feeling because now I have a much better understanding of exactly what I'm missing or not missing. It seems like a small thing but it's seriously helpful. Thank you so much.
Oh also I'm really appreciating that I'm finding more and more info like this that's showing me that I don't necessarily need to spend an ENTIRE months rent to get started with a dedicated camera.
i got myself an lx100 to take on trips and family stuff and the like, because of a few things - it doesn't oversharpen and blowout the shadows in my photos, the pictures have depth to them rather than the "everything is in focus" look, i can use the evf which makes it feel way more intentional, and it's absolutely beautiful to look at itself.
i will always take my camera if my intention is to take "nice" pictures.
Can't stress enough how much i love your content!!!!!
Well said, Em. I find myself in team both. I don't find taking pics with my phone an enjoyable feat, but it gets things done and works best on certain occasions (like when documenting my daughter's first step or taking a group photo on a casual hang out with friends). But when I go travelling, I always carry my Fujifilm camera to get the images I know I want.
That being said, it still blows my mind to find that people are still arguing camera vs smartphone. Just use whatever tool that works best for you and have a great day, people 😁
I'm team camera when I have one with me, otherwise I'm team phone. And video is photography as well, you didn't discuss which one is better for video. Great video, thanks for sharing.
One thing no one talks about is viewing the screen. My eyes are at an age where even with multifocal lenses I cannot readily go from the viewfinders to the screen. If I’m out shooting I’m wearing glasses for mid-distance viewing so cameras that have no viewfinder are challenging to use as I can’t comfortably hold them far enough away to see what the screen . This means putting a lot of faith in the AF to get what I want (talking to you S9). However I can adjust the diopter on a viewfinder to accommodate the glasses I’m wearing. Phones do have a larger more useable screen but it is a device designed for arms-length use and I’m not convinced that camera manufactures really consider this aspect of the camera system (looking at you Olympus). A smaller screen with small fonts and complex icons is not a great user experience.
Or as a certain commercial has taught me: why not both? I got my m43 camera that i use to take higher quality pics and where i try to think about composition and stuff like that. On the other hand, I use my phone for the more silly stuff like funny street signs and such. In some cases it´s easier to quicky get out my phone and take a pic in 1 second and in other cases it works better with a camera to take some times to get the composition and things like that right. If you can´t pick between 2 choice, always go for the 3th one 😊
Great Video Em… Yes, I do prefer a dedicated small camera for edc photography too :) I am however looking to get into a bit more smartphone photography in 2025 - There is this thing called the “G-Grip” invented by the photographer Greg Williams - that is a Bluetooth shutter that clips onto your phone & it looks very interesting! - But yeah, nothing will replace an actual camera 📷 :)
Yep, always have a "real camera" in my pocket, or in a small bag (in the summer when it is too hot). Try taking a photo directly over your head with a phone. Or from your feet. Also taking pictures of anything fast moving. Thanks.
Team Camera, all the way. I hate the ergonomics of a smartphone for photography.
I'll happily agree with you.......... a camera is the best option for photography.
Just grabbing my "camera" that has no optical zoom, can't simultaneously use the screen and best lens to take holiday selfies with the family, can't flip up the screen for low angle shots so have to get into the dirt, has no tactile controls to get ready for shots while powered down, really wants ideal lighting to maintain quality, can't quickly swap batteries out for 100% charge but rather needs a power bank plugged in, probably can't swap in more storage when full, has no custom modes to quickly get settings dialed in for a sudden shot of the pets being silly, has to be updated every year because it was loaded with bloat to artificially shorten the product lifecycle, won't stop pinging me with doom scroll ad seeking or work notifications while I'm out and about, and for a reasonable quality one I've shelled out as much or more than any compact camera that comes packed with better dedicated features and usually a larger sensor.
I can watch UA-cam on it though. Absolute lemon. 🤦
If you're trying to use your phone like a camera
Just get a camera. Because i don't really see my phone as anything but a computer with a camera on it. It's pretty okay as a camera but pretty good at literally anything else you use it for like a computer
Good video. A great photo not only captures the soul of the subject. It has a little of the soul of the photographer.
Even the best phones are sterile, have a lot of Ai and artificial processing and lack soul. They are amazing but I think we could learn a lot from the pictorialist area of Photography. The art of the photo is not the resolution or sharpness in the end. It's the FEELING that the image you creates has.
I generally reserve my phone for snapshots and documentary purposes. I occasionally do that with my camera too, but I'm wayyyyy more likely to seek out a composition and be deliberate with my decisions when I have my camera in my hand. I just never feel the urge to do all that with my phone.
Maybe that's why I take my camera everywhere.
About time someone did a video like this. My opinion is you can become an expert in one or the other. I use both and know they both can do far more.
I'm team both - which, in my case, currently means a three-year-old Samsung smartphone or up-to-date Sony full-frame mirrorless equipment. I find your content so compelling, Emily, that I watch it even though I have never shot Micro Four Thirds, though I have shot some digital compacts and Canon APS-C DSLRs in the past.
There is no substitute for a camera in challenging conditions, which in my photography might mean shooting moving subjects, low-light and night photography, shots with high dynamic range, shooting from moving vehicles, and creative use of flash. I agree that the ergonomics of a camera are better too - I hate trying to compose on a touch screen and almost always use my electronic viewfinder rather than my display.
However, the key advantage of a smartphone is that it is always with you. At least my phone has a mode where I can control aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Phone RAW files are noisy and a bit rubbish as you note, but at least they are an option. That said, any attempt at the kind of post-processing workflow that I use for my mirrorless shots typically results in disappointment when I realise how poor the signal-to-noise ratio and the dynamic range of the phone shots are.
I don't always want to carry a full-frame body and one or more large lenses around with me. My main bag is full of full-frame f/2.8 zooms which are immensely capable lenses on a modern body, but not exactly renowned for portability. Occasionally, I might limit myself to one body and an f/4 zoom, but that is still not that compact. This is partly why I am interested in your channel; I might eventually add a "tiny camera" to my equipment as an everyday carry option that is less compromised than a phone. The big advantages of a phone are that it is always with you, and you can take photos on a phone in places where cameras are banned or are impolite (I would never pull out a full-frame camera in a restaurant unless I was shooting the event for someone).
I am really not interested in computational photography being done for me; I stack images for focus, dynamic range or compositional reasons, also I will use AI denoising, sharpening and generative techniques when appropriate, but I want to be in control.
As you note, a lot depends on what you want from photography. If you have modest photography skills, want to hand much of the work over to the device you are using, and do not intend to do much retouching, then a phone is an ideal tool, especially if you are shooting to share on social media. If you want to take control of the process and shoot in situations where a phone cannot deliver the output you desire then a camera is the better tool. I am no photography snob; if a modern smartphone camera does all that you need, then that is the correct tool for the job.
A very smart, enjoyable high-level view. I use three formats: iPhone 15 Pro is stupendous for Apple ProRes RAW song video clips. The APS-C Canon R50 gives insane portraits at 300/2.8 equivalent with the EF 70-200/2.8 L II. The Canon R6 is wonderful for theater events needing 1/500-plus in low light (Adobe's Denoise AI is crazy good). That said, Tyler Stalman's Peru iPhone 16 Pro video is super.
I have been without a camera for so many years, but working, life, kids, stopped me from going back to "photography" now I'm retired and one of the first things I did was..... buy a camera (G9) !! Said that I shot with my wife's phone for many years, if you know "Light-Subject-Composition" you can take some great pictures, if you learn tecniques I used to use on my Nikon F1 (breathing on your lens, panning, short movements and on and on) the phone can be great. I took some good "impressionist" photos and even some great Street. But beware, your brain will ALWAYS say: wish I had a camera for this, wish I had a tripod, wish I could put 3 seconds or "B" wish I had a decent zoom and on and on..
6:12 With a proper protective case, screen protector you can drop it hundreds of times and it will be fine. I went for Nillkin Camshield, to protect the lenses, it lasts 2 or 3 years, before the door opens on it's own.
But other cases exist.
Just love the feel and how I capture an image with a camera that I never get with the phone.
Completely agree about tiny cameras but… everyone (well pretty much) has their phone with them all the time.
You’ll never miss the potential fantastic picture :)
Just to add I generally carry my Pen F everywhere but ALWAYS have my phone!
I seldom carry my phone with me. I seldom receive phone calls. If someone wants to leave a message I’ll call them back when I return home. Where the phone is. I miss using a land line. A minority position.
Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
7:30 A battery bank is nice. I have iWalk Spartan Powerbank 13000mAh battery bank, I had it for years, it's heavy, but works. But the cable included is fragile, and the included compass doesn't work properly and cover for ports will fall off after few years. This year I got Upio Tricharge, for my Sony NP-FZ100 batteries. So I bring that instead now, unless I might need other batteries for my camera as camera battery is low and phone is low.
Team Camera. I do have a phone, but after a year of trial and mostly error i gave up and got myself a proper smol camera that takes some of my favorite photos so far.
Great content. Love your views on this subject.....Team camera for me...
A camera is for taking photographs. A smartphone is for taking snapshots.
I take better photos with a viewfinder - preferably optical - to my eye and the edge of the camera pressed to my eyebrow.. It's as simple as that for me.
Slightly old-school. Maybe, but that's what I like.
I have a nice phone which takes truly excellent pictures. I consider it indispensable and a joy - whenever I'm just not prepared to carry camera.
Team camera. But, sometimes I onlyhave my phone. So, that is what I use, … but mostly just to capture a ‘record shot,’ a quick, best I could do under the circumstances shot, where I don’t care about an over processed jpeg/HEIF or RAW file with the inherent phone sensor limitations.
I use my phone when it is a photo where getting it right the first time is more important than getting a good looking shot (e.g. back lit shots, shots of kids/pets moving around or even just big groups that's hard to wrangle, super wide) but will take my camera out if I have the time to actually think about the shot and adjust for the lighting, framing. Phone for function, camera for art.
I much prefer a camera. The over sharpened is often really terrible. I do like the computational aspect for sure. Snapping a photo at night and getting something usable is always great, compared to when it takes 1-2 minutes to set up my camera and tripod. In some cases it might be the only option as well depending on outside variables.
I'm Team Camera. It's the tactile experience for me, for sure.
I'm team camera but I still get some amazing images from my phone. I love the experience of using a camera... especially the lack of notifications! My phone is a Sony b/c it gives the most camera-like experience for any phone on the market imo. It's a bit like watching a movie on your laptop vs. a proper tv, they're both fine but one is easier to be immersed in the experience.
Larger sensors are better but the smaller sensors have also gotten better over time. Plus with newer noise reduction programs you can take some really good images. Within the same generation of cameras the larger the sensor will be better. But sometimes small sensors can be better for some special jobs.
It's like comparing a multi-tool to a proper wrench or screwdriver. The multi-tool is certainly capable of getting some small jobs done and has the advantage of being small and portable, but it's not able to replace the toolbox once things get a little more serious.
A phone is fine when you are in a situation where you won't have a camera on hand or can't carry a camera but need a quick shot. I started with point and shoot film cameras then used my dads film bridge camera in the 90s before getting my first digital cameras in around 2004-2005. I started with a crappy Medion camera, then a Vivitar 4345, Samsung Digimax L85, moved to Canon and used their DSLRs for years until I bought a Panasonic GH4 in 2016 and have been only using Panasonic cameras since. I have a GH5 I bought new in 2017, owned and used a GH6 and now have an S5II.
While I find smartphones useful in situations where you can't bring a normal camera or just want a quick shot as it is with you all the time where a camera probably wouldn't be, I much prefer an actual camera for many reasons, many you mentioned.
Cameras are designed to be ergonomic and feel more comfortable and stable to hold. I have found it is far easier to handhold cameras and take photos and video than trying to do the same thing holding a thin rectangle shaped phone. You are also stuck with the lenses (and lens attachments) on Smartphones. With cameras, you have a large range of native lenses to choose from and you can adapt 3rd party and vintage lenses.
I shoot wildlife photos sometimes and macro and its far better for me using my actual cameras with the right long telephoto lens or macro lens as I then know I can get the shot which will be better than a smartphones fixed lens which probably can't even get me as close to the subject as I often need at a distance.
I don't want potential distractions from the phone like getting notifications, phone calls, texts or having to use apps while using it to take photos and videos, I just want to get on with doing it and not have those issues to think about.
I don't like how artificial phone photos can look. With in camera processing they can come out over sharpened as you mentioned, have potential artifacts or the colours might look too vibrant etc... If I wanted looks like that, I can just take RAW photos with my cameras and edit the unprocessed RAW images and I'll alter it however I like to get the look I want, I don't want to have it done for me in a camera.
Since getting my iPhone 15 Pro - my first iPhone with a very good camera system - I've discovered it make a useful second camera. For instance, I was in Budapest recently and I stuck my 55-200mm lens on to my trusty EOS M5 when we visited the zoo. I was able to get up close to the glass for small animals and insects with the iPhone that I just couldn't with a telephoto attached. Likewise, with the 18-55mm "walkaround" lens attached when wandering the city, sometimes it wasn't wide enough, but the iPhone was.
Very well said!
Team Camera for sure cause of the OVF/EVF. But if i dont have a camera on me, I use ProCam on my iphone so I have full control over the camera and shoot in raw.
Team camera…but I do use my phone a lot, simply because it’s almost always accessible and fast! I still prefer to use a camera when I want to get the best photos or video (video on iPhone quite good however and likely meet most needs for me). For zooming in…absolutely a camera!
It’s all about optics, I have a Blackmagic pocket cinema camera that replicates 16mm film, but I can shoot raw onto a drive using a iPhone but it all comes down to optics.
Down here in the Southwestern USA the strong bright sun makes it hard for me to use a rear screen on a good camera or a phone screen for composing. Viewfinders only. Depending on the assignment and conditions, I will often grab one of my trusty DSLRs. My 76 year old eyes appreciate it.
what is that tiny tripod @ 0:40 ?
Post processing software and AI on a phone can be a curse as well: For instance, my Motorola Edge 40 will distort human faces that are in the background, especially in low light. This phone has an f1.4 aperture, it is not even that hard to get an out of focus background with it (at least with close up images). So it takes very nice low light photos. But it still needs to post process images to look decent. When I was in Sopot, Poland I made some photos on the pier there at night. It looked so nice and the photos looked so good on the phone. But when I viewed them on my computer and zoomed in on human faces, they looked like some sort of possessed humans. That's where you can clearly see the limits of what AI or post processing on a phone can do. Software only "squeezes out" the last bit of "image quality" and cannot do wonders either. Also the post processing is so aggressive with colors that the photos always look way off (greens and reds). I have changed some settings so that effect ain't so strong, but still the photos are far from what a flagship phone can do. So a mid-range phone will not be equipped with the best camera. Keep that in mind. If you want a phone with a very good camera, expect to pay more than 1000 bucks for it. And then you still have a camera that is being outperformed by a compact camera with an 1-inch sensor (if you are not having one of the very few phones that also have a 1-inch sensor). You could also get a mid-range phone for 400-500 bucks with more focus on other good aspects than the camera and get a very portable and compact digital camera (like a Lumix LX15). Because I focused too much on the camera quality for a 400€-phone, I got a phone that I am not happy with in the end, because it lacks quality in other aspects like performance and software. Nowadays I rather want a good phone, that does not feel sluggish to use, has no software issues, that has a decent battery life with a good software support and I do not care that much about its camera quality anymore. I got the compact camera, which also fits in the pocket. I can take it with me, without the intend to shoot photos, but with the intend to take it out when I see an interesting composition in my everyday life. That is what I used the phone for before that.
For planned photoshooting sessions, walking around deliberately with a camera etc. I want to get an Olympus OM-D EM-1 II. I had a Sony A6000 before, which I was not happy with. I bought the Lumix LX15 as a transitional solution, but also for spontaneously deciding to take pictures. A replacement for the smartphone camera when I am in public. Then I instantly sold my Sony with the intetion in mind to buy a more decent DSLM camera. With me being just a hobbyist and not wanting something that is an overkill, because money is also a factor, I have discarded the idea to get a full frame or a new APS-C beast of a camera (like the EOS R7). Instead I came to the conclusion that a decent used MFT camera might be the best compromise between not needing to spend too much money and having a decent camera. The Lumix LX 15 will then be my secondary, more portable, camera.
For me the benefits of using a phone are (a) the speed with which I can go from taking it out my pocket to photo taken, and (b) it's discrete - most people don't pay attention to someone holding a phone whereas they would a phone. If neither of those matter, my GM1 is my everyday carry and gives so much more easy control over composition than the phone camera can.
I'm team both. While very convinient, the iPhone 15 Pro Max renders small details poorly (this is most noticeable when taking street photos at a distance even with the 5x lens at noon). I still take pictures/videos in 4K DAILY with my phone, but I much rather use a separate camera that I bring with me most of the time while traveling.
I am fortunate to have Xperia 1 VI and RX100 VII. The phone takes really nice pictures, realistic, not oversharpened or oversaturated. Exactly opposite to iPhones or Samsungs. Great macro, waterproofing, faster adjustments of settings on a touch screen and being invisible on the street are main advantages but RX100 offers way better image quality in every situation. To be fair, good light makes the gap slightly smaller. Between those two it is convinence vs fun (if we forget about quality).
So true, great video
I find smartphones frustrating and annoying for, well, everything.They certainly get in my way when I'm thinking about the picture. So my setup is a flip phone, a daily carry, and a DSLR outfit. The phone does have a camera, but I'd get better results from a potato print. The daily carry is a Sony A6000 with the smaller 16-50mm kit lens; I bought it for £250 from a mate and it's small and light. One thing the phone and this camera have in common is that they can be put into action quite quickly.
The main outfit is Pentax. If you are not familiar with this brand, they are solidly made so not the lightest DSLRs you can buy; I love 'em but if I'm not going out just to take photos the Sony sits unobtrusively in the shoulder bag; I don't have to look after it.
By the way, I don't have a M4/3 camera, but I still like your videos.
My main photography interest is wildlife, and so there's no real comparison for me, and I can't really imagine there ever will be. You can't take a good, sharp, clear picture of a bird 100 meters away with a phone, you need a LOT of glass to get there. I suppose, at some point, you might see a phone that can connect to large lenses, but it might mean having a mount that would add so much size and bulk to the phone that it would lose the pocketable convenience that draws people to phones in the first place.
don't get me wrong, i don't hate phone photograph buat Phone always look so artificial, compared to more natural look that you can customize however you want on most modern camera. that said, i still prefer old point and shoot jpeg only digicam rather than phone.
i love photo that comes from those japanese phone like sharp or sony, they can produce beautiful image but it still look heavy processed and artificial
I actually dont consider the computational features on phones a plus, they tend to give that "phone look" to pictures. I do consider my phone as an assist in photography. For bulky film cameras that don't have a photometer I can compose my shot to check if it's worth it, and use a lightmeter app I'd I consider the shot is worth it.
Even with the newest smartphones, they still tend to take pictures that look as though shot through thick glass. Sure, they get bumped up automatically in post, but often there’s just something off about colours and detail.
A camera also wins in ergonomics. Physical controls beat touchscreens every time.
Hello Emily, I'm in agree with your analysis at least at 90%. I just have a different experience on how "people perceive" phones and Cameras. Here in Italy you can take pictures with phone in the street and remain totally invisible, while happen exactly the opposite with the camera. With a camera others see you like an alien! Shooting at a street, or aso in a park, may happen that someone come to you asking "why did you photograph me?" even if the pictur was made at the entire street/parc/green field.
There is the same discussion in music production. "Why don't you simply use software-synthesizers via plugin on your PC"? Because real ones, even if totally compatible, have a totally different feel. You have actual buttons, you have a relation to the equipment, a display (and buttons!) that is always in your sight without having to open the special dialogue for that synth, and so on.
I've used "proper" cameras for over 50 years - starting out working for a portrait photography studio. Since then, I've used all manner of cameras, as well as currently running a photography website. Recently I sold all my cameras apart from a Fuji bridgecamera.
I've purchased a new generation smartphone as my primary camera as I am totally sick of carting around heavy cameras and extra lenses. Where I live, when out in public I get seriously eyeballed if I have a camera and a bigish lens on it - conversely a smartphone is discreet and goes unnoticed. As I approach 70, I don't need to be burdened with a bag full of gear, when a smartphone and when necessary, a small gimbal is all I need. For anything else I can use the bridgecamera. No more gear bag and other extras. I think we have to move past the idea that only a real camera can take a real photo. We no longer live in that world any longer and it's time to recognize that the smartphone is an excellent camera in its own way.
Ι never bother taking images via my phone unless it's a "gotta keep that moment" situation and nothing else. That said I have no issues with anyone thinking otherwise. But I could never connect with my phone; it just doesn't feel right in my hand.
And the image quality on most phones is just crap, my 2005 compact Olympus takes (much) better images than my 2023 android.
Sure ...I could get an iphone! And spend 1500$ in order to get images no better than a pocket-size 2008 1/2,5" sensor camera that can now be found for 30$.
So, no thanks. Not for me. Had I had the spare money I'd choose to get something really useful to add on my photography kit.
I use my iPhone 12 mini a lot. For work mainly. But I have some “real” photos also. Good for landscape in good light. Good for video. Obviously not for long telephoto work or shallow DOF portraits. I won’t ever carry a camera for in-case. But when I have pre-meditated plans, then I get the camera. If your phone photos look artificial it’s probably not a good phone camera
100 percent. I am team camera, but only because I've made attempts to ditch it all and go phone only, even spending on the latest Samsung flagship only to be greatly disappointed with trying to push or pull the RAW files and the limitations posed by the device.
Team Camera (no surprise there). There is little enjoyment for me in phone photography.
I think convenience would be the biggest thing for why most would prefer a smartphone over a camera. I think though that some, not all, that advocate for such probably either don't understand or aren't really interested in photography as such, but they just want a camera with them for those special moments.
My preferred ‘pocketable’ camera is the Fuji X100-series. People enjoy to be photographed by it and I enjoy mastering all exposure. However, it’s not always in my pocket and then I am allways happy with my phone. Or when I have both and I want to make a more wide-angled photograph ‘because the church doesn’t fit into my Fuji..’
I'm team camera. I can't stand taking photos with my phone. It is just uncomfortable to hold after a few minutes. The only time I use my phone for photos is when I'm at the furniture store for example and I'm taking notes of what I might want to buy in the future. Or if there is just a random snapshot I want to take. This is why when I upgraded phones, I didn't get the pro model since I felt like the boost in price just for an extra lens and a few other features were just not worth it.
Hi, I enjoyed your vlog! A phone is a decent everyday camera. I find that the camera captures a lot more detail and there are different shots and things that are not captured in a phone camera. The pictures are bigger and more detailed in a photo taken with a camera compared to a phone camera.
Great discussion and presentation! I see smart phones as the modern day replacement for the old disposable film cameras, and as such they are many times better. I also think that more photos are better - whatever the source. For what they have to work with, modern smart phones are very impressive and if that's all you have, then use it. BUT, they are not, and can not be equivalent to, much less superior, to a dedicated camera as a creative device for all the reasons you so well expressed. Phones will get some people to take photos that they would never take otherwise, but others will start with a phone and want more and better, and move on to a dedicated camera. We are seeing that now in the incredible demand growth for old P&S cameras, and instant print cameras.
I do take some exception to your discussion of sensor size ratios between FF, MFT, and phones. I think it's pretty well understood that the benefits of lager sensors (or the limitations of smaller ones) are not linear. Somewhere between the MFT and FF size seems the be the sweet spot for the most cost/benefit for today's use cases. If you keep doubling sensor sizes above FF you won't get a doubling of IQ. Conversely, as sensors go down to the size in smart phones the issues with reduced dynamic range, image noise, etc. grow disproportionally larger.
And lastly, I also wouldn't discount the incorporation of about any kind of computational technology into dedicated cameras. Not that many years ago few would have predicted in-camera focus stacking, HDR, LiveND, or LiveGND. The future direction of technology is very hard to predict, but over all it always seems to go further than we can ever imagine at any one point in time.
Yes, phones can be an everyday alternative to cameras for the casual person. But just as with cameras in lenses, you should look out for the best phone camera. And I have observed that, especially with the built-in app, phone cameras got worse over the years.
Even if I have to choose between compact camera with sensor as small as 1/2.5" sensor and a phone, I still prefer that compact camera even if there is no real advantage.
I still think phone is not a device I supposed to take photo with, an it's not feel nice in hand at all when using phone for taking photo other than emergency or errand photo. Whenever I have only smartphone and I didn't take camera with me I don't feel like I want to take any photo at all, maybe only just 4-5 snapshots if I happened to be at where I don't really have a chance there again or an one off event, if that's not the case I will just pretty much sit around and might bring my camera there next time if I really want to take photo of that place.
They will never be the same no matter what, smartphone is at best a pocket computer, its camera is just one coupled function that's good to have and sometime necessary but it doesn't make phone a camera and never can be. Any characteristic of how phone camera work is also a contributing factor of why I thought like this but the main reason is just I feel like "Why?" when I have to use phone for taking photo without enough reason to do.
I shot m 4/3 and have since the OMD MK 1. It’s my main system for wildlife and outdoors.
I shoot a Sony a74 for video and some photos if I know it will be a challenge on M 4/3
For many years my main walkabout was a Sony rx100 VI
However recently I have got rid of it. I use just the iPhone 16 pro. The reason is it’s good enough. Sometimes the limitations increase your creativity. Mucking around with different lenses etc for myself can stifle my ability to see a shot. That’s the main reason I dropped the rx100. It was for the limitations. I do have tools like topaz labs photo Ai to make an image bigger reduce noise and increase sharpness if I need to do so.
I love the channel name!
I am a grumpy old person and for some reason I just cannot get on with a smartphone for photos. I am not saying they are bad or anything like that nor is it the technology that is a problem - I just don't like using it for photography. Obviously there are times when I do but I prefer the feel and sound of a camera - it just works for me. Having said all that I think it is a case of use what works for you - it is the joy of taking the image that counts - at least for me
Well... why not use both?
I have a gx9 with 25mm 1.4. Im contemplating whether to get a wide angle zoom or a telephoto zoom.
My phone, oneplus 12, can take really good pictures given it's below 85mm.
I might just save money (can only afford one lens anyways) and get myself a telephoto zoom.
I find myself using both a lot these days too :)
The thing about phones is that processed look, especially phones that dont have a proper manual mode.
The fact that there are discussions nowadays on which is better explains why phone is winning for the majority. Ask the same question ten years ago and there wouldn't be any doubt which is better. But for the minority, including me (team mft camera) which just have converted from team phone this year, it's about which device captures memories the best. Try to capture someone's potrait with 42.5 mm (85mm FF equivalent) lens compared to '3x phone optical zoom' which has similar FOV, or taking photos of fast moving kids / sports in low light situation with fast prime/zoom lens compared to smartphone. How about real bokeh vs fake one? More importantly for me though is the fun of creativity processes that involves by using camera. The technical aspect of shooting manual, which combination of shutter speed, aperture, and iso that is best for particular scene. It stimulates my old brain. The art aspect of it, shooting below eye level, rule of thirds, leading lines, layers, frame in frame, patterns, negative space, complementary colors, and so on, that somehow has never been in my mind when I was using my phone. I knew about it a little (rule of thirds especially), but having a real camera makes me want to learn more for a first time. And the last aspect is the fun of editing. I shoot only in raw and use Lightroom Classic, because without it, it won't be a fair fight vs computational photography in smartphone. Both capture memories, but for me, camera captures them better.