Advantage of dedicated camera over phone cam?

[snberk103]

I think it comes down to a couple of factors...

There is no question that the point and shoot can take better pictures. Features like the optical zoom, better lenses, bigger sensor, real flash, etc can all make for better images.

Absolutely!

But there is also the convenience factor.
...
For on-the-go impromptu shooting, you can't beat your phone - it's the camera you have with you all the time (unless you take your point and shoot everywhere you go).
...

I guess I'm one of those backwards people... the phone spends 99% of it's time sitting in bowl in the study, and I carry a camera with me whenever I go out. I don't know I even know how to use the camera on my phone. But I live in rural area with spotty at best cell coverage, and we use the phone only on those occasions when we head into town. And remember to bring it. And have charged it.

To the OP - my apologies for being a bit snarky. Your question was ambiguous, and it really was the perfect starting point for a fair bit of humour. As miles01110 mentions above, knowing what kind of photos you wanted to take would have been good info.

A friend of mine just got back from NYC where he used his iPhone to take photos in various museums and galleries. You're not supposed to do this, so he pretended to be making phone calls while photographing. (Still got chased around several museums by security guards!)

In this case the phone camera is would seem to be clearly superior because using a point and shoot would be obvious to the guards. But in fact, many street photographers (see Doisneau as an example) were very good at shooting with the camera "on the hip". In the days before autofocus and autoexposure, yet.

Any way, good luck with your research. Keep in mind that there are several cameras that are not much bigger than a credit card, and therefore even more portable than an iPhone.

 

[bsamcash]

Taken with my iPhone

Is that a true DOF, or did you add it? Because if it's really from the iPhone, that's impressive.

 

[iBookG4user]

Is that a true DOF, or did you add it? Because if it's really from the iPhone, that's impressive.

That was a joke, it was actually taken with my dSLR

 

[spinnerlys]

That was a joke, it was actually taken with my dSLR

Are you kidding? I just sold my Leica S2 system and ordered the iPhone 4 to replace it. What am I going to do now? I hope Casio has some good cameras to offer.

 

[mdatwood]

I think it comes down to a couple of factors...

There is no question that the point and shoot can take better pictures. Features like the optical zoom, better lenses, bigger sensor, real flash, etc can all make for better images.

But there is also the convenience factor.

Do you take most of your pictures "on the go", where you have no advance planning, or do you take pictures more at planned events, like Birthdays, soccer games, graduations, etc?

For on-the-go impromptu shooting, you can't beat your phone - it's the camera you have with you all the time (unless you take your point and shoot everywhere you go).

For planned events, you can't beat the quality of the point and shoot. The Optical zoom can be especially valuable here, as can the real flash.

Ideally, I would say you need both. You use your camera phone when you don't have your point and shoot, and you use your point and shoot, when you specifically take it along to get better pictures.

Exactly. I have a DSLR and nice P&S and a cell phone camera. All get used at various times depending on the situation.

That was a joke, it was actually taken with my dSLR

I was going to ask because not only the DoF, but you also either had a serious zoom put on your iPhone or were standing right next to all the critters piled high.

 

[bsamcash]

That was a joke, it was actually taken with my dSLR

Wow. I guess I should've caught that. It's been a long day, so far. Haha.

 

[Flynnstone]

Sorry for the sarcasm, really I am a little bit, but the question was a little bit silly. On the other hand as a professional photographer, the fewer people with cameras the happier I am.

LOL

How can you take picture on Salt Spring. there's nothing to see
I was in the Vesuvious Pub a (long) while ago. I couldn't take a good picture if I wanted too




(Love that part of Canada) Happy Canada Day!

 

[snberk103]

LOL

How can you take picture on Salt Spring. there's nothing to see
I was in the Vesuvious Pub a (long) while ago. I couldn't take a good picture if I wanted too

(Love that part of Canada) Happy Canada Day!

It doesn't rain every day you know. Just last month we had a whole 2 days of sun. Almost. Really.

Sad to say, the Vesuvius Pub has been closed for a couple of years now. Too bad, we really liked it.

Happy Canada day right back at you, eh?

 

[senseless]

I got a chance to use the Iphone 4 camera today and did not like it. It's very awkward to hold steady and frame. Right; it's not like a real camera.

It's now between the Canon SD1400 and the Nikon Coolpix S8000. Thanks guys.

 

[snberk103]

Go to a good camera store, and hold the Canon and Nikon. I haven't read the reviews (though obviously you have) but I am sure they are both good cameras. Choose the one that feels "right" in your hands as you use it. Get the store's feedback too - especially on the kind of shots you see yourself taking.

I got a chance to use the Iphone 4 camera today and did not like it. It's very awkward to hold steady and frame. Right; it's not like a real camera.

[snarky] That's because its a phone and is designed to be held up to your ear. Strangely enough, a camera is designed to be held up to your face. You should try holding a camera up to your ear sometime and making a phone call.... [/snarky]

It's now between the Canon SD1400 and the Nikon Coolpix S8000. Thanks guys.

 

[RainForRent]

Camera Principles

The best camera is the one you have with you.

So yes, a DSLR will take better photos ALL.DAY.LONG.
But will you have it with you when your kid makes a silly face?
When a meteor crashes into the middle of the road during your commute?
No. The camera on the 3GS was pretty darn good, and the iPhone4 is even better. You want to do fine photography shots, then use a camera designed for it. But for 70% of photos taken, the very nice quality of a 5MP camera are more than sufficient.

Macworld does a great write-up comparing the iPhone4 camera to other cameraphones and one Sony P&S. Very respectable. I start to wonder if people hating on cameraphones haven't used the iPhone camera or have shaky hands.

http://www.macworld.com/article/152314/2010/06/iphonecameratests.html

I'd be more than happy to share some photos I've been complimented on that were taken with my 3GS.

 

[iBookG4user]

The best camera is the one you have with you.

So yes, a DSLR will take better photos ALL.DAY.LONG.
But will you have it with you when your kid makes a silly face?
When a meteor crashes into the middle of the road during your commute?
No. The camera on the 3GS was pretty darn good, and the iPhone4 is even better. You want to do fine photography shots, then use a camera designed for it. But for 70% of photos taken, the very nice quality of a 5MP camera are more than sufficient.

Macworld does a great write-up comparing the iPhone4 camera to other cameraphones and one Sony P&S. Very respectable. I start to wonder if people hating on cameraphones haven't used the iPhone camera or have shaky hands.

http://www.macworld.com/article/152314/2010/06/iphonecameratests.html

I'd be more than happy to share some photos I've been complimented on that were taken with my 3GS.

Well, I have a dSLR in my car ready to go with charged batteries and CF cards for those circumstances. And if I'm around the house, I don't carry my phone with me, so it would take me just as long to get the phone as my dSLR. It would seem that your argument would be invalid for my uses.

 

[mdatwood]

I got a chance to use the Iphone 4 camera today and did not like it. It's very awkward to hold steady and frame. Right; it's not like a real camera.

It's now between the Canon SD1400 and the Nikon Coolpix S8000. Thanks guys.

I've always found the Canons to be better P&S, but I'm a Nikon guy when it comes to my dSLR equipment.

I'm sure you can't really go wrong with either.

 

[MisterMe]

I've always found the Canons to be better P&S, but I'm a Nikon guy when it comes to my dSLR equipment.

I'm sure you can't really go wrong with either.

I love Canon. However, its digital cameras lack a feature that is a dealbreaker for me. Canon does not support USB Automount. USB Automount is the part of the USB specification that allows a device to mount as a storage volume on the Desktop. I have two $5 keychain cameras that support this feature. That Canon does not is baffling. To the best of my knowledge, Canon is the only major camera manufacturer that does not support USB Automount. Given the choice of Nikon with USB Automount and Canon without it, my choice of Nikon. However, Nikon and Canon are not your only options. Olympus makes some great P&S cameras.

 

[RainForRent]

Well, I have a dSLR in my car ready to go with charged batteries and CF cards for those circumstances. And if I'm around the house, I don't carry my phone with me, so it would take me just as long to get the phone as my dSLR. It would seem that your argument would be invalid for my uses.

No argument can apply to everyone. There are always exceptions. In this case, you are the exception. I, personally, would never leave a camera I spent a bunch of money on it my car. It gets too hot here in SC. My point was that most people bring a camera if they intend on shooting something, and leave it at home otherwise. The flip side of that is most people carry a phone all the time. Looks like you're the complete opposite.

 

[danpass]

Just get a Canon S90.

When its not on you the iPhone is an acceptable substitute.

 

[termina3]

.

 

[mdatwood]

To add a fuel to the fire. A photog friend of mine using his 3GS for pictures. Gizmodo did a whole article on it.

http://gizmodo.com/5580276/professional-fashion-shootwith-an-iphone-3gs

I've always like his pics and thought he was very talented, but what he managed to get out of the 3GS even surprised me

 

[jackerin]

To add a fuel to the fire. A photog friend of mine using his 3GS for pictures. Gizmodo did a whole article on it.

Saw that earlier. A bit amusing how he says it's not about having the best equipment, then uses lots of lighting to get the picture he wants.

 

[mdatwood]

Saw that earlier. A bit amusing how he says it's not about having the best equipment, then uses lots of lighting to get the picture he wants.

While that's true, at one point he's using a couple of spot lights from home depot that cost a total of $50. The light box diffusers and stuff are pretty easy to make on your own, and since no flash trigger was used hot lights are all that were needed.

The only light that would be hard to recreate on the cheap would be the strip light.