Unless the ice was the brightness of the sun, it's possible to properly expose it. Somehow you missed properly exposing it if it came out blown. Tap to lock then drag down til it's not clipped. THEN take the photo with HDR to retrieve the darks.
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iPhone X Ditching my DSLR/Mirrorless and shooting strictly with the iPhone X? (HOBBYIST)
- Thread starter vengapat
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Unless the ice was the brightness of the sun, it's possible to properly expose it. Somehow you missed properly exposing it if it came out blown. Tap to lock then drag down til it's not clipped. THEN take the photo with HDR to retrieve the darks.
It actually is difficult, as you can see by the trees it was not extremely underexposed. Even on the Sony it was difficult to limit the clipping on the ice, which is why it’s a bit underexposed compared to the iPhone shot. HDR is great but it has its limits.
I looked back at the photos and I think macrumors really compresses the quality, looking at them both on my phone they look a lot better than seeing them posted here.
Yep. I wouldn't expect HDR to capture EVERYTHING in the frame, just if anything's gonna clip, let it be the blacks. Nobody complains about clipped blacks near as much as they might about a big white blob of sky or ice. Just keep darkening 'til you get that highlight detail.
Also semi-related, I wonder how much using RAW in Halide would help with recovering whites vs. HEIF from the stock Camera app.
I would never ever replace my dslr Nikon and the 50mm on it with a phone camera! Come on! it's not even comparable! Just upload the phone photos on your computer and compare with dslr ones, not even close, if one knows how to shoot with a dslr. I also shoot Raw and edit on lightroom. I have to have that kind of control with my photos, and phone cameras how awesome they may seem to be, does not give that kind of control
Your subject line says "HOBBYIST". Almost by definition your interests are beyond what any cell phone can provide. Sure they take OK pictures, very good at times even, but the dedicated cameras give you more wheels and dials to turn to explore your hobby interests than a cell phone ever will. If you had phrased your question from the perspective of a casual user my thoughts my be different. But as a "hobbyist"? Yeah, no. A cell phone won't do.
How is he being a “funny guy”? Your Sony a7rii image is very flat and dark. The iPhone image while the ice is blown out some and lacks the long exposure (which by the way can also be done on an iPhone via Live Photo if you use a tripod) it overall is exposed better and actually has contrast.
As a photographer I would say the answer is it depends.
Can a high end camera take both better photos overall & photos you could never reproduce with a phone camera? Absolutely
Is the price & inconvenience of lugging around a high end camera & the resulting better photos worth it? That can only be answered individually but the fact that this is even a question shows how far phone cameras have come.
For me personally I (had) a Sony A7rii, a Sony RX100 V & an iPhone 6. Previously I would take the big Sony out for special occasions & memorable trips + anything low light & the RX100 for everything else. The RX100 is a hell of a camera for the size.
I replaced my iPhone 6 with the X. I sold the RX100.
Can a high end camera take both better photos overall & photos you could never reproduce with a phone camera? Absolutely
Is the price & inconvenience of lugging around a high end camera & the resulting better photos worth it? That can only be answered individually but the fact that this is even a question shows how far phone cameras have come.
For me personally I (had) a Sony A7rii, a Sony RX100 V & an iPhone 6. Previously I would take the big Sony out for special occasions & memorable trips + anything low light & the RX100 for everything else. The RX100 is a hell of a camera for the size.
I replaced my iPhone 6 with the X. I sold the RX100.
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Seriously thinking along these lines. I have an RX100 III that has been my go to camera for everything, even replacing a DSLR and a Sony NEX series. The RX100 is phenomenal for it's size and weight. With that said, I am seriously considering using the X as my close to only camera. I'll test this on my next vacation, mentioned in a previous thread.
I'm with you though. As I get older and travel even more, the thought of having once device that can do everything including some pretty damn good photography is very enticing.
Hmm I guess the quality of the image doesn’t get any points? The iPhone image is completely over sharpened, has blown out highlights and dark shadows, color is off, and overall looks pretty bad outside of just being a snapshot.
Did you look at this on a computer, or a phone?
I bought an RX100 I in 2011 and loved it. It died this spring and I fiinally replaced it with an RX100 IV just before I got the iPhone X. I spent a day taking comparison shots and decided to send the RX100 back. In good light the differences weren’t enough for me to be able to justify keeping the camera. I am not saying that the iPhone is as good as the camera (it’s not), but in good light I found myself preferring some of the iPhone photos over those taken by the camera. For me the optical zoom and portrait mode are game changers. I may get another small mirrorless camera in the future, but camera makers will have to up their computational game to stay competitive.
Gotta say the photographer who shot that same waterfall with the X as the Sony did a very poor job indeed. Terrible photography - almost like they purposely shot as bad as they could on the X.
This. True, creamy bokeh is still a unattainable on phones. If you’re serious about photography, there’s no replacing your dslr in image quality.
I guess it depends on what one is doing with the pictures. This year I took both my iPhone and my 3 year old Nikon DSLR with me to Bali. In the end I took most of the photos with the iphone to be able to share them with friends & family straight away and the big, heavy DSLR wasn't used very much.
I agree that in special scenarios the iphone camera isn't "pro" enough. But for me personally, flexibility and the option to share or send pictures right in the moment when I take them, is more important than the better picture quality. For me, time is over for making a huge picture-gallery after vacation to show to family. They already get the best shots via Whatsapp during the holidays.
In the meantime the DSLR is sold and I switched to an iphone 7 plus, for me this camera is good enough for everything I shoot as a non-professional and I have it every time needed.
I agree that in special scenarios the iphone camera isn't "pro" enough. But for me personally, flexibility and the option to share or send pictures right in the moment when I take them, is more important than the better picture quality. For me, time is over for making a huge picture-gallery after vacation to show to family. They already get the best shots via Whatsapp during the holidays.
In the meantime the DSLR is sold and I switched to an iphone 7 plus, for me this camera is good enough for everything I shoot as a non-professional and I have it every time needed.
lol what? I love how you quoted me yet wrote as if you were talking to someone else. What do you expect me to do differently on the iPhone? I composed the shot to get the most in the field of view as possible (I was as far back as I could go), I tapped to make sure focus was correct, and then snapped the photo while remaining still.
Here's another sample:
Sony a7R II:
iPhone X
I think what it shows is that you have a much better grasp of the Sony than the iPhone for photography
So enlighten me, looking at the photos I just posted as well, what would you have done differently? There's only so many settings you can tweak on the iPhone.
My point is the iPhone is great at snapshots and remembering moments, but if you have a DSLR/mirrorless camera and know how to use it, it's a far superior tool in every way to a smartphone.
I hope you don't mind but I spent like 20 seconds tweaking the Sony version. There is so much more you can get out of that image in post. The straight out of the camera shots almost always require a little bit of adjustment to pop.
No problem - not hating on ya here just making a point.
I would say you could modify your last quote to something like “...if you have a smartphone camera and know how to use it... you’ll get more than just casual snapshots”.
It’s a common practice to categorize photography by ‘gear’.
i.e. if you use a smart phone it isn’t ‘real photography’.
But if you use a dedicated camera (DSLR, mirrorless etc) then that legitimatizes someone as a ‘real photographer’.
The photo is the real end result - not how many megapixels it is, what lens it was shot with or what brand of camera.
Absolutely, dedicated cameras take fantastic shots and smartphone cameras are limited in what they can do. But those can limitations can be worked within.
Just in regard to the iPhone shot of the snow - the white areas seem quite blown out and have no detail. Obviously with the Sony you have a myriad of control of exposure and so forth, no to mention the sensor is super high-end to capture all that detail, but an iPhone is able to capture tonal details also. Even the standard Apple camera can be tweaked to capture detail but there are some great third party apps that allow for greater control of more traditional camera settings.
In addition apps like Snapseed offer excellent image editing on the phone that can correct and enhance images.
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Totally - and almost all great shots require at least a little tweak to get them to their best. Also applies to shots on iPhone. It depends how far you want to go. Is it a casual snapshot or a fine art landscape? You’ll adjust accordingly - or not as the case may be.
If you show a RAW shot from a Sony to someone they may think it looks awful and flat. But once you edit it it comes to life. Its possible to do the same with iPhone photos also. The ability to shoot RAW on the iPhone (via third party apps) allows for this type of editing (although with mixed results depending on the source). Even from the iPhone’s jpegs there is still vast amount of info you can extract and work with to produce an excellent result, providing the source is decent.
So let’s say you gave me your Sony to take the same shot - I may get a good one but probably nowhere as good as someone who knows how to use that camera. I’m not saying you don’t know how to use an iPhone camera, I mean its simple - anyone can do it. But what I’m saying is I may be able to put it through its paces for a more effective shot as that is the camera I use exclusively.
I don't mind at all, I really just wanted to show a comparison between a mirrorless camera and iPhone X. I know editing will make a huge improvement, but there are still drastic limitations on the iPhone X for dynamic range, low light performance, long exposures, focusing, focal length, aperture, etc. If you take advantage of what a pro-level camera can offer, you'll realize how limiting a smartphone as your only camera would be.
You can rule out sports photography, astrophotography, daytime long exposures, and especially anything that requires an ultrawide or telephoto lens.
A very balanced answer, which I appreciate.
I think too many photographers out there refuse to accept smartphone photography and will find any reason to argue against it. I find that narrow-minded. A DSLR does capture better images than a smartphone, but the gap is closing fast, and the smartphone is a legit camera with its own unique advantages. Just like some artists paint with oils and others with water colors. They are both artists. I prefer a world where an artist has a very wide range of tools to choose from, each with their own advantages, disadvantages, and styles, and they can try different things until they land on a set of tools and a shooting style that works best for them. And then when they get bored, they can change it up. This is a good thing.
I'm a hobbyiest photographer myself, and I will affirm that iPhone definitely takes great pictures but I will say a mirrorless camera, such as my Oly OMD EM5 is a much better for a number of reasons.
Here's why I choose to stick with my Oly
I have many options when it comes to optical zooms, The iPhone, not so much.
Sensor size plays into what I can do post production, I cannot crop my iphone images that much but certainly can do that with my Oly's
Low light performance, The camera is by far much better.
Control over the flash, want to bounce the flash off the ceiling no problem.
Manual controls, want to set the aperture, ISO or shutter speed
Raw images, which gives you all the image data, so as to work with a wider palette during post production
The iPhone is a nice camera, but for flexibility, power and options, it doesn't hold a candle to my Olympus.
Here's why I choose to stick with my Oly
I have many options when it comes to optical zooms, The iPhone, not so much.
Sensor size plays into what I can do post production, I cannot crop my iphone images that much but certainly can do that with my Oly's
Low light performance, The camera is by far much better.
Control over the flash, want to bounce the flash off the ceiling no problem.
Manual controls, want to set the aperture, ISO or shutter speed
Raw images, which gives you all the image data, so as to work with a wider palette during post production
The iPhone is a nice camera, but for flexibility, power and options, it doesn't hold a candle to my Olympus.
I sold all my professional equipment which did worth about 9k Euros, because of the iP6+ i had.
In the past I also earned money by taking photos, but today I don't do this anymore.
I admit it was a hard change for me, and my heart bleeded.
I sold it mainly because I got me not wanting to take the DSLR with me anymore, carrying heavy gear with 4-6 lenses just sucks.
In addition to that, I often wanted to change lenses etc., and usually people around me did not like to wait till I finished changing it, and doing the adjustments(bored facial expressions).
Of course a DSLR does better photos, has more features, better low light conditions due to the lens/sensor physics, no question. If you mainly earn money by taking photos, and really love taking pictures(regardless of the camera weight), get a or keep your DSLR and more importantly the "great lenses".
But I also see a lot of people using DSLRs with only one(1) el'cheapo Zoom lens.
Sorry, but thats not what a DSLR was made for.
If you are that kind of person, use the iPhone, or buy some Point&Shoot camera for less money than a DSLR.
An iPhone is inferior to a DSLR, but for my today requirements and photo usage scenarios, its the best camera I ever had. Because the best camera is always the one you have with you.
Here and there, I find scenarios where I think "ohh a DSLR+great lens would master this much better", but then I also think "Buying DSLR again and carry +/-5kg just because of a single photo? No way!"
Better use "foot zoom", or take the photo as it shows up on the iPhone.
For a Amazonas, Around The World Trip, or Safari Africa Tour, I would temporary rent me a DSLR+Lenses.
But thats all, "buying" a DSLR does not worth for me anymore.
Cheers
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This slow shutter speed makes the water looks like milky/soap.
Sorry, I don't know what you're trying to achieve, but the DSLR photo doesn't look good.
Any Graphic Software with a Smudge Tool and Masking, does more or less the same.
There is no need to buy a expensive DSLR to shoot that.
And the photo shoot with the iPhone looks far better by the way.
In the past I also earned money by taking photos, but today I don't do this anymore.
I admit it was a hard change for me, and my heart bleeded.
I sold it mainly because I got me not wanting to take the DSLR with me anymore, carrying heavy gear with 4-6 lenses just sucks.
In addition to that, I often wanted to change lenses etc., and usually people around me did not like to wait till I finished changing it, and doing the adjustments(bored facial expressions).
Of course a DSLR does better photos, has more features, better low light conditions due to the lens/sensor physics, no question. If you mainly earn money by taking photos, and really love taking pictures(regardless of the camera weight), get a or keep your DSLR and more importantly the "great lenses".
But I also see a lot of people using DSLRs with only one(1) el'cheapo Zoom lens.
Sorry, but thats not what a DSLR was made for.
If you are that kind of person, use the iPhone, or buy some Point&Shoot camera for less money than a DSLR.An iPhone is inferior to a DSLR, but for my today requirements and photo usage scenarios, its the best camera I ever had. Because the best camera is always the one you have with you.
Here and there, I find scenarios where I think "ohh a DSLR+great lens would master this much better", but then I also think "Buying DSLR again and carry +/-5kg just because of a single photo? No way!"
Better use "foot zoom", or take the photo as it shows up on the iPhone.
For a Amazonas, Around The World Trip, or Safari Africa Tour, I would temporary rent me a DSLR+Lenses.
But thats all, "buying" a DSLR does not worth for me anymore.
Cheers
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This slow shutter speed makes the water looks like milky/soap.
Sorry, I don't know what you're trying to achieve, but the DSLR photo doesn't look good.
Any Graphic Software with a Smudge Tool and Masking, does more or less the same.
There is no need to buy a expensive DSLR to shoot that.
And the photo shoot with the iPhone looks far better by the way.
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Last trip I went on i travel with my Sony A6300 and Iphone 7+. I ended up just shooting with my iPhone more of the time. When I couldn't get the results I wanted i just grab the a6300. When i get the chance for another trip i will be doing the same thing. Maybe this time leaving my 18-35 sigma at home and just using the 18-105 G to lighten up what i have to carry.