7 Reasons To Use a Smartphone Instead of a 'Real Camera'

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp! Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp therapy using this link: betterhelp.com/petapixel
Last month we gave you seven reason to use a real camera instead of a smartphone, and this episode we turn the tables! We brought an Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and a Canon EOS R5 out to discuss the times using a smartphone is the right choice!
Rental equipment provided by The Camera Store
www.thecamerastore.com
0:00 - Intro
2:22 - Unobtrusiveness
3:12 - Displays
3:51 - HDR Playback
4:50 - Connectivity
6:03 - Editing
7:09 - Shallow depth of field wide angle
8:13 - Video stabilization
9:07 - Conclusion

[@danielgordon5931]

The sports mode segment was amazing 🤣

[@beaubolieu]

Chris should definitely be running-Jordan looks pretty mad! 😂

[@yacko00]

Everyone complaining about poor smartphone photo quality must not have a flagship iPhone, Galaxy or Pixel. As a professional photographer with multiple cameras, too many lenses, light modifiers, I use my smartphone more and more due to speed and simplicity of edits for day to day stuff. For paid work, I’ll still use my pro gear.

[@EggTamago7]

Yeah, my 13 Pro Max shooting in ProRaw still manages to impress me. I snuck shots from it into paid work on a few occasions, and they fit in just fine alongside the shots from my a7iii. There were a few cases where it even had an edge in dynamic range.

[@yacko00]

@@EggTamago7 the hdr straight out of camera for smartphones is really good on my Galaxy 22 also and gives me an idea of what my camera edit might look like later!

[@ChaplainDMK]

I mean yes, but then the phones cost 1000-2000€. For context, you can get a Nikon Z5 + 28-75 2,8 lens brand new for that kind money. Hell, you can get a Z6 II plus 24-70 4,0 with the current discounts for 2000€. And that's ignoring going for less expensive but still good cameras. I dont think anyone is arguing MILCs or DSLRs are actually a daily camera, but if I go on a trip or go out photographing, and actually invest the time into learning the hobby, im not gonna really be spending that much more on a decent camera compared to buying a state of the art smartphone that will give you far less control over what you're doing.

[@yacko00]

@@ChaplainDMK dunno why they're so expensive where you're at, a Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus is ~$800 USD in the US and doubles as a phone, web browser, apps, editor, etc.

[@ChaplainDMK]

@@yacko00 Samsung's website - S23 is 1099$ for 128 gb, S23 Plus is 1399$ for 256 gb. Yeah I agree, a phone is a lot more versitile, but again - my argument is that if you're going to go for the best camera phones, you're going to be paying roughly what you're paying for a decent to even great MILC with a lens. Meanwhile basic smartphones that can handle pretty much every regular need for a smartphone will cost like 200-300$.

[@jeremytheoneofdestiny8691]

I have an SD card reader that plugs right into my phone. Biggest game changer for me. It’s super easy to get my camera photos onto my phone immediately and the transfer speed is much better than Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

[@christill]

I think that was a fair video. I don’t take pictures on my phone often, but if I’m going cycling and want to take a quick landscape shot then of course I’ll use my phone. People are driven to write angry comments because they fear the end of full size cameras and interchangeable lenses. Which is not going to happen by the way. Full size cameras are too enjoyable to handle and use that they’ll never be fully replaced. We see a similar thing now with the trend where zoomers are having fun with old digital and film point and shoot cameras.

[@arnisbrown5848]

Cycling is what got me into photography and video and we're finally approaching the point where it feels pointless to bring anything but a newer phone along. A decade ago I bought my first real camera because a phone felt too limited capturing the beauty of rides. Now an iPhone is waterproof, has a near 1" sensor at f/1.8, 13mm - 120mm optical lenses, GoPro-level stabilization, shoots RAW directly in Lightroom mobile, and has the ability to film in 4K ProRes LOG externally to an SD card with a full cinema camera feature loaded app. Just uncanny in retrospect.

[@mrcojocaru]

I haven't watched the full video yet, but I'm with you! I kind of stopped bringing my camera out over the last few years and I tried doing photography with my phone instead.. It just wasn't the same. You don't get the dynamic range, the contrast, the colors, and phones also distort things in a funny way. You can take a picture with phones, But it's very difficult to make art.

[@scriptablecat]

The biggest problem I have using my phone as a camera is distraction. I use photography as a way to disconnect for a bit. For everyday snapshots its great though.

[@blackbugmedia]

The wireless mics that plug into smartphones these days really make vlogging with smartphones sound a lot better. And now that iPhones have USBC port, it opens up more options without a dongle.

[@qbgabe12]

the one situation my phone constantly win over my "real camera" is scene required high dynamic range. Phone works just like magic and capture both area in one click.

[@itsacookie1]

I still don't understand why we don't have "real cameras" with full smartphone connectivity, hi-res oled screens, and computational photography... Have you seen how small a smartphone motherboard is? It's the size of a stick of gum, is 100% passively cooled and most likely has many multiple times more power than "real camera" processors...

[@veganpotterthevegan]

At minimum, Sony should have it. I get others not buying into the spendy r&d but Sony already has great cameras on phones

[@barneylaurance1865]

@@veganpotterthevegan Perhaps Sony is working on it. But I think it's not an easy problem to balance the flexibility people expect from a smartphone with the reliability people expect from a professional camera.

[@99Apit]

Its called marketing, when you have 10 technologies, you dont put everything into 1 product, instead release 1 technologies into 1 product every 2 or 3 years.

[@definingslawek4731]

Computational photography isn't desirable for professional results as proven by the 15 pro max, the massive update in image quality is a software switch turning off most of the computational features (apple log). I totally agree with you on screens though, cameras should have bright oled screens. Most mid to high end cameras are already decently high resolution in terms of pixel density but more wouldn't hurt.

[@barneylaurance1865]

​@@definingslawek4731Some computational photography is desirable. Post production on a computer is computational photography. OM cameras apparently do good in-camera focus stacking.

[@miked.5962]

Love the balanced review and recognition that these are tools that have a place in a photographers toolbox. Great job.

[@driftersky]

That Jordan picture is so stunning that I couldn't help but put a smile on my face! Also I like how you calmly run for your life with a big bear chasing after you out of a sudden! Great review!

[@veganpotterthevegan]

​@KC3VFL just like the people, Canada's bears are also a lot less violent than those in the US

[@xmeda]

A) Stealth shots taken with phone and LCD off B) Shots taken through fence or in tight spots where only mobile can fit C) I have nothing better close D) For some reason I need to send image ASAP (but wifi connected camera can do that too) My daily carry is Olympus XZ-2 if I have no more room for Olympus Stylus1s, Olympus M4/3 or Pentax DSLR :)

[@Retset]

For me it's the fact I always have a RAW capable device in my pocket (iPhone 14 Pro) and it can use computational photography to do stuff that feels like cheating in HDR scenes.

[@michaelbell75]

My iPhone 13 Pro destroys any of my cameras for anything like what he shows here at 4:48 Anything with complicated lighting scenes, the iPhone nails it. With a camera, you are either exposing for the highlights or shadows and hoping for the best.

[@AgnostosGnostos]

The raw o sony canon nikon APS-C mirrorless cameras is 14bit. The taw of panasonic olympous micro 4/3 cameras is 12bit. The raw of most medium frame camera hasselblat fujifilm is 16 bit. The raw of iPhones is just 10bit.

[@michaelbell75]

@@AgnostosGnostos so? No one will ever notice or care. Especially when they are looking at your photo that’s been compressed and resized to view on a 5 inch smartphone screen on your social media.

[@Cemi_Mhikku]

@@AgnostosGnostos Still looks the same. It's the exact reason 'pure' audio filetypes like ogg vorbis didn't take off in the '00s: People can't tell the difference, often even with very high end equipment to experience the media in question. It's a feelgood thing for those that are nerdy enough to care and nothing more quantifiable than that.

[@Retset]

@@AgnostosGnostos I also have a full frame Z6. I understand why a bigger sensor is better BUT the iPhone is always with me and I am stunned with what it can do with a piddling sensor, mainly by using computational photography. I tested it the other day with a shot into a low (by no means setting) sun. Photo turned out great for a click of a button. It would have been a tripod and 3 or 5 shot AEB on the Z6.

[@screenrebels]

Great video! I've been doing Street Photography with my iPhone 12 Pro Max and it's been a game changer, totally discreet, and giving me the shots that I think are impossible with a visible mirrorless.

[@stephaneg]

With the iPhone 15 Pro, it is the first time I am considering letting go of all my small cameras. Maybe not the Ricoh GR3, but the Sony RX100 definitely!

[@gordonbunker3272]

Thanks Chris, You touched on an important detail - the eye level viewfinder, the lack thereof on smart phones is the deal-breaker for me. Peering into a camera viewfinder is so much more immersive. It allows me to concentrate my attention on the task and begin visually editing, creating, the photo. The difference is huge, IMHO. Yeah, if someone came up with a USB plug in EVF for smart phones, I'd be all over it.

[@JR-xn4gl]

Thanks, this was extremely helpful.

[@Hello-yv5wq]

again thank you for not bashing smartphones just to attract more views / show that you are a professional with high standard (like most of the other camera channels) why don't everyone just enjoy the best of both worlds ? this is why I always love Chris and the other guy

[@kmbrco]

Great video! I get out to document our local parks and preserves, etc. on a regular basis. I probably use my phone camera half the time I'm out. The older (and less flexible) I get, a smartphone makes it easier to get some different angles on images. Bad knees make it difficult to get down low for some fun shots, and the smartphone definitely makes it more possible. That said, sometimes you want more control over an image and my camera and a prime lens are my go-to. There's plenty of room for both.

[@PhotoReactionVideos]

Fantastic episode as always! Thank you for your effort in putting this together 😊👍🏻🍺

[@NeonShores]

I remember when the Verge tried to tell people that the iphone 5 camera was good enough to replace a full frame DSLR. That was ridiculous then and a decade+ later the gap is still massive. I shoot everyday pics on my phone all the time but I always miss my real camera when faced with a photo opportunity I really care about.

[@potatorigs2155]

the gap is massive only to the eyes professional common mortal barely see the difference

[@NeonShores]

@@potatorigs2155 I actually don't think this is true. There's a reason professional photographers still get paid and still get traction on social media. The layman may not be able to express why they like a professional photo better than a phone photo but the draw to real photography is real.

[@curtisbme]

@@NeonShores I would attribute that far more to the artist than the tool. While yes, big cameras with big lenses are going to be the only option for things like animal photography content, other things that are great photos, especially ones that only need to be HQ at cell phone size screens, are far more about the effort and ability of the person taking them, not as much about the tool. Just happens to be that most folks with that ability to capture and edit to that degree are using big cams because that is how they have done it, not because they couldn't do the same thing for many types of shots with the cell phone.

[@Ed-bj5eq]

@@curtisbme right to the point 👏🏻

[@TimS-pg5pv]

@@NeonShores Agree in part and this is supporting the comment by @curtisbme. I'm an amateur who uses both a real camera and a smart phone. I'm wondering about images by a professional photographer but using a high end 2023 smart phone. The "professional" aspect may well be that the professional photographer has more technical and artistic (for want of a better word) expertise in composing, exposing and editing the images. We might see a difference with that of a more layperson's approach, but both using a smart phone.

[@MarkoKoskenoja]

Excellent observations in this video! My favorite combination for our daily hikes is my new Google Pixel 8 Pro along with my Lumix G9 w/100-400mm lens.

[@joggometer5393]

I'm disappointed by the pixel 8 Pro! The oversharpened, "oily", artificial over processed hdr look is even worse this year.

[@8372190]

Great video! What got. me into shooting only on my iPhone was the fact I don’t have to drag all these extra lenses, especially on a trip. There’s the bulk, the weight and the time it takes to change the lens if necessary. We all agree that taking THE photo is often a matter of seconds. I usually hold my phone muted in my left hand. If an opportunity presents itself, the phone is ON quite rapidly and I’m ready. Changing the lens is no big deal. This becomes more difficult with a Canon 5D Mark III (my last camera) and a 75-200mm lens ;-)

[@beerman204]

The smartphone industry marketing hype requires their cameras promote higher pixel counts and fancier editing tools while the very best quality natural color spectrum and not over sharpening is often left behind.

[@JohnPauloSalamat]

a wild jordan suddenly appears and chases chris really cracked me up. good job guys! really nice, informative and entertaining video.

[@petermcginty3636]

Thanks Jordan & Chris. Fun video.

[@mi_escritorio_geek]

"I believe that mirrorless cameras and smartphones have become ideal companions. It's not that one replaces the other, but rather that you can take advantage of each one's benefits and complement each other. That's my opinion."

[@MDMiller60]

Great video. You kinda have me thinking about any next cellphone having a better camera system. I wouldn't get an iPhone, so I would have to look at the others.

[@charlescarlson1290]

I think you pretty much nailed the conscience factors. Shooting with a full on camera is great, it’s bigger time commitment too!

[@EggTamago7]

I enjoyed these videos! This is a question I ask myself pretty often, and over time, the balance has pretty dramatically shifted towards using my smartphone (iPhone 13 Pro Max) over my mirrorless (Sony a7iii). When it was a case of “people are paying me money for these photos”, I obviously stuck with my mirrorless (though still threw in shots from my phone here and there when it could produce the better image). But, now that photography is thankfully firmly in hobby territory again, I use my phone for 95% of shots. I’ve gone on multiple trips without even bothering to pack the Sony, and I haven’t regretted it. The compact, “have it on me anyway” nature of my phone trumps the boost in control or image quality (which is frequently pretty minor in good light) my Sony offers. Being able to edit right on the phone also means I don’t need to pack a laptop to edit my photos. So, at this point, I treat the mirrorless as a tool to use when I want to achieve something very specific.

[@aviatorman80]

Computational photography is my #1 reason. Specifically the exposure blend to overcome the DR of the scene and produce a beautiful JPG straight out of camera.

[@mhouslay7281]

As ever , great video. Really enjoy watching it and the useful and thoughtful information. As smart phones have got better I use one more and more for photography and as one is with me all the time I don’t need to remember my camera. Now though I go out on definite camera dedicated trips so I enjoy photography more and more as a hobby and am more thoughtful about pictures. Even got me into IR and whole Spectrum photography. Thanks 🙏

[@onairmastering]

I have had so many cameras and getting into the groove of carrying it is exhausting. Switched to a Pro iPhone and now i'm snapping everything, worthy to say I have LOST all my cameras!! grrrrrr.

[@ToastandJam52]

Interesting video and I am inclined to agree. One benefit you don't mention is what I use the smartphone camera for when travelling is a backup. I will often retake a photo with my smartphone just in case something goes wrong with my mirrorless camera. OK, this is have never happened but who is to say that it won't?

[@Media-oq9ux]

That’s exactly what I do. I’ll sometimes use the wide angle just because I don’t have one with me because I’m only caring a zoom. 14pro max

[@alemontreal]

When will you do this format for action cam?

[@Poorgeniu5]

In my eye, I see my phone's camera (The Oneplus 6 for reference) as my Toyota Camry or 'an camera' for everyday. Its always there and gets the job done (sometimes impressive with help of photography skills)...... or when I ran out of film that one time. As for my dedicated cameras, my Canon EOS 70D & Olympus E-M5 are more like workhorse truck & weekend car to me respectively.

[@-grey]

There is a lot of talk about confidence in the street photography world, but not so much about intimidation. I generally find it's a bell curve. On one end you have massive interchangeable systems that make people feel like you're a pro pap going to expose them in a gossip magazine or billboard. On the other is the smart phone that makes people feel like you're going to expose them on social media, or add them to your dungeon wank shrine. The middle ground that people seem most comfortable with is the tourist looking compacts. You can snap away forever and raise no concerns, because you're just a tourist. This is why I caus less intimidatiom with a GR III than my phone.

[@andikunar7183]

I have a Z8,Z7ii and Zfc. Got my wife and me new phones and decided to sell the Zfc, Z7ii and all lenses in the wide to 70mm range. Because l completely agree, that the phone is better for us in the areas Chris mentioned (travel, landscape, convenience). My wife refuses to carry even a small camera like the Zfc, yet she improved her photographic skills with phones greatly, and now does very nice pictures (content, composition,…), definitely not recognizable as typical phone-snaps. But I will get myself a Zf with a nice MF 50 and use the 85, 135 and longer lenses, with it + the Z8, and also do quite different kinds of photography. People, fashion, sports and „slow-food-like-photography“. Things none of the phones can do well, and enjoying this difference.

[@alessandrozorzetto4125]

Nikon z8 with 135mm Plena lens plus iphone pro max=>v.13 and you have a top photography kit (oled smartphone also serves as a viewing screen and quick editing). It is then up to the user to choose the tool of use suited to the scene, composition, speed, subject, etc. etc...

[@dogusatasoy]

i'm ok with smartphone cameras but still cannot use them daily. Just to not miss a fast moment and save some paper documents as digital files. Reason behind that is they are still all too sharp, too saturated and have too much contrast and exposure is above than normal. None of them give you a proper experience. I've tried a mist filter (by putting it in front of the phone lenses) and phone made the photos weirdly sharper. There should be the option at some point. But they dont provide yet.

[@garreswe]

I've seen incredible results with smartphone cameras like the Oneplus Open so I've started to think that "real cameras" aren't needed anymore for wide shots, even in low light. When you want to shoot things that are further away it's different though, I don't think phones will ever beat a proper telephoto lens.

[@tmu3tube]

Surprisingly you left out two things I find personally very important. 1) Do can use the 2000-5000 euros/usd for something else if you don't by a new camera with three-four lenses for different situations. The phone is something you already have so zero extra cost to use it for photograhing. 2) You can move and live so much more easily and freely when you don't have to carry around a bag weighing 2-3 kilos with the extra lenses and hang the 1-2 kilo camera on your shoulder or neck. Phone weighing less than 200 grams fits nicely in your pocket and is with you always. When you add the excellent image quality with current phones, they has everything I need apart from a long telephoto. Low light quality and dynamic range with 50 megapixel Samsung Expert RAW images has never disappointed me. The long telephoto is just not worth it to justify buying a camera.

[@alessandrozorzetto4125]

Nikon z8 with 135mm Plena lens plus iphone pro max=>v.13 and you have a top photography kit (oled smartphone also serves as a viewing screen and quick editing). It is then up to the user to choose the tool of use suited to the scene, composition, speed, subject, etc. etc...

[@randydean23]

Okay, I know that I will sound anachronistic bur I sincerely don't enjoy the experience of shooting photos or videos on my smartphone. There have been times that I have tried to use the phone as a second camera and the way the damn phone renders colors and what it will default white balance to is never easy to color match with the rest of my footage and so on. I get that you guys are trying to be relevant and for gosh sakes you have to talk about phones in a positive light or else run the risk of alienating most of the new "photographers" out there and that wouldn't be good for your channel and podcast. I totally get it. But I would say that from the way smartphones have been iterating for the last few generations I believe we're starting to get to the limits of what computational photography can do to make up for a tiny sensor and lens. That's not to say they wont continue to be the camera of choice for most people , or that they won't continue their incremental evolution, but I am excited to see the types of ways the traditional camera companies continue to borrow tech from the phone brands and evolve it with serious imaging in mind_ assuming they survive economically. But just look at what Nikon did with that stacked sensor in the Z9.

[@matthewparriott]

Appreciate your focus on mental health (even if it was a sponsorship). Your words/thoughts/opinions matter about more than just gear.

[@davidfarr3591]

That handheld vlogging on the iPhone looked amazing. Easily good enough to run a channel on. And some people are already doing it. I know MKBHD does it on his car review channel, as does Doug DeMuro.

[@alexdubois6585]

A cool viewfinder is to plug NReal Air glasses, you can shoot low or high without any problem...

[@tetonicsheldor]

This was a great video with valid points. I still find myself preferring the selection of lenses, low light performance, stabilization, and large area to crop at social media usable resolutions (I have a bad shoulder and disability so holding cameras, I can be shaky) if my Nikon mirrorless. I loved this video though and definitely I see the arugment for both sides ❤

[@cuve_ae]

I've paired my 15 pro max with Moment T Series lenses and boi howdy have I been impressed. So far only my 58mm Tele & 18mm Wide angle have arrived and I am awaiting the 14mm Fisheye & 10x Macro to ship this coming week.

[@ThoSchoholic]

Thank you for this video! I was tired of carrying a DSLR. When it brock two years ago I bought a iPhone 13 pro max and went to Marrakesh. Pictures were ok, some very good others disappointing. For the next trip to California I took a Canon R5 and a RF 28 f2.8. Resolution, highlights and shadows are so much better. Especially on a big screen. The iPhone is still great as I'm having it always with me.

[@rekinxxxl]

I really dislike smartphones ability to shoot photos when you have strong light somewhere in front of the lens, due to no lens hood and not good enough coatings the loss of contrast tends to be huge.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

I use my hand as a hood which is something I've done with DSLRs when I had an inadequate hood

[@knofi7052]

To be honest, since I have got an S23 Ultra, I barely use my expensive camera gear anymore. As they say, the best camera is the one you can always have with you.😊

[@JackieDElia]

I love my Fuji cameras but agree there are a LOT of times where my iPhone 13 Pro comes in handy for taking shots or quick videos - especially on social media. I thought your comment Chris about convenience is currency makes a lot of sense.

[@Draconis8888]

Personal preference: I don't like the HDR look that a lot of phones put out. I do agree that there are times where the convenience of the phone is paramount. Thanks for the warning of when a wild Jordan may appear while vlogging 😂

[@shelwee]

The magic is back! The 'chase' in sports mode reveals the original formula for you guys. thank you

[@michaelbell75]

Now that we can shoot RAW photos And Apple ProRes LOG for video, it's getting really close to not even needing a dedicated camera for the majority of people. Ive been saying it for awhile, its only going to be a few years before your smartphone can completely replace a dedicated camera system IF you are only uploading to social media and you are not shooting something super demanding like sports or wildlife. But at the rate Apple and Google are going, in a few years, you may even be able to shoot sports and wildlife very effectively on your smartphone. I shoot fashion portraits and have used my iPhone at least a handful of times and the client loved it because I could Airdrop the photos to them and they could edit and upload them to social media while still at the shoot. Great time to be alive.

[@marekfoto8285]

I 100% agree with everything you said in this video,and most importantly, thanks to my smartphone, I always have my camera with me in my pocket and I can take photos and videos at any time, which is impossible with a large camera.

[@Kapil_Thakar]

which camera u used to capture this video ?

[@prose4ever]

You guys and Jared Polin have nailed this topic pretty well.

[@jerrydean648]

For me photography is also about the process, I enjoy the process of using a camera over my smartphone.

[@thebiblioholic]

Your comment about an external viewfinder attachment for a phone made me think of the opposite. Given the size of a phone sensor and camera assembly, maybe the *camera* should be a small external attachment that swivels from the USB port, and the phone is the screen, storage, and computation engine...

[@sandeepmates]

You are right. On my trip to London before I could set my iso mobile took photos and everyone is adapted to it…on being alone you can request anyone for your photo ..easy 😂 very helpful

[@notalizardperson]

I have some opinions on this, but that is best summed up with the number of shots I make with each camera. Outside of a burst of activity when new gear is acquired, I went from something like 20,000 shots on my real cameras each year to just 1,500 once smartphone cameras became Good Enough to replace a P&S camera about a decade ago. Interestingly, I only shoot about 7,500 shots per year on the cell phone cameras, mostly because the cell phone cameras are a pain to use and the cycle time between shots is too long. Half the time I'm not even sure if I even made a shot on the smartphones, so chimping is a must. I think we're going about this all wrong. We should embed cell phones in the real cameras and have remote wireless displays that look like smartphones.

[@timbrosius]

You know what would be excellent is a camera that uses a phone as the screen and interface and every. Basically the camera is a usb-c adaptor with a sensor and a lens mount while the phone is the brain. The camera saves the raw images directly into the phone in real time but with the full benefits of a large format sensor and interchangeable lenses. I would easily spend a could thousand on this product…

[@brianmatiash]

A solid and well-balanced video comparing these two categories of cameras. One thing that I would have included as part of the lens section is the growing industry of aftermarket lenses built to take advantage of the larger sensors and improved optics of modern mobile phones. Instead of having to use the smaller sensors of the telephoto or UWA lenses, I can use these seriously impressive lenses on the main lens and still get 48-megapixel DNG files.

[@Risayogi]

I have Fujifilm and Sony cameras. Both are excellent cameras. But both apps are sucks for transferring photos and videos to smartphones, especially Sony Imaging Edge app. Sometimes they just can’t connect to the camera, even when they manage to, the file transfer is so slow, and can sometimes randomly failed in the middle of transfer process. That’s just frustrating, especially when I transfer videos for instant post in social media.

[@Mathewm1174]

Smart phones are practical, and always on you. But for someone who takes photography seriously as a hobby they are boring. There’s no art or skill to taking a snapshot on a phone.

[@dirkv.9013]

Great episode. Different cameras for different purposes, right? I still deeply love the results from my full-frame DSLR. But sometimes my phone works better for the situation. I still carry a Canon G9XII with me most of the time, and that's a nice in-between with optical zoom, small size, good responsiveness, and better background blur from a larger sensor. But the shareability from my iPhone is pretty great. And the video results are surprisingly good!

[@focusboxmedia5471]

Mobile is definately a convinient way for taking pictures and if one is not doing paid gigs then its better to invest in a good camera phone IMO. Most of us view photos on a mobile screen on social media platform, it really in most cases creates an illusion of being high of a quality. But most of the mobile pictures struggle to stand up to on a bigger screen of around 20 inch monitor.

[@CaseyDarwin]

I'm wondering if your description of the difference in HDR capability is completely accurate. From what I understand, and please correct me, photographic HDR has traditionally just meant exposure bracketing to bring up the shadows and bring down the highlights basically allowing for an even exposure in challenging scenes, right? Because photos are ultimately going to print where that's the goal. Whereas the way the newer smartphones are implementing things like 'ultra hdr' is more akin to HDR in the video world where the goal is to display the image with as close to the peak brightness and dark levels as possible, because the intended display is capable of showing them. So, if that's the case, are dedicated cameras actually capable(yet) of capturing the same tone-mapping data that allows for ultra hdr?

[@jagco2594]

Maybe you can help me out. My cellphone takes better pictures than 3 camera about off amazon. I need a camera to take pictures of car parts I'm selling. That's easy to use and loading pictures. My cell is G7 thinq LG it takes nice pictures but a pain to down load via cord. Are there low cost camera's that take clear good pictures.

[@diegoskt5]

I'd like to see you guys reviewing the samsungs galaxy s23 ultra, or 24 when it comes out

[@tonykeltsflorida]

My phone takes good pictures and my M6 mark II takes the pics I want at an event.

[@akkarparkiamopas3401]

When it comes to background blur. I still insist the fake digital background blur from mobile phone does not make that bokah look natural unlike the one from real camera. And this can not be substituted.

[@renestaempfli1071]

I don't want to hook up my camera to any social network. I don' t want to edit my picture on the camera either. And I don't take selfies.

[@c.augustin]

Still too expensive (and too large) for me. But some years into the future (when prices are lower for what we currently have)? I might leave my m43 with all its nice lenses at home and just do all my photography with a capable smartphone - alongside my 4x5 view camera … 😁 (This would actually solve a problem for me, as I can't have my m43 kit, even a reduced one, along with the view camera and what comes along with it; a smartphone, on the other hand, I always have with me and use it to find compositions, measuring exposure, timing and for documentation).

[@jameskeener7251]

Yes, but. I'm in the process of testing a Canon R5 and and an iPhone 15 PM. But I'm doing things a bit differently. I used to use Lightroom to move image files around iOS and MacOS using its great file system and image management. Plus it has the best editing tools available, in my experience. But as far as I know LR doesn't have access to the lens flexibility of the iPhone 15 PM. Of perhaps equal important to the number of megapixels from the sensor provided by full frame sensors versus the iPhone, is the quick access to post processing and the ease of use of the post apps. Smartphone, even tablet screen size isn't adequate for quality processing, at least for me. For quality of the original image files, manageability of files and file storage, and flexibility and quality of post processing, the R5 wins hands down versus the iPhone. But. If you want to use the camera in your pocket, the iPhone wins. It still hasn't progressed much beyond that for me. [ ADDED ] And since it is in my pocket, I'm glad the iPhone 15 PM is noticeably better at still photography than my earlier 12 PM was. And. The reason I'm testing the iPhone for more general use is age. I'm 79 and even the R5, but even more, the R5 with one of Canon's big honker lenses, is becoming very difficult for me to handle. And it's not just the camera and lenses. The peripheral gear, tripods etc., are much heavier than the ones required by smartphones.

[@Oilcruzer]

5:24 “…are inconvenient”. Off camera “CRAP!” 😂

[@MelvinGarcia]

Man since Fuji updated their app I keep my card reader home. It just works, I have three XH2 series cameras and an X-T4 all connected to the app and it just works. I can transfer photos to my phone quickly and upload those fantastic JPEGS on social media in seconds.

[@nickthaskater]

Too bad Fuji decided older otherwise capable cameras like the X100T don't deserve to be supported, leaving them stuck with the awful old app.

[@matthewparriott]

New FujiFilm app is a game changer. Love it.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

​@@nickthaskaterthere may be actual hardware limitations to that

[@nickthaskater]

@@veganpotterthevegan the "limitation" is that the new app uses Bluetooth alongside a Wi-Fi connection, so they're saying only cameras which support Bluetooth will be supported by the new app. That's an artificial limitation. The new app could have supported the previous Wi-Fi standard alongside the new Bluetooth supplemented connection. Instead, they decided it was better to leave a crappy old app floating around on app stores for people with "old" cameras.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

@@nickthaskater that's a ridiculous thing to complain about. Those options weren't available when people decided to buy that very solid camera. It's ridiculous to complain about not getting to use things created years later.

[@guusbeeld]

Thanks for the comment, I bought a smartphone for street-photography, mainly for size and blending in. But somehow there are issues with detail. Specially in the darker part of the Image. As a Photographer I am a little bit disappointed, but sure for the consumer photographer it is the best ever happened. (the main reason why Kodak went broke)Greetz from The Netherlands, Guus.

[@ChristopherMarshburn]

Spot on about the less than adequate connectivity from camera companies. However, Sony is developing a mirrorless camera with an Android based OS. One thing that might do is make those longed for firmware upgrades much easier for Sony to release.

[@peds8345]

You really have no clue until you use a real camera. The differences are insane

[@explore.chill.frankie]

Glad to see some love for smartphone cameras! I've traveled a lot this year, and while I love bringing my A7IV, it's just so infinitely easier to pull out my iPhone and snap a photo or take a quick video on the fly. Helps with moments that come and go fast. No mirrorless camera can be pulled out and turned on quickly enough as a smartphone can. It's perfect for street photography too as a phone is not as conspicuous as a full fledged camera. Combined with a compact Insta360 X3, I'm considering ditching my mirrorless altogether as I travel. Less bulk and hassle, more creative ways to compose your shots.

[@Ray-cb3vl]

2:05 is that the GFX 100 II?

[@IndigoEyePhotography]

I don't see smartphones replacing my main cameras anytime soon, but I would love to see camera manufacturers make better apps for operation with smartphones. For example, Canon's Picture Style Editor desktop application is an obscenely powerful tool for making custom Picture Styles on par with Fujifilm's film simulations, but the camera only allows users to load up to 3 user-defined picture styles at any given time. If Canon could update their smartphone app to allow users to create custom picture styles on the go (or at the very least allow me to keep a library of picture styles that I can load onto the camera while out on the field), that would make their cameras much more flexible tools.

[@DDenDeeen]

have gave up cameras since I switched to 14 pro max, their sensor and pro raw gives me way more space to edit via LR mobile.

[@rjbiii]

Also no real concerns about weather sealing. Can use a phone in pretty much any weather.

[@lifeladderpodcast]

I started photography because of my smartphone. I do event photography and video. The busier I get, the less I want to take my camera when I’m out with my family. The phone is still pretty capable and does an excellent job in most cases.

[@Nathan.1882]

i beg to differ on the connectivity part. The Canon system can transfer directly to google photos. im suprised many people aren't aware of such a feature.

[@Gj_frames]

5:30 in - it's a con that you can't share a camera photo direct to social media. I see that as a pro, as you can be in the moment, if youd o something thats so important and/or fun that you want to share it to the world. Then enjoy the moment and be forced to share it later. I guess the rest of the world enjoy the consumtion of your post exactly the same as if you would have shared it direct! Stop making direct share a positiv thing, it just ruin the moment, and thats the same thing with everything connected to the phone, it steals your attention. The moment after you shared your moment, likes and comments starts coming in and your attention is back ... on the phone, instead of your friends, kids, partner or the travel your up to.

[@sammakammanta4966]

I really want a combination of a smartphone and a "real" compact camera to combine the advantages of both. I know that there have been attempts like this (e.g. from Yongnuo or Samsung). Unfortunately, the approach is not being pursued seriously. I like small cameras, so I use the GR iii a lot. It is always with me. But I would prefer a “GR smartphone” even more. Or a “Fuji X70 smartphone”. The size of a smartphone and the thickness of a compact camera with a APS-C sensor. Good screen, good connectivity, good, usability, good picture quality. That would be a dream. Why doesn't anyone create this?

[@Donbros]

I am looking to buy smartphone cause its sometimes too much work to bring cam even if i love footage of it. I kinda also think smartphones are nice for taking photos, i always kinda liked photos of it

[@jason1675]

The only reason that left to me to use a real camera is that i like the experience and feeling of handling the machine. Otherwise i don't make a huge print, nor do professional work. the smartphones image quality have been improved as much as i'll ever need it as a hobbyist. Cameras and lenses are quite expensive things to be toys though.

[@martinhommel9967]

Smartphone lenses are tiny and so are the sensors. Picture quality is generally poor. Good enough to share on social media but that’s it.

[@Ed-bj5eq]

observing tourists over the last couple of decades clearly proves that camera business is quickly becoming a niche market, only some professionals and very reduced number of enthusiast still use them. Even news videographers are using smartphones to film and interviews, specially outdoors. How many of us need to print photos ? How many even have a printer at home ? I guess that to look at photos on a smartphone screen nobody needs anything better than a smartphone camera

[@jeni719]

I totally agree. I still like the camera better for stills. But cameras make videos so much harder than the phone. For my hobby and vacation videos, I have given up on cameras, and just use an iPhone and a GoPro. The image stabilization and the in-camera HDR for the phones and GoPro, more than make up for the lesser sensors. Shaky video is really annoying!!

[@kalinmir]

what do you mean becoming? the camera market has been diving for the past 10 years

[@Ed-bj5eq]

@@jeni719 doing exactly the same here !

[@Ed-bj5eq]

@@kalinmir agree, according to CIPA worldwide shipments dropped by little more than 90% just over the last decade, they are hoping a small increase and market stabilization for 2023 but already a niche

[@petersuvara]

I don’t use my phone for photos anymore, it feels like junk food for content.

[@scarcesense6449]

On the discreteness, or lack thereof in a real camera, I was walking through a shopping centre with my bridge camera and a security guard runs up to me and tells me I can't bring that thing in here. I look around dumbfounded as everyone is walking around waving a camera phone in front of their face. Um, what? I like a good comparison video, but what I'd most like to see are complimentary options. Given we all have a phone camera in our pocket, I wish a camera manufacturer would make a budget camera to compliment the phone's shortfalls, specifically telephoto. I don't see a phone any time soon matching my FZ1000-ii for an eagle in flight, but in terms of image quality for landscapes and portraits, there's really no need to get out a low-end camera. So if they just gave up on the 20-200mm range and went from there, an FZ1000, RX10 type camera could save quite a bit on engineering compromises and improve any combination of size, weight, cost, sharpness, speed, reach - proving a decent wildlife and sports or travel addition to what's already in your pocket. The best you could do now is M43 with a long lens which is far more expensive and bulky than it needs to be for non-professionals.

[@AgnostosGnostos]

the recent years full frame mirrorless camera are really affordabe around 1000$ for older entry models. a full frame camera even a quite older one can not be compared with a smarthone on the quality of photos. Cameras with smaller sensors like the micro 4/3 may have comparable quality.

[@GabrielGGabGattringer]

Personally I mostly use my phone camera (Fairphone 4) for Instagram Stories. Maybe occassionally a car pic when my Sony SEL35/1.8 mounted on Sony A6300 feels too narrow. Even though my smartphone puts out decent RAW files (.dng) wgich I edit in Lightroom mobile, I´d rather choose my A6300 to grab any shot. I just hate to operate a smartphone camera with just software buttons. I like haptic feedback. I also love the EVF in any kind of situation not just in bright sunlight. Another point: smartphone lenses are way too wide angle (5.58 mm in case of the Fairphone 4). Might be useful for architecture or car photography but in any other case I prefer a 50mm focal lenth or longer (which is like in 95% of all situations I take photos in).

[@NoSuRReNDeR001]

@4:01 I swear this moment give me cold sweats thinking you were going to knock the Eos R5 off the railing! (thanks to Sony for the fact I have to now say Eos every single time >>A7_R5 yeah Sony good name there)

[@NotAnotherChannel_Channel]

OMG CHRIS! IT’S GORDON! HE’S GONNA CRITIQUE YOUR VIDEOGRAPHY! RUN!

[@janzavorka3799]

Current smartphones don't take photos but creates AI drawings to get likes on IG..etc..If you own a use a camera today its a hobby, you take the photo, you edit the photo, to sum up its your work..

[@kai64]

I think phone surpassed real camera in so many ways except one thing….”experience” phone can’t produce that taking-photos experience that real cameras have