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Archive 2016 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?

  
 
fhammond
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


(...where "high quality" really means "high quality relative to older phones or point-and-shoot digital cameras".)

Hi all,

I recently switched back to Nikon after being a Canon user for several years. Over that time, I collected a bunch of Canon lenses:

100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II
70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
135mm f/2L USM
70-200mm f/4L IS USM
24-70mm f/4L IS USM
50mm f/1.4 USM
40mm f/2.8 STM
35mm f/2 IS USM
70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM
EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

Some of these I've had for a long time (the DO lens for example) and some were duplicates (the 24-70mm f/4 I bought because I found the f/2.8 version to be too heavy most of the time).

As what I mostly shoot is sports, I immediately purchased a Nikon 70-200m f/2.8 when I switch back to Nikon. A fast 50mm lens is a must have, so I got the f/1.8 too. But now I'm a bit in limbo: what next?

There are a couple of Nikon lenses I've used in the past that I'm excited to use again - the 85mm f/1.4 for example. There are also some new lenses since I was a Nikon user last that I'm eager to check out - the new 300mm f/4 is definitely one. But I keeping going back on forth on what a few years ago would have been an easy decision: a 35mm f/1.8 or maybe the 1.4; the 24-120mm f/4; maybe the 16-35; perhaps a wide prime.

I'm coming to the conclusion that having a high-quality phone in my pocket - one that has built-in photo sharing (aka Facebook) - has noticeably affected what I do with my "real" camera. My iPhone has a wide angle, fairly fast camera, so the 35mm f1.8 isn't the automatic purchase it once was. It might be that most of the lenses above never get replaced and I occasionally rent something unusual (the 200mm f/2). My new Nikon will get used for "special occasions" where the size and weight and the thought required to use it are more than offset by the high quality but otherwise, it will sit at home.

Switching systems has made me more aware of this but I think it's been true for a while. I'm curious whether other people have gone through the same process and where they landed.

Thanks.

Edited on Apr 18, 2017 at 10:39 AM · View previous versions



Sep 21, 2016 at 04:55 PM
acutol
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


I know what you mean! I more or less stopped using (Canon) SLRs for a while except for dull work applications (mostly macro), but the newer Nikons have made me rethink that, especially for the kind of shots needed for big enlargements, grandparent gifts of kid pics etc.. For most stuff though the iPhone is in your pocket when the conditions are right, and is good enough for most purposes. I am wondering if I need a standard zoom at all too. I find myself mostly using SLRs for portraits and other applications needing bokeh (85 /1.4), macro and long tele stuff. I like the sound of the 300 / 4 also! Maybe also a wide zoom for landscape work?


Sep 21, 2016 at 05:20 PM
Bohemien
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


The image quality of my DSLR, even with the cheapest lens I own, is on another planet than my iPhone 6. So my personal answer to your question is: no, not in the slightest.

On occasions where I didn't have my Nikon with me and out of necessity took a shot with the iPhone to at least have a picture of the scene I saw, I was impressed with the iPhone's IQ (see e.g. this shot taken out of a plane window), but every time I look at that picture I wish I had taken it with the DSLR for maximum quality.

I didn't buy my DSLR and heavy lenses to have them collecting dust at home. So I lug 10kg of equipment up the mountains when hiking, but it's worth every extra drop of sweat when I look at the results I'm getting.

If you're happy with what your phone camera gives you, then that's perfectly ok, don't get me wrong. But then it really doesn't make sense to invest $$$$ in building a camera kit that will sit at home most of the time, so maybe there is no "next step" on this path for you. But if you want to extend your Nikon kit, your list of lenses (35, 24-120, 16-35, WA prime) is also too diverse to give a suggestion which of these to choose (maybe you could elaborate on what you intend to shoot with your DSLR, portraits, landscapes, travel,...?).

An option could be to look for completely different paths, e.g. a mirrorless camera that will give you the ability to shoot with shallower DOF than the iPhone, but in a smaller form factor than the DSLR. Or have a look at the new DL line announced by Nikon, that looks interesting IMHO.

Decide on what you intend to shoot first. Then choose the tools you'll need to reach that goal.

Just my $0.02...

Markus



Sep 21, 2016 at 05:22 PM
trenchmonkey
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


Never.


Sep 21, 2016 at 05:29 PM
John Skinner
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


That was a long write up only to lead us to...

"I'm coming to the conclusion that having a high-quality phone in my pocket - one that has built-in photo sharing (aka Facebook) - has noticeably affected what I do with my "real" camera."

I would stop there -- and just say 'for all those reasons, I'm out'.



Sep 21, 2016 at 05:31 PM
CanadaMark
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


It hasn't for me. No doubt smartphone cameras are worlds better than they used to be, but they are still just using tiny cheap P&S sensors (1/2.3" or close to it). They are so small that RAW shooting adds little benefit, and virtually everything is in focus at all times (great for most users I would think) without very poorly implemented fake bokeh. Even the best smartphone AF can't track action very well, so that limits it's usage further.

What I like smartphone cameras for is taking pictures of things I don't really care about, but still want a picture of. Things that I might just show people later in conversation, like a particular meal or a trinket I see in a store. I use my smartphone camera all the time around the house, taking pictures of stuff for shopping lists, archiving model numbers, serial numbers, to show a store employee a problem, etc. I couldn't care less if that photo comes out slightly blurry, too dark, too bright, or with poor WB.

While I appreciate that smarphone cameras are basically at the level of a cheap P&S, there is never a scenario where I would reach for my smartphone instead of a large sensor compact or my DSLR if I am taking a picture of something I care about or might one day print. As the saying goes though, the best camera is the one you have with you, and my smartphone is with me 100% of the time, so there have been situations where I was glad to have a camera rather than no camera and there is some value there.

Does it affect what DSLR or high end P&S gear I buy though? Not for me.

Edited on Sep 21, 2016 at 05:34 PM · View previous versions



Sep 21, 2016 at 05:33 PM
fhammond
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


John Skinner wrote:
I would stop there -- and just say 'for all those reasons, I'm out'.


I'm not sure if I follow. I'm definitely not out, since I'm using an SLR and at least a couple of lenses already.

Edited on Sep 21, 2016 at 11:53 PM · View previous versions



Sep 21, 2016 at 05:33 PM
fhammond
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


Thanks for your $0.02! You might have hit the nail on the head: perhaps there is "next step" and there's nothing wrong with having a D5, a 70-200mm and a 50mm; that serves 90% of things I do that really benefit from a DSLR.

After years of owning DSLRs (I wish I'd kept my original D1!) it seems odd to have just a handful of lenses but maybe that's my new normal.

The DL cameras look interesting - in all the Photokina news, I hadn't seen those yet. I've had a few mirrorless cameras but none so far have grabbed me.



Sep 21, 2016 at 05:37 PM
ckcarr
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


Nope.
Any time I've ever taken a picture with my iPhone it's just that - a picture. And I'm mad I did it.

I only use for documenting things...



Sep 21, 2016 at 05:54 PM
Creative Edge
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


didnt realize my phone can take photos


Sep 21, 2016 at 06:00 PM
cvrle59
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


I haven't seen pictures from iPhone 7 yet, so I can't comment on it, but I wouldn't call any other iPhone "high quality camera phone". You don't believe it, take some time to browse through Lumia 950 photo-stream on Flickr, the answer will come by itself.
Please, don't fire on me about OS, this is photo forum, so camera phone is the subject, not OS and usability of it.



Sep 21, 2016 at 07:35 PM
Lauchlan Toal
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


I've used Samsung phones before, and I have an iPhone SE now, and while the cameras are getting quite decent it really can't replace a DSLR. For family snaps and documenting stuff it's great - but when it comes to photography I can't live without the control a DSLR provides. Manual settings, choosing the focal length, having the option to use a tripod or flashes - a phone just can't give you that. So if I'm doing photography for enjoyment I just can't consider the phone as a viable tool.


Sep 21, 2016 at 07:39 PM
cvrle59
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


The phones are not comparable to dslr's, but you can still capture some situations, if your real camera is not with you. My favorite picture of my grand daughter was taken with my Lumia 1020, simple, I had it with me in some special moment that it couldn't be reproduced. That picture is priceless to me.
When I shop for a phone, camera is on top of the list, I really don't care about OS, or thousands of useless apps.
I do owe D810 for real stuff, no question..😊

Edited on Sep 21, 2016 at 08:00 PM · View previous versions



Sep 21, 2016 at 07:52 PM
snapsy
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


CanadaMark wrote:
It hasn't for me. No doubt smartphone cameras are worlds better than they used to be, but they are still just using tiny cheap P&S sensors (1/2.3" or close to it). They are so small that RAW shooting adds little benefit, and virtually everything is in focus at all times (great for most users I would think) without very poorly implemented fake bokeh.


Apple's implementation on the 7+ looks decent. Here are some samples from TechCrunch:

Sample #1
Sample #2
Sample #3
Sample #4



Sep 21, 2016 at 07:57 PM
acutol
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


It all depends what we call "real stuff". For commercial photography, clearly you use a dslr (or MF etc). Hobby photography where you are taking a camera with you on a trip to take pictures, you take the dslr. In or near your home, if there's time, you get the dslr. But I loathe point and shoots, the new ones may be OK but the iPhone 6+ is better than all the ones I ever had (mostly down to autofocus). I don't take my dslr to the beach any more or to events for my kids, and it's only those events that I ever used a standard zoom for. So why do I need a standard zoom? If I shot weddings for a living sure.


Sep 21, 2016 at 08:06 PM
Nathan Padgett
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


snapsy wrote:
Apple's implementation on the 7+ looks decent. Here are some samples from TechCrunch:

Sample #1
Sample #2
Sample #3
Sample #4


Wow. I gotta say, that's pretty good especially for still being in an "experimental" stage. It really could put a hurting on entry level DSLR's. Especially when most people probably aren't buying anything past the kit lens, which might not be able to produce much of a shallow depth of field.

I picked up the Iphone 7 (and do like the camera on it) but have been debating if I should get a 7+ instead. The only reason I'm considering it is for the 56mm camera.




Sep 21, 2016 at 09:35 PM
Grantland
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


fhammond wrote:
Fergus


Your question . . . cell phones . . .

nope!

Seriously??



Sep 21, 2016 at 10:12 PM
EB-1
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


I have the phone lens covered so that it cannot record any images.
An iPhone cannot compare to a 50MP 5DsR and tele lens.

EBH



Sep 21, 2016 at 10:29 PM
sjms
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


it really can't compete, at this point, due to its lack of controllability and real world versatility. they do deliver a good quality simple image though


Sep 21, 2016 at 11:20 PM
Weasel_Loader
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Has a high quality camera phone affected what gear you buy?


It'll be a while before a smartphone camera can replace my D4, D3, 200/2, and 24-70/2.8. That being said, I love what smartphones are capable of since I only carry my DSLR gear for events I shoot.


Sep 21, 2016 at 11:23 PM
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