If you have an iPhone, do you need another camera?

Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park - from the lower trail at the point.  Taken with my iPhone 15 Pro.

It used to be that I would pack two cameras, one with a long lens meant for wildlife and the other with a mid-range zoom used for landscapes and portraits.  Now that I pack an iPhone with me, I rarely bring my second body and mid-range zoom.  It has become redundant.  

The iPhone is capable of shooting 48 mp raw images, not unlike my mirrorless Z7ii camera.  It has a zoom range of around 16 mm to 300 mm or so and can take filters such as polarizers or magnifiers for macro.  It is much easier to carry, fits in a pocket, and has the additional functions of being a phone, source of money, and entertainer.  So, do I need my second body anymore?  In fact, can I get along with just the iPhone and lose my long-lens camera too?

The answer highly depends on what it is you want to do.  While I am impressed with my iPhone's ability, it has serious limitations.  For instance, it can make a 48 mp image, but only with the 1x camera and only if there is no zooming going on.  The pro model has impressive macro ability, but at its extreme macro it uses digital zooming to facilitate magnification, which reduces detail.  And the phone cannot compete with the image quality I get out of my D500 and 500 mm PF Nikkor lens for wildlife.

Then there is the issue of flash.  Fill flash is one of my favourite techniques for improving the lighting when doing outdoor portraits and the iPhone has nothing like it.  Yes, there is a "flash", but it is like comparing a 4-wheeled pull cart to a Ferrari.  

My DSLR and mirrorless cameras can, for specific instances, out perform anything an iPhone can do.  But, as a good, general camera that captures the moment, the iPhone works well.  

The end of the story is that an iPhone will likely meet all your needs if you don't need high-end performance.  But, if you shoot wildlife, sports, macro, or need flash, the larger cameras with all their expensive and somewhat hefty peripherals, an iPhone just won't do.  

But keep it handy, because it can do a very good job most of the time.  Plus, it can keep you entertained.  

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com



 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Harjit Bahia - Science teacher and colleague from Garibaldi died August 2, 2024

Image
You will be missed Mr. Bahia.  You made a difference and we are sad you are gone. I keep in loose contact with my fellow retired teachers from Garibaldi Secondary School.  I talked with my long-time friend, Mike Lynch, today, and discovered that Hargit died over the summer.  Unbeknownst to him, he had an underlying heart condition and passed away after working out on his treadmill.  The date was August 2, 2024. I was shocked to hear this.  He was only 49 years old, turning 50 some 3 months later.  It was a shock to everyone, for he was loved by all who knew him.  As a teacher, Mr. Bahia was kind and fun.  He contributed to students in many ways and was always available to help those in need.   For myself, I knew him as a fellow science teacher and taught in the adjoining room to him.  He was always available to help, share ideas, and work together.  Easy to approach, I found that I could talk to him about anything and appreciat...
Read more

My longsuffering search for the Western Meadowlark

Image
Am I going to disturb a species I am photographing enough to negatively affect its relationship with the ecosystem?  This is an important ethical question that needs to be asked when looking to photograph a particular species.  And it's one that I don't think we do nearly often enough. I recognize the desire to capture remarkable images; I have been in search of premium photos the bulk of my adult life.  There is the personal connection - just the joy associated with doing something well and the praise we seek when others recognize it.  There is the professional connection - doing something as part of a job, assignment, or class.  Then there is the financial connection - the hope to win a contest, publish an image, or sell prints.   These are all worthy goals in their own right, but none of them should be the reason behind disturbing a species, especially ones that are endangered or are at a critical period in their life cycle.  Essentially it boi...
Read more

Baseball invented in Polynesia - who knew?

Image
Lori with the first known baseball (left) and a Polynesian warrior (right) When the Polynesians arrived in Hawaii around 1200 AD, little did they know that they would soon be credited with the invention of baseball.   Besides chickens, the natives brought breadfruit plants with them.  The fruit grows to be quite large, up to 6 kg, but harvested early, the small fruit is hard and fits conveniently in your hand.  This was only one component of what was needed to complete the tools needed for the sport. The second component was, of course, the bat.  The Polynesian boy is shown holding a traditional  Niho Lei-o-Mano war club carved from Kao trees.  Popular for its ability to dissuade uninvited suitors from visiting daughters, it also had the ability to launch a hand-sized breadfruit a considerable distance.  It didn't take long before the breadfruit (bf) ball and club bat became well acquainted. Catching the bf ball was somewhat difficult; the course...
Read more