OverBoosted28

Juha, that's why I stated it was an older phone, knew the quality wasn't there. My 6 works more than fine for just about all lighting at my level of ability.

Juha G

Yes, I know what you meant. But even the newest camera phones still have problems in poor lighting, albeit they are much better than what we had a couple of years earlier.
The fact is that the less light you have for capturing, the better the censor and optics must be. Even the best camera phones available don't hold a candle to a proper DSLR.
They're getting good and with ever developing algorithms for automatically finding the best settings (i.e. getting the most out of the available light), the camera phones are already now better than many of the older pocket cameras.

Eurotrio

Is this a photography lesson?

gonzilla

Put the HDR down and back slowly away from the computer.

The fact that a cellphone can capture any image at all is amazing to me. They're getting better and better every generation. I've only got an iPhone 5, but because it's so compact and easy to carry, I rarely take out my 6D anymore. And whenever I do, it just seems so damned cumbersome!

I agree with the others that low-light leaves a lot to be desired. The sensor gets pretty noisy as the ISO increases. But whatever. It's a phone. There are lots of people doing better work with cellphones than I can ever hope to do with a full frame DSLR.

Sort of like grassroots racing, run what you brung.

All of the following were shot by iPhone photographers:

nine9six

When you think of the resolution that can be had from satellites in space; you come to realize that cellphone cameras are being released incrementally for marketing purposes, as opposed to the optics and capability that currently exists.

mpruden

I think it's an Apple ad. Now I want an iPhone 6.

Thanks Rennlist.

Allen

Photography is 95% light & composition...5% camera.

gonzilla

Yeah, but that's kind of like comparing F1 cars to Camrys.

It's not a question of whether that tech exists, because obviously it does. I think the most limiting factor of a cellphone is its size. You can't fit a 121 MP sensor into a phone.

And does it make sense to go above 8 MP in a phone? The sensor has to be so tiny. Yeah, you can increase pixel density, but the higher density the sensor, the more susceptible it is to noise. To battle this noise, you need increasingly complex software algorithms to decrease artifacts, sharpen the image, etc.

I imagine that for the cellphone manufacturers, the question is whether or not it's cost-effective to cram ridiculous sensor, software and optical tech into a sub-$1000 cellphone that 99% of the buyers use exclusively to shoot selfies.

Between those tiny sensors, the software and all that little glass, I'm still impressed as hell.

I really don't understand why the point-and-shoot market exists anymore.

Check out the lens elements in these phones that you can pick up for (close to) free at your local carrier if you sign 2 years of your life away:

iPhone 6:


Nokia Lumia 925:

NYC993

No HDR here and wasn't taken with cell phone.
These were RAW images that were processed in such a way.

gonzilla

The cellphone comment wasn't about your pics.

So on those pics were the shadows/highlights pushed?

H.H.Chinn

Having the best optics made for a camera system that one can afford helps immensely in achieving the best image quality assuming that the operator know how to use these tools.
These weren't taken with a phone but my wife constantly surprises me with the shots made from her phone. I apologize for the low res images

producerjohn

With respect, thats like saying "I fixed my car with a crescent wrench. I don't think I could have fixed my car any better with a socket wrench with no socket."

A camera is just a tool, like a ball pein hammer, or spanner wrench, but some tools have multiple components like a socket wrench and socket. One by itself is not very useful. This is much the same with a proper DSLR. No lens, no picture.

When you say "my Canon" I assume you're referring to a DSLR. If so, the camera body is useless by itself and far less important in the equation than the glass you're using to compose your shot.

You wouldn't expect to tighten a 12mm nut with a 9/16th wrench. The lens you use is determined by the picture you intend to take.

The lenses that come on cell phones are decent if compared to the crappy kit lenses that come with some lower end DSLRs. As a professional, I wouldn't use most kit lens as a door stop much less to take pictures. Anyway,

Cell phone cameras are designed for people who wouldn't know wether to use a 50mm 1.2 prime or a telephoto 70-200mm F4. Learn the difference (or at least want to learn the difference) before you waste money on a DSLR.

Juha G

I think you had me wrong...what I meant was that I would not have done any better even with my Canon.

I was big into photography some years ago but just haven't had the motivation lately. I currently have a Canon D50 with very good lenses. I have a Sigma 10-20 a Canon 28-70 F2.8 and a Canon 70-200 F2.8.
In bright sunlight anyone can take nice photos but those who master low ligth are true artists.

Allen

I bet you didn't take that top pic with a cell phone...