Author Topic: Will the Cell Phone Replace the dSLR? (Read 46649 times)

tab62 · « **on:** July 25, 2013, 23:16 »

Okay, I will start this debate with this article I found tonight-

http://www.dallaspsychologyreview.com/1/post/2013/05/why-your-cell-phone-will-never-replace-a-dslr.html#.UfH3h23-4g4

T

Silken Photography · « **Reply #1 on:** July 26, 2013, 01:32 »

The best camera is the one you have with you...

Of course mobile phones will never replace DSLR while camera technology works the way it does (who's to say what the next camera technical revolution will be though). But they have different purposes. If all you ever want to do is upload snaps to facebook et al, why bother with a DSLR? You could probably even print reasonably decent small photobooks with mobile camera shots. A mobile phone can replace a DSLR for a lot of people, regardless of the technical differences.

I bought my first DLSR because I felt frustrated with the limitations of my point'n'shoot. I simply couldn't capture what I saw in my head with those, and my DSLR gives me worlds more creative range. I have no plans to give up my DSLR and have a lot of fun with it. But I still carry a p'n's, or take photos on my phone if I don't have it to hand, because often even a lower quality photo is better than no photo at all. Indeed, most photos on my cat photo blog are mobile uploads, often poor quality low-light shots, but the characters still show through and that's the point in that instance. I have photos that make me smile, and for that purpose I'm not too concerned where they came from, as even if I can't print them I have other ways of displaying and enjoying them.

Ron · « **Reply #2 on:** July 26, 2013, 01:53 »

Quote

Will the Cell Phone Replace the dSLR?

Never

Its the same with everything, really. MP3 still hasnt replaced the CD.

Pauws99 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 26, 2013, 02:15 »

Im sure it will open up new markets and uses in time if I knew what they were I would be a very rich person.

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #4 on:** July 26, 2013, 02:20 »

Quote from: Ron on July 26, 2013, 01:53

Quote
Will the Cell Phone Replace the dSLR?
Never

Its the same with everything, really. MP3 still hasnt replaced the CD.

Not for our generation, but my kids will never buy physical media for music. They want their tracks as files.

SLP_London · « **Reply #5 on:** July 26, 2013, 02:30 »

And the CD didn't replace vinyl.

And digital didn't replace film.

And we all still use floppy discs.

etc etc etc

Smart phones have already pretty much replaced compact cameras and video cams as well.

borg · « **Reply #6 on:** July 26, 2013, 03:08 »

No because physical laws of light... Maybe in editorial photography (where we need information, not quality)....

jm · « **Reply #7 on:** July 26, 2013, 03:10 »

Not now. I've got my first iPhone few weeks ago and I must say that its camera admired by crowds totally disappointed me. But technology is moving that fast. Mobile phones are serious contender in editorial photography and will be probably good enough for outdoor shots soon. But I can hardly imagine studio equipped with all the strobes and ceiling systems and photographer with cell phone in hands (or even worse - on tripod).

SLP_London · « **Reply #8 on:** July 26, 2013, 03:39 »

I have a studio full of strobes but in a few years there'll be like floppy discs collecting dust.

Have you noticed what's been happening with ISO. Some cameras can practically shoot in the dark.

I exaggerate, but still .....

jm · « **Reply #9 on:** July 26, 2013, 04:14 »

More of light is not the only reason for using strobes. But it's difficult to predict. If I would describe ten years ago how my cellphone will look like in 2013 I would probably wear straitjacket in mental hospital.

Perry · « **Reply #10 on:** July 26, 2013, 04:25 »

Quote from: Ron on July 26, 2013, 01:53

Quote
Will the Cell Phone Replace the dSLR?
Never

Agreed. If you take a cell phone, add a decent sensor, interchangeable lenses for flexibility, fast autofocus, decent manual controls and buttons, good viewfinder, a good grip, connections for flashes, big memory cards etc... If you add that up you get a DSLR.

trendi · « **Reply #11 on:** July 26, 2013, 04:30 »

iphone and sony(Honami) already have interchangeable lenses. Most of the other stuff is just software related

cidepix · « **Reply #12 on:** July 26, 2013, 04:40 »

I am not sure if cell phone will replace dslr, but something surely will.. everything is replaced sooner or later..

you may disagree if you are a 21st century incarnation of Charles Holland Duell

"Everything that can be invented has been invented."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Holland_Duell

Petr Toman · « **Reply #13 on:** July 26, 2013, 05:02 »

I was shooting one dinner banquet for 80 people one month ago for one agency, with one of the most famous master chef in our republic.

Guess what, when he came from the kitchen, and people wanted a picture, noone was coming to me. they pushed me away, and all of them took a picture to the cell phone to share it on g+, facebook etc. I was actually glad, as I had a little bit of free time because of that.

BUT ! Of course the agency was requesting excellent pictures (and it was during afternoon 17-23 with sunset and then low light conditions) Would the smartphones deliver these pictures ? Nope.

So yes the smartphones have their place right now right here in the photography. But it is not the place where you get hired&paid.

ps. the agency did the mistake last year, low quality photos from cheaper camera results in almost non publishable content. But they had to. The image for the company? Not good.

ShadySue · « **Reply #14 on:** July 26, 2013, 05:19 »

I'd certainly welcome having something lighter weight to lug around, but as things stand at the moment, I personally (and there must be many aged 50+ in the same position) don't like having to hold a screen out from my face to see what I'm taking. It's bound to introduce camera shake and anyway, having varifocals means it's really difficult to see clearly what I'm taking, so I just have to hold it in the 'general area' of what I'm shooting and hope for the best. It'll be a wee while no doubt before it will work for bird photography with a 400mm or longer lens. Probably they can already be attached to telescopes for digiscoping.
I'm not sure about dof. While still still in the 'slides are best' camp, I bought a Coolpix 5700 and loved the immediacy but hated the lack of control of depth of field.

IMO there are still two areas that dSLRs can improve on. One they're working on which is noise at high ISO - IMO that's progressing nicely, with some room for improvement still.

The second I'm not sure if any progress is being made - control of contrast, which is equally important to natural light shooters, whether it's weddings, editorial, sport, wildlife or events (etc.) HDR only works when what you're shooting doesn't move between 'clicks', and I have found the 'one shot HDR' to be better than just the one shot, for certain images, but not fully satisfactory.

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #15 on:** July 26, 2013, 06:04 »

"The best camera is the one you have with you..."

It's a great saying, but assumes that the only image worth capturing is one you aren't prepared for.

ShadySue · « **Reply #16 on:** July 26, 2013, 06:22 »

Quote from: Sean Locke Photography on July 26, 2013, 06:04

"The best camera is the one you have with you..."

It's a great saying, but assumes that the only image worth capturing is one you aren't prepared for.

No, it doesn't. If you have prepared for an image by bringing the camera you'd prefer, that's the best camera. If it malfunctions and you [1] only have a cellphone, you may decide to do some impromptu informal style shots, so that's your 'best camera'. (Or you might decide to abandon.)

[1] where 'you' isn't literally you, but someone without a spare dSLR.

Ron · « **Reply #17 on:** July 26, 2013, 06:23 »

Quote from: SLP_London on July 26, 2013, 02:30

And the CD didn't replace vinyl.

And digital didn't replace film.

And we all still use floppy discs.

etc etc etc

Smart phones have already pretty much replaced compact cameras and video cams as well.

Sure, because they were better products, but the mobile phone camera is not up to par with a DSLR.

And for many pro shooters, digital never replaced film.

wds · « **Reply #18 on:** July 26, 2013, 06:30 »

Forget asking "will a cell phone ever replace a DSLR" and put it another way: "in the same technological generation, will a smaller sensor ever replace (read: match the image quality of) a larger sensor?" I think the answer is pretty obvious: no.

Anyka · « **Reply #19 on:** July 26, 2013, 06:38 »

There might come a day were cell phone cameras and DSLRs deliver equal pixel quality, but how much of an excellent photo is delivered by the quality of the camera? For a good photo, you also need good lighting (which can cost more than the camera), or an excellent eye for good lighting, and good camera skills.

I don't think we are afraid of the cell phones, but of the owners of cell phones who might start to think they can make the same quality photos as DSLR photographers. Is this not what happened at the start of microstock? Macro photographers being afraid that amateurs would start to think they could make the same quality photos? Wasn't this caused by Canon releasing the first 300D, the first affordable DLSR ?

So no, I'm not afraid of cell phones, but yes I fear the new generation of cell phone owners who discover a new hobby, which could grow into serious photography, just as it happened to most of us.

trendi · « **Reply #20 on:** July 26, 2013, 06:44 »

Quote from: Anyka on July 26, 2013, 06:38

There might come a day were cell phone cameras and DSLRs deliver equal pixel quality, but how much of an excellent photo is delivered by the quality of the camera? For a good photo, you also need good lighting (which can cost more than the camera), or an excellent eye for good lighting, and good camera skills.

I don't think we are afraid of the cell phones, but of the owners of cell phones who might start to think they can make the same quality photos as DSLR photographers. Is this not what happened at the start of microstock? Macro photographers being afraid that amateurs would start to think they could make the same quality photos? Wasn't this caused by Canon releasing the first 300D, the first affordable DLSR ?

So no, I'm not afraid of cell phones, but yes I fear the new generation of cell phone owners who discover a new hobby, which could grow into serious photography, just as it happened to most of us.

you're just so....right!!

Ron · « **Reply #21 on:** July 26, 2013, 06:56 »

Taking a snap with a cell phone you already own anyway, turning into a hobby where you have to think about all that stuff you just mentioned including the expenses and the effort, might be a bigger step to take than you think.

Mobile cameras have been around for 10 years, why would it turn into a thread now? Because someone is offering 2.5 dollar for a mobile phone image?

Maybe the occasional mobile phone owner will turn to photography as a hobby, but I dont expect it to happen in drones.

Beppe Grillo · « **Reply #22 on:** July 26, 2013, 07:39 »

I think that before to say that cell phones will not replace dslr we must understand what propose Nokia today.

I have read a lot of comments considering that this mobile phone (Nokia 808) use a similar technology as the one used in the today dslr cameras.
It is not like this.
The technology is completely different.

Here is explained the Nokia's technology:
http://i.nokia.com/blob/view/-/849564/data/2/-/Download1.pdf
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13970_7-57386706-78/the-secret-behind-nokias-41-megapixel-camera-phone/

We also should consider that the Nokia 808 will produce jpg and not raw, and this can make a big difference in favor of the dslr

We should consider too, that if at the moment the quality of the Nokia 808 "can" be superior or equal to the one obtained with a dslr (I am still waiting to see some full size images produced by it……), this will be only temporary as surely dslr will soon use a similar technology (but with a bigger sensor).

The endless pursuit continues…

U11 · « **Reply #23 on:** July 26, 2013, 13:02 »

the R will leave all DSLR very soon, I believe

wds · « **Reply #24 on:** July 26, 2013, 13:12 »

Quote from: Beppe Grillo on July 26, 2013, 07:39

I think that before to say that cell phones will not replace dslr we must understand what propose Nokia today.

I have read a lot of comments considering that this mobile phone (Nokia 808) use a similar technology as the one used in the today dslr cameras.
It is not like this.
The technology is completely different.

Here is explained the Nokia's technology:
http://i.nokia.com/blob/view/-/849564/data/2/-/Download1.pdf
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13970_7-57386706-78/the-secret-behind-nokias-41-megapixel-camera-phone/

We also should consider that the Nokia 808 will produce jpg and not raw, and this can make a big difference in favor of the dslr

We should consider too, that if at the moment the quality of the Nokia 808 "can" be superior or equal to the one obtained with a dslr (I am still waiting to see some full size images produced by it……), this will be only temporary as surely dslr will soon use a similar technology (but with a bigger sensor).

The endless pursuit continues…

The sensor uses pixel binning, but otherwise is quite traditional. The pixel binning will not compensate for the fact that it's smaller than APS-C or full frame sensors.

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Author Topic: Will the Cell Phone Replace the dSLR? (Read 46649 times)

tab62

Silken Photography

Ron

Pauws99

fotoVoyager

SLP_London

borg

jm

SLP_London

jm

Perry

trendi

cidepix

Petr Toman

ShadySue

Sean Locke Photography

ShadySue

Ron

wds

Anyka

trendi

Ron

Beppe Grillo

U11

wds

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