Point-and-shoot cameras like those found on the back of our everyday smartphones have become so advanced that many are now wondering if there is still a need for large and clunky camera bodies.
Many people say that the built-in camera of their smartphones can handle photography, but determining the best tool for photography requires more nuance. With this in mind, we believe that this topic deserves closer attention.
The convenience of taking photos on your iPhone
Obviously, the iPhone’s camera system isn’t stupid. The iPhone 14 Pro (and Pro Max) boasts up to 48 megapixels and even supports the ProRAW file format, which is comparable to the RAW file format used by camera body photographers who edit their shots in post-processing software like Darkroom or Adobe Lightroom.
In addition to these benefits, the iPhone is an affordable device that fits easily into any pocket and has three camera lenses providing wide, normal and telephoto lenses with hybrid, albeit limited, optical and digital zoom.
If that wasn’t convenient enough, the iPhone’s camera system automatically sets the exposure to our needs at the moment and creates bokeh-like depth effects through artificial intelligence and machine tilt, along with multiple rear-facing smartphone lenses and the user. you can use touch gestures to fine-tune these effects.
If anyone needs a little more, third-party camera apps from the App Store provide more granular control over the camera system than the stock Camera app – see Halide.
With such a large image resolution, advanced software options, and support for a file format that is flexible with regards to exposure post-processing and color adjustment, you might wonder why anyone would ever want to carry around a bulky camera body or large lenses. It’s good question, but as a mirrorless camera user, I have a few reasons…
Flexibility of camera bodies
Camera bodies, whether older DSLRs or newer mirrorless cameras, aren’t as pocket-friendly as smartphone cameras and tend to cost more than point-and-shoot cameras, especially after investing in lenses. However, they have unique advantages that make them desirable for a variety of applications.
First, camera bodies offer the advantage of detachable lenses, which means you’re not limited to the glass that comes with it, as is the case with a smartphone’s built-in camera system. You can attach a telephoto lens with a longer focal length to increase the optical zoom rather than the digital one to reach out and capture the subject without degrading the image quality. Likewise, you can attach dedicated wide-angle or macro lenses when you need large landscapes or high-magnification close-ups.
The characteristics of interchangeable lenses vary from one lens to another, not only in terms of focal length, but also in terms of aperture. Lenses with larger apertures are especially suitable for low-light shooting, where smartphone photography doesn’t always produce the best results.
The camera bodies themselves also come in different types. You’ll need to consider how many megapixels you want, how well you want it to perform in low light, the number of AF points, shutter speed, and more.
Powerful autofocus capabilities come standard on camera bodies, while more expensive models deliver amazing performance even in low light. A variety of focus modes are also available in the camera body, such as fine focus, wide area, and subject tracking, making them ideal for a variety of shooting situations, whether you are photographing nature on a camping trip or people in the family on vacation.
Camera bodies also provide more options for shooting, such as setting aperture priority or shutter speed. This makes it very easy to maximize light or incorporate visually appealing motion blur into a photo.
Removable memory cards are another advantage of camera bodies. Whether you’re writing files to an SD card or a CFExpress card, you can choose the right capacity and data rate to suit your needs and hot-swap them on demand while you’re in the field. With a smartphone, you only have what is in the internal memory. It can be annoying if you run out in the middle of photographing something.
To be fair, a camera body requires a lot more setup and a learning curve for the end user to get the right photo, while a point-and-shoot camera like the one on the back of a smartphone is almost all the thought for you. But that’s the beauty of it… a lot of people love the thrill and creativity that comes with manually typing in these settings and then viewing the fruits of their labor.
Choosing the right camera for you
As photographer Chase Jarvis once said, “The best camera is the one you have with you.” This could mean that you have a full size camera body with an expensive lens, or maybe you only have a smartphone or a cheap disposable camera. Not necessarily the equipment makes the best photos, but the creativity of the photographer.
If you don’t plan on making photography your shared hobby, but just want a pocket camera for casual photo shoots and social media posts, then a simple point-and-shoot camera like the one on the back of a smartphone will do. enough. Unless you’re pixel-peeping, you probably won’t even notice the loss of detail and noise that comes from software improvements to AI and digital zoom on smartphones.
Conversely, if you think of photography as a permanent hobby and want to take it to the next level, then you might consider investing in a dedicated camera body. While smartphone camera systems are getting better and narrowing the gap between professional camera bodies and point-and-shoot cameras year after year, they are still limited in comparison.
The benefits offered by a dedicated camera body can seriously enhance your shooting workflow, offering a wealth of customization and hardware flexibility you won’t find on a regular smartphone. When mastered, they can also help you take better pictures with more attractive image quality.
Summarizing
Personally, I use both my iPhone and a Nikon mirrorless camera when I’m out and about, but obviously there are times when it’s not practical to carry a larger camera around. That’s where Javris’ quote applies and I’ll take my iPhone 14 Pro Max.
What camera do you use on a regular basis? We would love to hear from you in the comments section below.