I completely forgot this option too🤦‍♀️ as I own a RX100 IV lol. The RX series is a great in between camera....lots of power and none of the bulk.
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iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11 pro vs DSLR
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I completely forgot this option too🤦‍♀️ as I own a RX100 IV lol. The RX series is a great in between camera....lots of power and none of the bulk.
I have a DSLR setup with L primes etc.. but 90% of the time or more the iphone is the camera that gets the shot.
For website social media youtube the phone is fine.
The DSLR is for technically challenging pictures such as sports photography, low ambient light photography where you need fast shutter and high ISO. Etc..
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It does because if has some fancy tricks up its sleeves. I really like using the iPhone, and using something like Filmic and color grading right there is quite amazing.
As a pro photographer and one who has been involved with photography for 56 years, I'd say that anyone who says the picture quality out of a cell phone (ANY cell phone) comes even close to what a DSLR can produce either:
A - Doesn't know how to properly use a DSLR or
B - Doesn't have the capability of distinguishing between the two (for whatever reason).
There really is no comparison and as far a sensor size goes, a phone would have to be much bigger than any cell phone anyone would want to carry in order to have the sensor that a DSLR has.
A - Doesn't know how to properly use a DSLR or
B - Doesn't have the capability of distinguishing between the two (for whatever reason).
There really is no comparison and as far a sensor size goes, a phone would have to be much bigger than any cell phone anyone would want to carry in order to have the sensor that a DSLR has.
I was once told a picture taken by an iPhone, with a little editing, can look awesome and close to DSLR quality. Yeah it’s not ideal but if you have your iPhone with you, especially the 11 Pro, not a bad idea either. The 11 Pro is night and day vs the X I had.
I've had a few cameras including film SLRs and then digital starting with the Olympus E-1. I then when to Micro 4/3 and then switched to the Sony full frame with an A7IIR.
But - such cameras are not around when I want to use them. I find it a bore to be at a dinner party or such and lugging any camera ... and the same for trips. And then there is the time it take me. Plan the shot, select the lens ... its a bore for me now.
When phones use all three lenses at once, then why spend a fortune on heavy beautiful glass, when three sensors and different lenses all taking the same shot will provide effects similar to a heavy lens operated by someone expert?
I am thinking of switching my just bought iPhone 11 for a Pro. And selling all my A7 gear, and the large collection of vintage and contemporary lenses I have. And think I'll buy a light weight super zoom for the tele shots that I can't get anyway with my A7RII as despite its large pixel count one still needs to fork out heaps to buy a 2kg super tele lens.
I now want to be able to take a quick shot straight away and there's only one way for a normal person to have a camera on them the whole time. Use their phone.
I'm going to do it I reckon. Sell the A7RII at christmas time and all the lenses individually.
And put some funds aside for a new phone camera every couple of years. The 11 pro is just the start of it I reckon. Apple and Samsung etc etc all have planned out the future for phone cameras and really its only just starting IMO. Nikon and Canon and the rest - they must be shaking in their camera cases I reckon.
Finally I computerised newspapers and put in Apple macs with an NT server and a whole lot of other gear ... that fault tolerant NT Server made by DEC (they've now gone i presume) has a fancy processor with over one million switches ie transistors one might call them. Well now, the iPhone has 8.6 billion of them ... or so its been claimed. That's quite incredible to me. Old methods of doing things are under threat IMO.
And I also have some fancy printers - a colour calibrated Eizo screen, an A2+ no fade Epson printer, etc etc etc. But if I want a photo printed large now - I can get someone else to do it. Cheaply. Or have it printed onto a wallpaper. Anything I like really. But the reality is, people now look at photos on their electronic devices. And how long do they spend looking at them? I reckon 5 seconds is a maximum. We are inundated with information now ... so the game is changing IMO.
Yep ... I'm going to take my 11 back (bought it three days ago) and get a Pro. I'm flying to Europe for 4 weeks (10 days of working) - tonight. From Melbourne Australia. I've decided not to take my A7RII camera, chargers, batteries, and lenses and lenses and lenses. I'm terrified of damaging them too. Dropping them, etc. is a continuous fear. I feel liberated that I won't have to worry about all that heavy and costly and vulnerable gear.
I'm gonna get rid of my old life hardware. It's just no fun for me anymore.
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One thing I find not so justifiable is after one has spent $1K or over on an iPhone with a pretty good camera is to spend another $1K plus for a camera that gets a rating of just 82%. For a camera to receive ratings over 90% and be at or under $1K seems quite unlikely
So I was actually wondering something similar..... I have an iPhone XS, wife has the 11 Pro Max (ill probably be upgrading in a few days) BUT we also have a Canon Rebel T3 somewhere in the house.
We have not used the rebel in well over a year. Actually I think it has not been uses extensively since the iPhone 7. Basically, the old adage the best cameras the one you have on you....
So, a 12 MP iPhone 11 Max vs a 12MP Canon from 2012-2013 era. Obviously sensor size will come in to play but I think I might dust the old DSLR off to see how it matches up.
Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions? I am really not sure what will take better pictures but I would imagine the DSLR will look better in post/editing.
We have not used the rebel in well over a year. Actually I think it has not been uses extensively since the iPhone 7. Basically, the old adage the best cameras the one you have on you....
So, a 12 MP iPhone 11 Max vs a 12MP Canon from 2012-2013 era. Obviously sensor size will come in to play but I think I might dust the old DSLR off to see how it matches up.
Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions? I am really not sure what will take better pictures but I would imagine the DSLR will look better in post/editing.
11 Pro has great camera for a smartphone but A7 III is a serious rig (in case you have nice set of lenses for it). Difference is actually extreme if you really know how to use real professional camera.
Even though many clients may not know the difference with the photos presented people still won't take you seriously if you don't use a DSLR for photography. They'd probably take you more seriously if you arrived with some off brand, garbage, DSLR than if you arrived with an iphone 11 pro.
NO WAY!!!!!!!!
iPhone is a great all rounder BUT it's NOT PRO!!! It's for taking photos of your friends, holidays, the same with video BUT it's NOT under any circumstance for client/professional/business use. Taking stuff on an iPhone for business would give you a true amateur look.
I travel the world doing digital marketing, nutrition & sport management. I use my iPhone X for everything BUT never in a million years for true client use.
You only have to look at video shot with the 11 Pro on YouTube to spot within 1 second that it's been filmed on a phone. It lacks the 'real' look. I can spot it instantly. It's good but it's not camera quality. It just has a different look about it and I really don't like it.
In short - the iPhone is the one thing that you can take with you for yourself. The camera is the one thing that you need for business/clients. Keep that SONY.
Remember the iPhone does 100+ things really well. It's the every day thing.
The SONY is designed to be a camera & it does that in another level!
In reality you only need 3 things - The camera, The iPhone and a MacBook Pro(with Apple TV for streaming your content to a OLED TV).
Agreed, to me the biggest downside to relying on any phone for pictures and video comes down to a few things. Number one is depth of field, I shot some video on my 11 pro last weekend and while yes it’s pretty good, sharp, and colorful, having literally everything in focus just doesn’t look right. You can’t beat an actual camera with something like a 50 1.4 with any cell phone. And of course, you can’t zoom in on anything like you can with a big 400 or 600mm lens.
Also the pictures and videos have this weird over-sharpened look to them, yet still seem to lack detail, don’t know how else to explain it.
And the last thing to me is the color, people seem to look way too orange, of course that’s something that can be improved in the future. I don’t know if it will ever be possible even many years in the future to replicate the depth of field and optical zoom capability of even the most basic consumer cameras.
Now of course they are doing amazing things with cell phone cameras on the computational side, but you can’t beat physics, big sensors and big glass will rule for a long long time.
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If you travel and have not allocated time to setup and/or change lenses on your DLSR these are good options. Taking a picture of a plane while rushing on the Tarmac to get ahead of the boarding line is not a place where you would normally use a DSLR. Or taking a movie as you go into a soaking waterfall. An iPhone works perfectly.
Some people are very sensitive to the slightest blur or flaw in a photo and want the highest quality, and are willing to risk losing a shot. Others want to capture the moment, even flawed. You have to decide which is most important to you. I'm in the latter category. Initially 100% DSLR, I ditched the DSLR because I lost too many shots. Now I'm about 60% iPhone and 40% RX10(0).
Here's a video with some comparisons, although with an older phone:
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Dear Pros,
The OP is clearly not a pro, so professional considerations need not apply. No art directors with loupes to satisfy, no gallery exhibitions to be critiqued.
Speaking as someone who has swung from amateur to pro and back several times over the past 50 years... I wouldn't carry anything as large as a FF DSLR today, any more than I would have carried a 4x5 Speed Graphic back when I was shooting candids for the high school yearbook.
I'm not shooting professionally these days, it's all about the joy of photography. As has already been stated quite eloquently, technical quality is not the only criterion; it's getting the shot. And, as always, the camera you have with you is the one that gets the shot. Despite having a "good" camera (MFT), I barely ever carry it - while it's far lighter than a FF DSLR, its kit of lenses plus a tripod still make it a chore - it turns a day hike into a backpacking expedition.
The camera(s) we carry have a strong influence on the type of shots we make. Give me a large sensor and a tripod and I'll give you long exposures of waterfalls, carefully-framed macro-focused flora, and telephoto-ed fauna. But it would be downright anti-social to stop to compose such images while on a group hike. If I'm out in the hills with friends or on my daily powerwalk in the park, quickly-composed "snaps" are the order of the day - medium shots and vistas for the most part (including the occasional in-camera pano). I'm far more likely to grab a fleeting moment of perfect lighting than to setup with tripod and cable release to wait for the light to change.
I know what it is to strive to deliver top-notch images (and music recordings) coupled with top-notch technical quality - in a professional environment you have to deliver it all, not just by halves. But my iPhone is more than capable of delivering highly satisfying images that fall short only if I begin to pixel-peep. I'm shooting for myself, my friends, family, and neighbors, not National Geographic. I'm shooting within the capabilities of the camera, not expecting it to do what it cannot. I'm applying my decades of skill to get the most out of a (relatively) limited tool. I daresay I manage to do more with an iPhone than many a DSLR owner manages to achieve, because in the end it's not the camera but the photographer that matters most. At least, I hope so.
The OP is clearly not a pro, so professional considerations need not apply. No art directors with loupes to satisfy, no gallery exhibitions to be critiqued.
Speaking as someone who has swung from amateur to pro and back several times over the past 50 years... I wouldn't carry anything as large as a FF DSLR today, any more than I would have carried a 4x5 Speed Graphic back when I was shooting candids for the high school yearbook.
I'm not shooting professionally these days, it's all about the joy of photography. As has already been stated quite eloquently, technical quality is not the only criterion; it's getting the shot. And, as always, the camera you have with you is the one that gets the shot. Despite having a "good" camera (MFT), I barely ever carry it - while it's far lighter than a FF DSLR, its kit of lenses plus a tripod still make it a chore - it turns a day hike into a backpacking expedition.
The camera(s) we carry have a strong influence on the type of shots we make. Give me a large sensor and a tripod and I'll give you long exposures of waterfalls, carefully-framed macro-focused flora, and telephoto-ed fauna. But it would be downright anti-social to stop to compose such images while on a group hike. If I'm out in the hills with friends or on my daily powerwalk in the park, quickly-composed "snaps" are the order of the day - medium shots and vistas for the most part (including the occasional in-camera pano). I'm far more likely to grab a fleeting moment of perfect lighting than to setup with tripod and cable release to wait for the light to change.
I know what it is to strive to deliver top-notch images (and music recordings) coupled with top-notch technical quality - in a professional environment you have to deliver it all, not just by halves. But my iPhone is more than capable of delivering highly satisfying images that fall short only if I begin to pixel-peep. I'm shooting for myself, my friends, family, and neighbors, not National Geographic. I'm shooting within the capabilities of the camera, not expecting it to do what it cannot. I'm applying my decades of skill to get the most out of a (relatively) limited tool. I daresay I manage to do more with an iPhone than many a DSLR owner manages to achieve, because in the end it's not the camera but the photographer that matters most. At least, I hope so.
I would like to see what camera scores in the mid 90’s for $1000 take or give after having spent $1K or so on an iPhone Pro with a pretty good camera. Another $1K on a professional camera should blow it out of the water in camera image differences when it comes to noise when a pictures is zoomed in on but is there one and is there that big of a difference? All the ones I see are like low 80’s to maybe mid 80’s. Like buying a B- to a B grade camera for $1K or more when one already has an iPhone the scores in the 90’s.
Don't focus on the ratings numbers. Those ratings only apply to cameras within a certain category. An '82' for a P&S or smartphone camera is not the same as an '82' for a full-frame DSLR. You can't compare the ratings for an orange to the ratings for an Apple.
Cost comparisons also don't add up. While one may spend $1000 on an iPhone, it's not a $1000 camera. It's a $1000 Swiss Army Knife - if you add up the value of each "knife blade" when compared to buying separate knives for each function, the value easily exceeds $1000. What's the real value of the P&S camera in an iPhone? $100-$400?
People are constantly comparing these things to DSLRs. I think it's far more useful to compare them to the price and capabilities of P&S cameras. As far as I'm concerned, there's no comparison - small-sensor P&S to small-sensor smartphone? That's why the P&S camera market is defunct.
The same arguments made today against smartphone cameras were made 10-15 years ago against P&S cameras. People who have invested thousands or tens of thousands on pro gear get defensive when their gear is compared to something worth a few hundred bucks. Of course there's a difference. If you need the specific capabilities of pro gear, a smartphone or P&S is no substitute, and the investment is necessary.
Pros, don't defend your hardware. It's just hardware, it has no feelings. If you need to feel defensive, worry about the artistic qualities. The photographers who can consistently produce great images with smartphones are also capable of turning out great images with a Hasselblad.
On the other hand, there are lots of folks with "serious" cameras who never begin to scratch the surface of what those things are capable of. It doesn't matter how sharp the lens or how good the sensor if camera shake makes a shot useless, or it's just such a mediocre composition that all the technical quality in the world can't save it.
I remember when P&S cameras were simple boxes with fixed-focus lenses and no shutter speed or aperture adjustments. Most shots taken were unusable for purely technical reasons - horrible exposure, excessive shake/blur, etc. Now we get auto-focus, optical image stabilization, and sophisticated auto-exposure from our "simple box cameras." Computational photography delivers highly-sophisticated image processing techniques without spending even a minute with Photoshop (or a dollar with Adobe). In short, it means a person with very little investment in cash or training can take one technically-decent image after another after another. I think that's fabulous. Everyone deserves to have good-quality snapshots of important (and trivial) moments in their lives. But it still takes something more to get a "Wow!" Photography is not a matter of what equipment you own, but what the photographer accomplishes with that equipment.
I sold my DSLR after getting my 8+. Obviously, my DSLR was better. Camera phones cannot compete with dedicated cameras. However, my 8+ performed at a level that satisfied my camera needs. I use it for pictures and videos of my kids mostly. I like the ability to only carry one device. Now I’m looking forward to using my 11.
this, and it’s not even close.
iPhone is starting to approach the quality of a good digital point and shoot, but that’s about it.
I own a Sony a7III. I also just upgraded to the 11 Pro as well.
Even though computational photography works magic nowadays, there is no way you can replace something like the Sony a7III with a camera phone.
The dynamic range, color reproduction, details, etc. is just not there on the phone when compare the two. Of course, it also depends on the lenses you use on your camera.
The question is: what do you use it for? If you just take pics to post on social media, then the iPhone 11 Pro will suffice. I had a X for almost 2 years and was able to get some amazing results in post even on that phone.
If you want to be able to just grab your camera and go shoot without caring too much for its bulk or weight, then get a phone.
Sony a7III is actually smaller and lighter than many other mirrorless cameras in the same category, but with a good versatile lens it’s quite a beast. However, if you know how to use it, the results are beautiful. Also, this camera does an amazing job by keeping the noise level to its minimum with extremely high levels of ISO, which makes it perfect for shooting in low light.
It all depends on what you want with your photography and what your priorities/preferences are.
Even though computational photography works magic nowadays, there is no way you can replace something like the Sony a7III with a camera phone.
The dynamic range, color reproduction, details, etc. is just not there on the phone when compare the two. Of course, it also depends on the lenses you use on your camera.
The question is: what do you use it for? If you just take pics to post on social media, then the iPhone 11 Pro will suffice. I had a X for almost 2 years and was able to get some amazing results in post even on that phone.
If you want to be able to just grab your camera and go shoot without caring too much for its bulk or weight, then get a phone.
Sony a7III is actually smaller and lighter than many other mirrorless cameras in the same category, but with a good versatile lens it’s quite a beast. However, if you know how to use it, the results are beautiful. Also, this camera does an amazing job by keeping the noise level to its minimum with extremely high levels of ISO, which makes it perfect for shooting in low light.
It all depends on what you want with your photography and what your priorities/preferences are.
2 pics for you here, one taken on a Nikon D3200 and the other taken 4 years later on an iPhone 8.
The best camera is the one you have with you at the time!
The best camera is the one you have with you at the time!
Good thread! Being an avid photographer and the owner of WAY too much DSLR equipment and high end P&S, think Sony RX series, I have to say the 11 Pro is astounding in terms of what it can do.
I recently "upgraded" from an original iPhone X which I thought was great for a phone. Even took it exclusively on our last two major vacations and was very happy with the results. Having now moved to the 11 Pro, I can honestly say I think this will be my go to camera 95% of the time.
As others talk about, it's always with me. It takes fantastic photos and frankly, unless your a pixel peeper your going to be happy with the results. Its actually beginning to disturb me how so many people look more at the "IQ" of the photo rather than the actual "quality" of the photo being taken if you know what I mean.
With all that said, if I was selling my work, I would probably still want\keep the DSLR as it is still a better option when your going out on the job with specific goals in mind. I would need the speed and lens versatility for stuff like that.
I recently "upgraded" from an original iPhone X which I thought was great for a phone. Even took it exclusively on our last two major vacations and was very happy with the results. Having now moved to the 11 Pro, I can honestly say I think this will be my go to camera 95% of the time.
As others talk about, it's always with me. It takes fantastic photos and frankly, unless your a pixel peeper your going to be happy with the results. Its actually beginning to disturb me how so many people look more at the "IQ" of the photo rather than the actual "quality" of the photo being taken if you know what I mean.
With all that said, if I was selling my work, I would probably still want\keep the DSLR as it is still a better option when your going out on the job with specific goals in mind. I would need the speed and lens versatility for stuff like that.
Some excellent points made here. I view an iPhone (or Android) as a pocket computer that can also take pretty decent pictures. I have a Nikon D90 (11 years old) but take it almost nowhere due to size and weight. I am not a professional photographer but enjoy taking pictures. The pleasure I have brought to friends and family at a party or dinner by being able to show them a photo of an event they were reminiscing about less than one minute earlier is great. I can locate a photo taken 10 years ago via Photos on my iPhone or Google Photos on my Android very fast.
Use the tool you enjoy and don't find a burden to have with you as you go about daily life. Obviously if your income depends upon photos, that is a different story. For many of us, a good phone can serve us well in many cases.
Use the tool you enjoy and don't find a burden to have with you as you go about daily life. Obviously if your income depends upon photos, that is a different story. For many of us, a good phone can serve us well in many cases.
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I was in Lucca Comics last friday, For self-provocation I took only the 11 pro, not the canon 77d with lenses etc etc.. and it was funny, cosplay, portrait mode, ultra wide, 1st camera ... aim and shoot ... no setting, subjet not waiting, very few peoples wait you shoot the photo or came into your photo because they live on the moon with their head…
There's no one answer on this. Some people value convenience (vs quality), some value the experience etc. There's really no scenario where the iPhone can compete on quality. But it's so convenient, so portable, the computational element really makes the most of what it's got, and it's so easy to share, which is often the reason we take photos.
You have to look at your priorities and choose accordingly. Keep in mind... To get the most out of a nice camera, you need really nice lenses. It's a $5000+ commitment.
If you want to sell the camera just to afford the iPhone, I wouldn't say that's a wise choice.
You have to look at your priorities and choose accordingly. Keep in mind... To get the most out of a nice camera, you need really nice lenses. It's a $5000+ commitment.
If you want to sell the camera just to afford the iPhone, I wouldn't say that's a wise choice.