Proof that our point-n-shoot is now point-less

[Mr Kram]

in the end, i guess it depends on your needs and what you perceive to be acceptable quality. i use the iPhone when i have to or if i want to post something to Facebook or twitter instantly. however, when i travel or when i know i'll be taking a lot of pictures, i will always tote along my dslr and/or my p&s. as mentioned before, optical zoom and low light handling are big concerns for me. and for the record, 3x zoom is much better than no zoom at all.

 

[climber20]

These were shot about half an hour before sunrise.

First photo, iPhone with no zoom, cropped to a quarter of the original size. Second photo, Canon S90 shot at 4 megapixels (less than the iPhone's resolution) and also cropped to a quarter of the original size. There's no question as to which image is preferable.

In good light, the iPhone works great. In lighting situations like these, it's garbage. All tools have their limitations.

 

[gaz81]

I used to have a Canon S95, and no phone would be able to touch it.

However you have to compare apples to apples (pardon the pun!)

Regardless of the optical zoom the sensor size is much bigger in something like an S95. Same goes for comparing a compact to a DSLR or even a 1.6 crop DSLR to full frame.

Suppose it comes down to what you have to hand, I don't carry my 1D or NEX around all the time... But chances are I'll have my iPhone on me

Now an iPhone that could produce RAW files... That would be interesting!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_sensor_format

Just in case anyone is wondering, I think my iPhone can take good photos

 

[MVRL]

Nope, my point & "shoot" is still way superior

cuz it actually "shoots" XD

 

[gcortes]

The only problem with Camera phones, They are only Digital Zoom. And Digital Zoom quality is pretty horrible.

P&S's will always be superior in quality. Although, iPhone camera is incredible.

You're right about the P&S. An SLR camera with quality glass would be a lot better than a P&S. With the camera phones getting better on the low end and SLR's getting cheaper on the high end, P&S camera may get squeezed out of the market.

 

[fjrabon]

These were shot about half an hour before sunrise.

First photo, iPhone with no zoom, cropped to a quarter of the original size. Second photo, Canon S90 shot at 4 megapixels (less than the iPhone's resolution) and also cropped to a quarter of the original size. There's no question as to which image is preferable.

In good light, the iPhone works great. In lighting situations like these, it's garbage. All tools have their limitations.

the S90 is a pretty amazing P&S. I always use it as a good example of how dumb the megapixel war is.

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No, ALL pictures produced from the iPhone 4S are on the warmer side, which is what I was saying. You interpreted that I was still characterizing the photo. Take a look over at the 4S pictures thread and all the photos are washed with reddish brown tinting.

A) Looking over your original post, it's nearly impossible to interpret any other way. If you meant differently, then you should have worded it differently.

B) This picture I took today isn't really warm:

 

[MadGoat]

Nope, my point & "shoot" is still way superior

cuz it actually "shoots" XD

Image

Silly Americans and their guns

 

[Diode]

These were shot about half an hour before sunrise.

First photo, iPhone with no zoom, cropped to a quarter of the original size. Second photo, Canon S90 shot at 4 megapixels (less than the iPhone's resolution) and also cropped to a quarter of the original size. There's no question as to which image is preferable.

In good light, the iPhone works great. In lighting situations like these, it's garbage. All tools have their limitations.

S90 is an incredible P&S and not really a fair comparison - it beats a lot of older DSLR's.

/I love my S95....

 

[JRoDDz]

Silly Americans and their guns

When you take away our guns, you take away our freedom.

 

[urkel]

I used to have a Canon S95, and no phone would be able to touch it.

However you have to compare apples to apples (pardon the pun!)

Regardless of the optical zoom the sensor size is much bigger in something like an S95. Same goes for comparing a compact to a DSLR or even a 1.6 crop DSLR to full frame.

The comparison of an iPhone vs an S95 is valid because this is how they market it, this is what Apple fans brag about and this is the thread title.

My primary is a Canon 7D but I had an S95 and got rid of it because I believed the hype that this could replace it. But in reality then it's a great cellphone camera but it's being mismarketed as a true P&S replacement.
- Battery drain is ridiculous
- No zoom means it has limitations that a point and shoot doesnt
- It may be five-glass but its small glass
- Low light quality may be improved over the 4, but still very poor even on 4s

Dont think this is a bash against the 4S because I love it but I feel this whole "You dont need a point and shoot anymore" angle isn't very accurate. I think the more realistic approach is to call it a supplement to your camera rather than a replacement.

 

[richpjr]

No, because most of us don't have DSLRs. I'm not interested in spending hundreds of dollars on a camera where most features will go unused.

Hundreds? Hehe - I wish. Add another zero on there!

----------

You're right about the P&S. An SLR camera with quality glass would be a lot better than a P&S. With the camera phones getting better on the low end and SLR's getting cheaper on the high end, P&S camera may get squeezed out of the market.

I definitely think sales of P&S cameras will be affected by those casual shooters who don't need or can't tell the difference, but a camera bolted onto a phone will have a hard time competing with a dedicated camera, even an inexpensive P&S.

 

[Pipper99]

Try bringing it to a rock concert, sporting event, or Disneyland where you want to get a closer shot and see where it can take you. Or even a bar at night. Not to diss the 4S' camera capability, but this talk has been around since the SE K800 and Nokia 82/95 days when they had great photo quality for a cameraphone for their time. A current cameraphone can make a great substitute but not always a true replacement.

Agreed. When I was on the top row at a baseball game last week, I was pretty limited with the 4s. My p&s goes wider than the iPhone, too.

 

[MVRL]

Silly Americans and their guns

(I am actually Canadian.. same as you)

one more thing

once you've felt the recoil and the power/sound of a 50cal, you simply can't go back

nothing can replace it, not iphones, not games, not sex

 

[tigerfan41]

Try bringing it to a rock concert, sporting event, or Disneyland where you want to get a closer shot and see where it can take you. Or even a bar at night. Not to diss the 4S' camera capability, but this talk has been around since the SE K800 and Nokia 82/95 days when they had great photo quality for a cameraphone for their time. A current cameraphone can make a great substitute but not always a true replacement.

This is true; however, I'd think for those sorts of events (concerts, sports etc.), you wouldn't want a basic point and shoot anyway. You'd want one that had a good zoom lens or else the picture quality would still be pretty terrible. For what it's worth, I was front row at a rock concert recently and took only my Droid X for pictures--and it worked alright even with slight zoom. I can only imagine how good the pictures would be had I had my iPhone 4S at the time.

 

[mkruck]

(I am actually Canadian.. same as you)

one more thing

once you've felt the recoil and the power/sound of a 50cal, you simply can't go back

nothing can replace it, not iphones, not games, not sex

LOLZ. Gotta disagree with you on sex. Courtesy of the Marine Corps, I've used everything from the Beretta Pea Shooter up to the 20mm M197 Cobra Gatling Cannon.

I'll take sex any day.

 

[Ronnoco]

Love the camera in the 4S

 

[antman2x2]

Cuteness overloadddddd