iPhone 11 Pro Would the 11 Pro make a good DSLR replacement for full-time travel?

[Savage]

I’m thinking about switching to the 11 Pro as my primary camera for photo and video. I’m pretty out of the loop on recent iPhone stuff, so I was hoping I could get some advice first.

I’ve been using the original X since it launched and I love it. I always tell people I won’t upgrade it until it dies. While I still have no need for an upgraded iPhone itself, I’m considering dropping the DSLR for the 11 Pro to be able to have a single device.

Here are my questions:

1. Would the 11 Pro be a decent replacement for a DSLR while traveling? My wife and I will be living in our truck, full-time, while traveling North and South America. We will be documenting the multi-year journey in photos and YouTube videos. I currently take photos with my X and videos with a Canon Rebel T5i. Here’s the thing: I’m into the outdoors, not photography or video creation. I just want to capture our memories in photos (iPhone X has been sufficient) and occasionally make simple, but still well made, YouTube videos. I don’t know how to use a DSLR well, I don’t enjoy operating one, I don’t like moving files from the SD card, and I don’t need the power of video editing on my Windows laptop. Lastly, the less I can carry in my truck and on my person, the better. Both for weight management in the truck, and pack management while hiking etc.
2. Can simple, but still well made, YouTube tutorials and vlogs, be edited on the iPhone? I prefer working on iOS over my Windows laptop. My wife has an iPad Pro for when I need the bigger screen and Pencil. My videos will always be relatively simple. An intro graphic, music, decent looking cuts, and that’s really it. Is that realistic with iOS? I’m currently using Premiere Pro but I really don’t need all of those tools. If so, I can sell my Razer Blade (great device, BTW), and that’s another thing I don’t have to carry.
3. If I switch, how could I make it even better? Are there decent external mics on the market? Good audio is a must. Would the wide angle camera be enough to film inside the cab of a truck? Would I need an external lens? Would an external lens look crappy? iPhone gimbles and tripods are probably comparable to their DSLR counterparts, right?
4. Does the hard drive size matter anymore? Now that we all use iCloud, would the 64gb be enough for this? What would get stored on the phone instead of the cloud? Unfinished projects in apps like iMovie and Photoshop, or do those store in the cloud too?
5. If I got the 11 Pro for this purpose, would I be missing out by not waiting for the 12? It doesn’t sound like the 12 will be much better for photo and video, is that true? If I got the 11 Pro now but end up wanting the 12, how could I get the most money back from selling the 11? Are there good programs for that or would I be better off selling it privately?
6. Are there Instagram or YouTube pages that specialize in putting out great content solely with the 11 Pro? Can you guys point me to some?
7. Anything else? If there is anything else I should know, do tell. Thank you!

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

It would make a good point and shoot camera for your travels but if you’ve got a decent DSLR and have the opportunity to take some great photos then definitely use a DSLR. No amount of software editing and pixel duplication will match the image quality of an actual camera with good quality glass. If you plan on editing your photos in RAW then you’ll soon see the drawback of a phone camera sensor.

 

[maerz001]

Looks like you travel to remote areas with that truck. no network connection will of corse mean no icloud and other online storage.
64GB for videos isn’t a lot

 

[MarkX]

The fact that you've stated in your 1st paragraph that your iPhone X has been sufficient and that you purely want to capture memories leads me to believe that upgrading your X to the 11 pro would be ideal.

Of course a DSLR will get you better results but the since you've stated you dont like using one i get the feeling you dont really want to be taking one so go with the 11 Pro. It takes great pics and videos and will be more than enough to get those memories you will cherish for a lifetime. If your budget allows go for the 256gb though, you dont want to be caught short! Just imagine having only 64gb and filming in 4k but there is no phone signal/wifi to offload the cloud, your space available will disappear pretty quickly.

As your wife has an iPad you can use too along side your iPhone i'd say you are pretty well covered for picture and video editing! Whole movies have been shot and edited on IOS devices so you have nothing to be concerned about having only those two.

Enjoy your travels - I'm sure it will be awesome 👌.

 

[akash.nu]

It would make a good point and shoot camera for your travels but if you’ve got a decent DSLR and have the opportunity to take some great photos then definitely use a DSLR. No amount of software editing and pixel duplication will match the image quality of an actual camera with good quality glass. If you plan on editing your photos in RAW then you’ll soon see the drawback of a phone camera sensor.

Looks like you travel to remote areas with that truck. no network connection will of corse mean no icloud and other online storage.
64GB for videos isn’t a lot

I agree with both of these comments in your case.

Now coming to individual points from your post.

Here are my questions:

1. Would the 11 Pro be a decent replacement for a DSLR while traveling? My wife and I will be living in our truck, full-time, while traveling North and South America. We will be documenting the multi-year journey in photos and YouTube videos. I currently take photos with my X and videos with a Canon Rebel T5i. Here’s the thing: I’m into the outdoors, not photography or video creation. I just want to capture our memories in photos (iPhone X has been sufficient) and occasionally make simple, but still well made, YouTube videos. I don’t know how to use a DSLR well, I don’t enjoy operating one, I don’t like moving files from the SD card, and I don’t need the power of video editing on my Windows laptop. Lastly, the less I can carry in my truck and on my person, the better. Both for weight management in the truck, and pack management while hiking etc.

1. 
   
   Start by watching this video comparison.
   
   
   
   Even though it’s not exactly with the iPhone 11 Pro but most of those test cases are true for iPhone as well. This video also explains exactly what @The-Real-Deal82 mentioned in his comment about shooting in RAW.
   
   For your requirements, you can easily replace your DSLR with the iPhone 11 Pro. In fact I’ve done just that myself since last few years and the only time I miss having a proper lens is when I need to zoom into objects from afar. Modern Smartphones are pretty capable thanks to the vast improvements in computational photography.
   
   

   [*]Can simple, but still well made, YouTube tutorials and vlogs, be edited on the iPhone? I prefer working on iOS over my Windows laptop. My wife has an iPad Pro for when I need the bigger screen and Pencil. My videos will always be relatively simple. An intro graphic, music, decent looking cuts, and that’s really it. Is that realistic with iOS? I’m currently using Premiere Pro but I really don’t need all of those tools. If so, I can sell my Razer Blade (great device, BTW), and that’s another thing I don’t have to carry.

   
   Decent to proper production quality videos can definitely be shot and edited using an iPhone. Start by watching this video.
   
   
   
   

   [*]If I switch, how could I make it even better? Are there decent external mics on the market? Good audio is a must. Would the wide angle camera be enough to film inside the cab of a truck? Would I need an external lens? Would an external lens look crappy? iPhone gimbles and tripods are probably comparable to their DSLR counterparts, right?

   
   This really depends on what type of content you’re trying to shoot but I’d recommend on the following few accessories to get the most out of the iPhone.
   
   - Moments lens
   - A decent smartphone gimbal, a good example is here -
   - A decent portable but small tripod. Doesn’t need to be expensive. Even something cheap like this will do.
   
   SYOSIN Selfie Stick, Extendable Bluetooth Selfie Stick Tripod with Detachable Wireless Remote and Tripod Stand for Travel, Compatible with iPhone/Samsung/Huawei and More https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07V9CH33B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_PmC6EbEZPT5CF
   
   

   [*]Does the hard drive size matter anymore? Now that we all use iCloud, would the 64gb be enough for this? What would get stored on the phone instead of the cloud? Unfinished projects in apps like iMovie and Photoshop, or do those store in the cloud too?

   
   As @maerz001 has mentioned, if you’re going to be without WiFi for extended period of time then 64GB may not be enough, especially if you’re shooting a lot of videos. It really depends on your individual situation. Can’t comment on this anymore unfortunately.
   
   iCloud only works best if you can have decent WiFi / internet connection most of the times. Also, auto backup to iCloud only works when you’re device is connected to WiFi and is on charge.
   
   

   [*]If I got the 11 Pro for this purpose, would I be missing out by not waiting for the 12? It doesn’t sound like the 12 will be much better for photo and video, is that true? If I got the 11 Pro now but end up wanting the 12, how could I get the most money back from selling the 11? Are there good programs for that or would I be better off selling it privately?

   
   If you can hold out, I say wait for the next 3-4 months since the iPhone 12 launch is not too far away. Given the current situation of the world if you’re not immediately going to go away then you can check if either iPhone 12 Pro is worth your money or if not then at least you’ll get the iPhone 11 Pro for cheaper than now.
   
   

   [*]Are there Instagram or YouTube pages that specialize in putting out great content solely with the 11 Pro? Can you guys point me to some?

   
   Instagram and YouTube is full of them of course. Generally you’d find decent content on Instagram just by searching the following 2 tags -
   
   #iphonephotography
   #shotoniphone
   
   A bit of self promotion here , you’re more than welcome to check my page as well.
   
   
   

   Akash Nu (@akash_nu) • Instagram photos and videos

   796 Followers, 410 Following, 898 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Akash Nu (@akash_nu)

   instagram.com
   
   

   [*]Anything else? If there is anything else I should know, do tell. Thank you!

You might want to invest some time to learn how to edit pictures as well, in case you’re not well versed with it. Editing is as important if not more as the composition when it comes to Photography.

I’m a firm believer of the human behind the tools being more important than the tool itself.

View attachment 924736

Nice truck. If you can open a new thread in the general section of the forum and tell us about your journey, I’ll be an avid follower.

 

[ian87w]

The advantages of DSLR is the ability to switch lenses according to your needs. However, it comes at the expense of bulk and inconvenience. Do you have many lenses for your DSLR?

Also, another part is RAW. This is the strength behind DSLR/mirrorless. But it requires time and work (and learning curve) to get the most out of them, Do you shoot in RAW, or do you rely on simply shooting in JPEG and not do any post editing?

If you only have the kit lens that comes with the DSLR, and don't want to be bothered with editing RAW files, then yes, an iPhone can clearly replaces your DSLR. With smartHDR, an iPhone can produce a much better photo with excellent dynamic range straight out of the camera vs a default JPEG from a DSLR. Even better, the iPhone 11 lineup can do night mode, something that requires a lot of work on a regular DSLR (knowing about shutter speed, having a tripod, etc). On the new iPhone, it's a matter of flipping a mode and tapping a button.

With proper lenses, configurations, and editing, a photo from a DSLR can definitely be better than from an iPhone. But ease of use, convenience, and good enough quality straight without editing, iPhone wins imo.

 

[HDFan]

Now that we all use iCloud, would the 64gb be enough for this?

Depends on how many pictures you take until you can purge your iPhone. On a 3 week trip with maybe 60% iPhone pictures (ranging from ~400 KB to ~4 MB in size) 40% RX-10 (~21 MB is size) I have ~9000 pictures and between 100 and 150 GB of photos. If you add in all of the other stuff that I load my phone with for a trip (maps, apps, music, books) I easily fill its 512 GB.

You can't, and shouldn't, rely on iCloud to save your photos. Depending upon where you travel Wifi may be there but not fast enough to upload photos. I have gone weeks without being able to upload. There have been times where I have to get home before I can get them uploaded.

I generally backup my photos to my iPad when traveling in case something happens to my phone. When I get back I load all onto my local disk so I have my 3-2-3 backups.

 

[now i see it]

You already know what you want. So buy one. If you're on the fence, rent one for a week.

USA iPhone, iPad & Starlink Rentals - Dyal Rental

Dyal Rental offers iPhone and iPads for app development, business conference or an upcoming trip. Rent now if You’ve lost your iPhone or broke it.

www.dyalrental.com

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

You already know what you want. So buy one. If you're on the fence, rent one for a week.

USA iPhone, iPad & Starlink Rentals - Dyal Rental

Dyal Rental offers iPhone and iPads for app development, business conference or an upcoming trip. Rent now if You’ve lost your iPhone or broke it.

www.dyalrental.com

I’d feel a bit sick paying $150 to rent an iPhone 11 Pro for a week though, ouch!! lol

 

[akash.nu]

I’d feel a bit sick paying $150 to rent an iPhone 11 Pro for a week though, ouch!! lol

I can’t believe that business model being successful.

 

[jbachandouris]

Could you? Maybe. Will it be worth the hassle of trying to make a phone do what a camera was MADE to do? Most likely not.

64GB is not nearly enough for videos even if you have internet access the entire time.

I have an 11 Prom Max 256GB and I am still more satisfied with the pictures taken with my Canon 60D as bulky as it is. There's just no comparison and I'm not even shooting in RAW.

 

[ericwn]

I think as so often @akash.nu nailed it with his post. Not much to add up there.

Apple offers two weeks return policy so my recommendation is to test the phone now ahead of your trip to figure out if it’s enough of an upgrade for you in terms of camera over your existing phone.
I also strongly recommend you do plenty practice runs to get familiar with any equipment prior to the journey- learning when on the move could be frustrating.

I’d get plenty of storage - 64GB is nothing when you start recording 4K movies and the like. Get as much as possible. Use the iPad as a secondary storage for images and videos if you can.

Mobile devices are also one of the most important tools for travellers these days, so maybe a battery case or battery bank would be useful in the field.

All the best for the journey and happy shooting!

 

[CalMin]

A cell phone camera is not (and never will be) a replacement for a pro-camera, manual controls, large sensor, and great glass. However, cell phone tech has advanced to the point where the quality of the image and image processing resulting in images that are often more pleasing than a DLSR in automatic mode.

I used to use consumer-level DSLRs (Canon 300D, 40D, and then a 70D) but now they mostly collect dust. They literally only ever come out when I need a long (e.g. 300mm) zoom lens, and even then it's reluctant because of the bulk. I can shoot in manual mode for certain objectives, but because I'm not a pro, it can be hit or miss. The automatic mode shots are rarely better than what I get with an RX-100. This is a skills issue - and great equipment does not make me a better photographer.

Since the iPhone 11 Pro, I even leave the pocket-sized RX-100 at home. It has arguably a better sensor and lens, but the computational power of the iPhone 11 means that most of the time, the cell phone gets the "better" shot. And by better, I mean it's the one that I keep and share.

What it comes down to is how much effort do you want to put into your photography. Are you a photographer or do you want to just capture the moment? If it's the latter then ditch the DSLR because it will just get in the way.

 

[Marlon DLTH :)]

I’m a normal user and I don’t know too much about professional cameras, so I’m going to tell you my opinion based on that.

Would the 11 Pro be a decent replacement for a DSLR while traveling?

The difference between the X and the 11 Pro is huge. The image quality and noise reduction, the HDR, video stabilization, low light photography, all of that has been improved. So if you already like your iPhone X camera, you will be fine with the 11 Pro one.

Can simple, but still well made, YouTube tutorials and vlogs, be edited on the iPhone?

Yes, you can use LumaFusion.

Does the hard drive size matter anymore?

I think that if you’re going to do video editing, you will need more than 64gb.

If I got the 11 Pro for this purpose, would I be missing out by not waiting for the 12?

We don’t know how much Apple will improve the cameras on the iPhone 12. Some leakers have said about an improvement in Smart HDR, a higher number of megapixels, Night Mode on the ultra-wide and front camera, and the 3x telephoto. The LiDAR will also help with AutoFocus, portrait mode, and probably portrait mode in video. The base storage of the iPhone 12 Pro will be 128gb, and I think that could be the best for you

 

[Savage]

These replies have been very helpful, thanks everyone!

To those saying the DSLR would be better: I know the photos would be better and a phone will never compare. But I'm not in this for the best photos possible. The photos are just for my wife and I to remember this part of our lives. I'm not actually into photography, that is why I came up with the idea to switch to the phone instead.

Good to know about the hard drive size. I will get one bigger than 64gb. Not sure which yet.

I also don't know if I should start this now or wait for the 12. I'm not sure if I would really need the 12 over the 11 Pro. But I was looking into Apple's iPhone upgrade program -- maybe I should do that? Get the 11 Pro now and use the program to upgrade to the 13 for free next year?
[automerge]1592423567[/automerge]

I agree with both of these comments in your case.

Now coming to individual points from your post.

1. 
   
   Start by watching this video comparison.
   
   
   
   Even though it’s not exactly with the iPhone 11 Pro but most of those test cases are true for iPhone as well. This video also explains exactly what @The-Real-Deal82 mentioned in his comment about shooting in RAW.
   
   For your requirements, you can easily replace your DSLR with the iPhone 11 Pro. In fact I’ve done just that myself since last few years and the only time I miss having a proper lens is when I need to zoom into objects from afar. Modern Smartphones are pretty capable thanks to the vast improvements in computational photography.
   
   
   
   Decent to proper production quality videos can definitely be shot and edited using an iPhone. Start by watching this video.
   
   
   
   
   
   This really depends on what type of content you’re trying to shoot but I’d recommend on the following few accessories to get the most out of the iPhone.
   
   - Moments lens
   - A decent smartphone gimbal, a good example is here -
   - A decent portable but small tripod. Doesn’t need to be expensive. Even something cheap like this will do.
   
   SYOSIN Selfie Stick, Extendable Bluetooth Selfie Stick Tripod with Detachable Wireless Remote and Tripod Stand for Travel, Compatible with iPhone/Samsung/Huawei and More https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07V9CH33B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_PmC6EbEZPT5CF
   
   
   
   As @maerz001 has mentioned, if you’re going to be without WiFi for extended period of time then 64GB may not be enough, especially if you’re shooting a lot of videos. It really depends on your individual situation. Can’t comment on this anymore unfortunately.
   
   iCloud only works best if you can have decent WiFi / internet connection most of the times. Also, auto backup to iCloud only works when you’re device is connected to WiFi and is on charge.
   
   
   
   If you can hold out, I say wait for the next 3-4 months since the iPhone 12 launch is not too far away. Given the current situation of the world if you’re not immediately going to go away then you can check if either iPhone 12 Pro is worth your money or if not then at least you’ll get the iPhone 11 Pro for cheaper than now.
   
   
   
   Instagram and YouTube is full of them of course. Generally you’d find decent content on Instagram just by searching the following 2 tags -
   
   #iphonephotography
   #shotoniphone
   
   A bit of self promotion here , you’re more than welcome to check my page as well.
   
   
   

   Akash Nu (@akash_nu) • Instagram photos and videos

   796 Followers, 410 Following, 898 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Akash Nu (@akash_nu)

   instagram.com

You might want to invest some time to learn how to edit pictures as well, in case you’re not well versed with it. Editing is as important if not more as the composition when it comes to Photography.

I’m a firm believer of the human behind the tools being more important than the tool itself.



Nice truck. If you can open a new thread in the general section of the forum and tell us about your journey, I’ll be an avid follower.

Everyone added great replies and and I learned a lot. But wow, you went above and beyond! I need to go through your post separately and view some of those links. Also, I suppose a thread about my truck and travels could be a cool idea.

 

[neutrino23]

I suspect the 11 Pro will be great for you. I have one and love it. The dark mode pictures are awesome. If most of your photos are of people or people sized objects in good light it should be great. Where the DSLR excels is in specialized lenses and better quality pictures in low light. I have a beautiful 75-300mm L lens which is great for getting in close, but the bag with the camera and lenses weighs about 20 pounds, and you need separate batter chargers, spare batteries.

I like the idea posted above of a gimbal stabilizer for videos.

I sometimes use a flexible tripod like this:

Flexible Tripods for Phones & Cameras | JOBY

Discover a range of flexible tripods ideal for phones and DSLR cameras. Versatile, lightweight, yet strong and durable. The perfect addition for videographers.

joby.com

They are cool because you can wrap the legs around a tree branch or something to hold the iPhone. If you have an Apple Watch you can use that with a timer function to get yourself and the wife in the photo.

 

[Tsepz]

The fact that you've stated in your 1st paragraph that your iPhone X has been sufficient and that you purely want to capture memories leads me to believe that upgrading your X to the 11 pro would be ideal.

Of course a DSLR will get you better results but the since you've stated you dont like using one i get the feeling you dont really want to be taking one so go with the 11 Pro. It takes great pics and videos and will be more than enough to get those memories you will cherish for a lifetime. If your budget allows go for the 256gb though, you dont want to be caught short! Just imagine having only 64gb and filming in 4k but there is no phone signal/wifi to offload the cloud, your space available will disappear pretty quickly.

As your wife has an iPad you can use too along side your iPhone i'd say you are pretty well covered for picture and video editing! Whole movies have been shot and edited on IOS devices so you have nothing to be concerned about having only those two.

Enjoy your travels - I'm sure it will be awesome .

This!

Get the iPhone 11 Pro 256GB....heck even a 512GB if possible considering how long you plan on traveling.

 

[oVerboost]

My recommendation is to get a lightweight mirror less camera... all the performance of the DSLR but easier, lighter. Or even a Sony ZV1 or something might suit your needs better.

An iPhone can be a great camera, but it will never replace the quality you get from good glass.

 

[HDFan]

I’d get plenty of storage - 64GB is nothing when you start recording 4K movies and the like. Get as much as possible.

Pictures are great. But watching a 4K movie from a trip on a large screen is almost like being there again. I took a video of a stream in the High Sierras during spring runoff. The sound of the water crashing over the rocks, the colors of the light hitting the multicolored rocks as the water rolls over them, it is very relaxing. Looped it. The sound and visuals from the window as your plane takes off, the drums at the changing of the guards with the patter of the rain, the view from the train window as you travel through the fiords with the trees changing color and all of those waterfalls and raging rivers ...

A 40 second snipped (which seems to be about my average) is ~100 MB.

An iPhone can be a great camera, but it will never replace the quality you get from good glass.

Absolutely true. It depends which matters to you. There are multiple previous threads about this (Phone vs DSLR) which you might want to read. I posted a picture of a man and a donkey collecting garbage in the narrow streets of a small village. I thought the picture was fine, but the DSLR guys pointed out all of the flaws in the picture. How the hairs on the donkey were blurred. So its depends how important that is to you. I just don't want to hassle carrying around the 10 pound weight of my DSLRs and lenses anymore.

iPhone X camera for travel pics and video?

I want to travel light on my next trip, but I'd like to have at least very good travel pics and video. Would buying a dedicated camera like the SONY RX100 take substantially better pics and video than an iPhone X? If yes, then I would get something like that and also carry either an iPad mini or...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[loybond]

1. Would the 11 Pro be a decent replacement for a DSLR while traveling?

No one can really answer this for you, because it's entirely subjective. I suppose the question comes down to this... How much does quality matter to you? Are you willing to pay a price, in terms of money, bulk/weight, additional devices to charge etc.? For me, quality matters enough that I've spent and will continue to spend on full frame mirrorless cameras and high end lenses. But to get the most out of them, you really should learn how to use them properly and that will require a commitment on your part. So if you ask me for my opinion, based on everything you said, it sounds to me like you should stick with an iPhone. Honestly, hardware matters a whole lot less than composition and deliberate thought put into things. Yes, you have limitations, but real cameras do too.

1. Can simple, but still well made, YouTube tutorials and vlogs, be edited on the iPhone? I prefer working on iOS over my Windows laptop. My wife has an iPad Pro for when I need the bigger screen and Pencil. My videos will always be relatively simple. An intro graphic, music, decent looking cuts, and that’s really it. Is that realistic with iOS? I’m currently using Premiere Pro but I really don’t need all of those tools. If so, I can sell my Razer Blade (great device, BTW), and that’s another thing I don’t have to carry.

Yes they can. You can aid the production by using better sound equipment, lighting etc. The iPad pro can work for editing if you want it to, it's pretty powerful, and you have options like Luma Fusion and Premiere Rush. You may have to jump through some hoops and learn new tricks though. There's a few people on YouTube that use the iPad pro entirely for their YouTubing, podcasting etc.

1. If I switch, how could I make it even better? Are there decent external mics on the market? Good audio is a must. Would the wide angle camera be enough to film inside the cab of a truck? Would I need an external lens? Would an external lens look crappy? iPhone gimbles and tripods are probably comparable to their DSLR counterparts, right?

Composition, sound, lighting will go a long way. There's a few mic options that should work for you. The ultra wide lens (I'm guessing that's what you mean by wide) is very wide. It should suit any purpose you think an ultra wide is needed for in terms of field of view, but it is a small sensor, relatively slow aperture camera, so the quality is very inferior to the main camera. It's good enough in daytime but I wouldn't use it indoors or when the light drops. Also it does not have autofocus, so you can't get too close to it. The add-on lenses Like from moment can be good. With the 11 generation, I'm not sure you need a gimbal anymore, but the ones designed for phones are much smaller, lighter and cheaper.

1. Does the hard drive size matter anymore? Now that we all use iCloud, would the 64gb be enough for this? What would get stored on the phone instead of the cloud? Unfinished projects in apps like iMovie and Photoshop, or do those store in the cloud too?

It matters. If you're shooting 4k60 (and you should be), file sizes can be big. And you're sharing that space with lots of other phone stuff, unlike with cameras. 64gb to me is not usable for lots of video shooting. The cloud thing is not practical for actual work. You don't always have the strongest connections and it gets painful, as I learned while traveling. I don't think iMovie projects get full cloud storage, Photoshop has cloud.

1. If I got the 11 Pro for this purpose, would I be missing out by not waiting for the 12? It doesn’t sound like the 12 will be much better for photo and video, is that true? If I got the 11 Pro now but end up wanting the 12, how could I get the most money back from selling the 11? Are there good programs for that or would I be better off selling it privately?

They're saying possibly larger sensors, which is a huge benefit at times. The telephoto lens may actually get closer to being a real telephoto with a 3x zoom, something like 75 mm equivalent, which would be great imo. They're saying the 12 pro might have availability as late as November though. If you buy used now, you won't lose that much. If you're making money from your videos, this shouldn't be too much of a concern. Private sale always works for me, but I'm not in the US, safety etc. might be a concern where you live.

1. Are there Instagram or YouTube pages that specialize in putting out great content solely with the 11 Pro? Can you guys point me to some?

Content is always king. If you put out great content, people will watch you as long as your videos don't bother them, for example, crappy sound with lots of echo. There's a ton of YouTubers that use their phones. This guy Mikey Chen of Strictly Dumpling (does food videos) uses his phone and an rx100 (with terrible settings, really bad) and no one cares. 3.18 million subs and $100k a month. Then there's Sonny of Best Ever Food Review Show. He learned how they do food Network tv shows and replicated that style, check it out. He's got like 20+ people working for him. 5 million subs. He can probably grow more with that kind of production, we're still early in the YouTube thing and who knows how things will play out.

1. Anything else? If there is anything else I should know, do tell. Thank you!

I think phones have come a really long way. One by one, they keep finding solutions to fix every issue with tiny sensors. They have really limited dynamic range, so they have amazing HDR now, better than what most people get from Photoshop or Lightroom. They even took this tech to video. Extended dynamic range to me is amazing. The best cameras can't do that. Image stabilization fixed a lot of blurry shots, and with gyro data, you get gimbal like smoothness in video, especially at 4k60. But... There's a few areas where they fall short. They haven't found a way to increase colour depth. Cell phone pics lack colour, and that's the first thing that stands out to me. Same in video, but more so. The highlight roll off in video is very abrupt and sharp, which is unappealing. It can look unnatural because of the extended dynamic range. Low light video still sucks, and you can't get shallow depth of field in video. Yes Samsung has an option but it's not even close to good enough right now.

But it all comes down to this... Content is king. If you build an audience, you can upgrade as you need and your audience grows.

 

[Savage]

I appreciate the continued feedback. You guys are making it really hard for me to make a decision, which is a good thing.

Not meant to be self promotion, but here are my first two videos with the DSLR. I think I got a little better in the second one, but I really don’t know what the hell I’m doing with that camera. I feel like these videos can be done with the phone just as well? Any tips?

@akash.nu, I messaged you on IG with my travel account. This is me:

Wandering Winterfields (@wanderingwinterfields) • Instagram photos and videos

3,395 Followers, 573 Following, 293 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Wandering Winterfields (@wanderingwinterfields)

instagram.com

 

[noobinator]

Use your phone. You want captures of memories only so no need for a DSLR.

In addition, the shots on the DSLR could be worse quality if you don't take the time to know what you are doing. iPhone software does the majority of the work. With a a DSLR you'd be learning how to do the work to really see any of the benefits. Don't buy a DSLR to use as an automatic point and shoot camera.

 

[Savage]

Use your phone. You want captures of memories only so no need for a DSLR.

In addition, the shots on the DSLR could be worse quality if you don't take the time to know what you are doing. iPhone software does the majority of the work. With a a DSLR you'd be learning how to do the work to really see any of the benefits. Don't buy a DSLR to use as an automatic point and shoot camera.

I feel this. And for video, I can quickly review my clips, delete bloopers, and make cuts, even before I move into an editing program.

The advice here has been great. But I’m not really looking for professional quality shots. Just memories.

 

[noobinator]

I feel this. And for video, I can quickly review my clips, delete bloopers, and make cuts, even before I move into an editing program.

The advice here has been great. But I’m not really looking for professional quality shots. Just memories.

Yeah, definitely stick with a phone and get some higher storage if you may not be able to upload. It's entirely true that a DSLR can produce much better shots but it would be a steep learning curve and the results on smaller screens wouldn't be that evident. Don't fall into the trap a lot of people do and think just the fact that it's a DSLR they will get award winning shots by just pressing the shutter. There's a lot of learning, practice, and skill involved in getting the most out of a DSLR.

 

[Savage]

Do you guys think the Apple upgrade program is handy? I mean, it must be worth it, no?

Or do people get a decent amount from privately selling used phones?