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

[Moakesy]

The other consideration that I've not seen mentioned is durability. The iPhone is waterproof / dustproof to a higher degree than a lot of low and mid range DSLR's.

I used to shoot a higher end Nikon DSLR and used it a lot for outdoor sports during the UK winter (so very wet). Even though the lenses and camera had weather proofing, there were times when the conditions really pushed the camera.

When the 11 Pro came out, as I wasn't using the camera enough any more I sold all my kit and went purely iPhone.

After 8 months or so, my feelings now are:

Pros
> Camera is always on me
> Night mode is great
> It's small and light
> I'm not losing the moment by getting it out the bag, changing lenses etc
> People aren't intimidated by seeing a big 'proper' camera
> The cost of the new iPhone is far less than what I sold my camera gear for, so my bank balance is up!
> Images are perfectly adequate for 98% of the shooting I now do

Cons
> Poorer overall quality
> Far worse optical zoom range
> I used to shoot fully manual on my cameras, so miss the control / skill aspect sometimes
> I've lost a hobby I enjoyed, even though I rarely had the time to do it

Given the choice, I wouldn't go back to having a full camera setup. The investment required is in the thousands of £, and whilst the quality is much better, you have to be ready in advance to shoot great shots. You cannot be spontaneous unless you leave the camera out of the bag all the time.

Finally, regarding iPhone 12. No-one knows what new camera features will be, but it will be no worse than the 11. There could well be improved optical zoom, Lidar sensor could give better 'software blur' (bokeh), maybe more software image processing is included. All phone manufacturers know that the camera is a prime reason for people to upgrade, so Apple are sure to do something with the 12.

I would recommend you wait. As I still have the cash left over from the sale of my camera great, it's always been my plan to sell the 11 Pro and buy a 12 purely for camera upgrades. But for you, the time gap is only a few months so it's worth waiting unless you really need it now.

 

[Savage]

The other consideration that I've not seen mentioned is durability. The iPhone is waterproof / dustproof to a higher degree than a lot of low and mid range DSLR's.

I used to shoot a higher end Nikon DSLR and used it a lot for outdoor sports during the UK winter (so very wet). Even though the lenses and camera had weather proofing, there were times when the conditions really pushed the camera.

When the 11 Pro came out, as I wasn't using the camera enough any more I sold all my kit and went purely iPhone.

After 8 months or so, my feelings now are:

Pros
> Camera is always on me
> Night mode is great
> It's small and light
> I'm not losing the moment by getting it out the bag, changing lenses etc
> People aren't intimidated by seeing a big 'proper' camera
> The cost of the new iPhone is far less than what I sold my camera gear for, so my bank balance is up!
> Images are perfectly adequate for 98% of the shooting I now do

Cons
> Poorer overall quality
> Far worse optical zoom range
> I used to shoot fully manual on my cameras, so miss the control / skill aspect sometimes
> I've lost a hobby I enjoyed, even though I rarely had the time to do it

Given the choice, I wouldn't go back to having a full camera setup. The investment required is in the thousands of £, and whilst the quality is much better, you have to be ready in advance to shoot great shots. You cannot be spontaneous unless you leave the camera out of the bag all the time.

Finally, regarding iPhone 12. No-one knows what new camera features will be, but it will be no worse than the 11. There could well be improved optical zoom, Lidar sensor could give better 'software blur' (bokeh), maybe more software image processing is included. All phone manufacturers know that the camera is a prime reason for people to upgrade, so Apple are sure to do something with the 12.

I would recommend you wait. As I still have the cash left over from the sale of my camera great, it's always been my plan to sell the 11 Pro and buy a 12 purely for camera upgrades. But for you, the time gap is only a few months so it's worth waiting unless you really need it now.

Thanks. On the note of manually shooting, aren’t there some advanced camera apps that can do this? Are those good?

I ordered the phone in 256gb with their upgrade plan so I can get the 12. I really want to start documenting more of the DIY work to my truck and I really just can’t find the motivation to use the DSLR anymore. I know I’ll be losing some money by not just waiting for the 12, but I’m fine with that.

 

[akash.nu]

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

Not bad. That kind of videos can easily be done with the iPhone. In fact if you want to have better sound quality then there are small mics available specifically to create smartphone videos.

Thanks for reaching out on Instagram. Excited to see your trip.

 

[tripleburst]

There are plenty of cameras between the iPhone and DSLR. Not sure why it's only between the 2. I've been shooting with the iPhone for the past year and there's always that certain "look" I'm missing. Just realized I needed shallow depth of field. And the image from a 1" sensor just has that refinement I'm looking for especially with color profiles. I recently jumped on the Sony ZV-1 bandwagon. It's just as portable, good image stabilization and cheaper than an iPhone pro.

I'm sure you'll be fine with the iPhone Pro using Filmic Pro to shoot and Lumafusion to edit (both recommended apps). And yes 64GB will not cut it for editing on your phone or ipad.

 

[nburwell]

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?

Personally, I like it because I avoid having to deal with privately selling my "old" iPhone each year. All I have to do now is order the new iPhone when it's released and then send the old iPhone back to Apple in the pre-paid box they provide.

 

[Moakesy]

Thanks. On the note of manually shooting, aren’t there some advanced camera apps that can do this? Are those good?

I ordered the phone in 256gb with their upgrade plan so I can get the 12. I really want to start documenting more of the DIY work to my truck and I really just can’t find the motivation to use the DSLR anymore. I know I’ll be losing some money by not just waiting for the 12, but I’m fine with that.

Great that you’ve ordered on the upgrade plan.

you can manually control aspects of the shooting, but because it felt like software manipulation rather than real mechanical changes, I’ve not been inclined to play around with them.

to be fair, I’ve no idea what they do or how they actually work, as it’s not a real dial or a button I’ve not even looked.

 

[Savage]

I’m gonna return it tomorrow. 🙃

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Personally, I like it because I avoid having to deal with privately selling my "old" iPhone each year. All I have to do now is order the new iPhone when it's released and then send the old iPhone back to Apple in the pre-paid box they provide.

It’s an incredibly expensive premium for that ability though. Apple love that some are willing to pay the equivalent of two years worth of payments in just 12 months, but as long as it works I suppose.

 

[akash.nu]

It’s an incredibly expensive premium for that ability though. Apple love that some are willing to pay the equivalent of two years worth of payments in just 12 months, but as long as it works I suppose.

How’s it 2 years worth of payment in 12 months?

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

How’s it 2 years worth of payment in 12 months?

Well the payments are just over double what you can pay for the same phone on a 2 year contract. An iPhone 11 Pro here is £56p/m plus a data plan on iUP.

 

[akash.nu]

Well the payments are just over double what you can pay for the same phone on a 2 year contract. An iPhone 11 Pro here is £56p/m plus a data plan on iUP.

When I last checked, the carrier contracts with upfront down payment almost equals to the same amount as paying for IUP plus decent sim only contract. Do you have any examples? I might choose to go that route in the future.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

When I last checked, the carrier contracts with upfront down payment almost equals to the same amount as paying for IUP plus decent sim only contract. Do you have any examples? I might choose to go that route in the future.

Don’t forget I’m in the UK and we pay a lot more than the US, certainly in terms of the phone. Our plans are cheaper however. If I could get an iPhone every year for only £35 a month then I would be doing it without a doubt.

 

[akash.nu]

Don’t forget I’m in the UK and we pay a lot more than the US, certainly in terms of the phone. Our plans are cheaper however.

Yep so am I. The total cost of owning a device over 2 years coupled with the convenience of not having to deal with private buyers is what pushed me towards opting for IUP. Which carrier is giving you an iPhone 11 Pro for £35 a month?

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Yep so am I. The total cost of owning a device over 2 years coupled with the convenience of not having to deal with private buyers is what pushed me towards opting for IUP. Which carrier is giving you an iPhone 11 Pro for £35 a month?

I don’t have an 11 Pro for £35 a month. I’m on O2 and would be paying £60+ had I opted for one. It’s these sky high prices that have pushed me towards buying last years model with my last two upgrades. I might break that trend this year but not interested in the Pro’s.

 

[akash.nu]

I don’t have an 11 Pro for £35 a month. I’m on O2 and would be paying £60+ had I opted for one. It’s these sky high prices that have pushed me towards buying last years model with my last two upgrades. I might break that trend this year but not interested in the Pro’s.

I see, fair enough. I generally upgrade every year and travel a lot. So a carrier contract is a bit of a nightmare for me with locked down devices and not being able to just hop on to another network when I need to.

Plus the cost difference is like an extra £15 a month for me if I take out the extra I pay for data connection on my Apple Watch. That’s pretty negligible compared to the benefits and the freedom I get with an unlocked phone and the ability to upgrade either every year or if I want to keep it for 2 years or more then I’m just paying off the total amount for the device, plus let’s not forget AppleCare + is included.

A sim only contract also gives me the flexibility on the other side as well in case I ever decide to switch my devices.

Flexibility is the key

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I see, fair enough. I generally upgrade every year and travel a lot. So a carrier contract is a bit of a nightmare for me with locked down devices and not being able to just hop on to another network when I need to.

Plus the cost difference is like an extra £15 a month for me if I take out the extra I pay for data connection on my Apple Watch. That’s pretty negligible compared to the benefits and the freedom I get with an unlocked phone and the ability to upgrade either every year or if I want to keep it for 2 years or more then I’m just paying off the total amount for the device, plus let’s not forget AppleCare + is included.

A sim only contract also gives me the flexibility on the other side as well in case I ever decide to switch my devices.

Flexibility is the key

Yeah it’s different for everybody. I like to negotiate my contracts and don’t like being told what I have to pay with a fixed plan. Plus I don’t want to be forced to pay for AppleCare+ when my phone is covered on 2 other policies anyway. Everything about the iUP for my needs is overpriced, but appreciate it has its market.

 

[Steven-iphone]

Being new to this - can you use an external device, USB drive to offload video from the iPhone?

 

[sundialsoft]

whatever you decide you need to have your image backup sorted out. I often take a small laptop with me just so I can back up SD cards from my DSLR. On proper holidays I take a DSLR most days and use the iPhone where it's not appropriate to have the Nikon with me. I pay Apple a tiny amount to have extra iCloud storage.

 

[HDFan]

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

You can save quite a bit of money via a private sale, depending on the device and the market. On the upgrade plan you are paying full price for the phone, but do get to upgrade every year. If, instead, you sold your existing phone and bought a new phone the money you receive from the sale would reduce the cost.

I just looked at eBay at a maxed out Pro Max and listings have sold for a price larger than that if if bought new at apple. Lots of listings at ~900 which is just 500 less than apple's price. But there is risk, you need to know what you are doing. So it's convenience (upgrade plan) vs saving money. I used to sell my phones, now I'm on the plan. It is too much bother.

 

[jaduffy007]

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?

Not for me, but the Sony Experia 1 ii might be.

 

[chengengaun]

...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?

Great discussion above that benefitted me personally too!

I am not too certain what I will recommend until I read this. I will say go with the phone.

It will take a long time to master a DSLR (even a basic one) and use it to its maximum capability. If you can't control a DSLR by heart and without taking your eyes off the viewfinder, I will say chances are you will not make better pictures with it than with a newer iPhone.

There is a lot of friction between you and great pictures when you use a DSLR - the form factor and weight, camera controls, file management and editing. It takes a lot of practice to be able to turn on the DSLR, adjust the settings and focus, take 3 (usable) shots and put the camera down all in 2 seconds. And to be able to revisit the scene when you sit down in front of your PC, sort out the photos and choose the best one.

All this friction is greatly diminished with iPhone, which means you can focus on making great pictures and videos instead of battling the tool (which is supposed to help you make better pictures!). Traveling is stressful and it is not helpful to add another layer to it. On the other hand, you can enhance the pictures and videos much through compelling storytelling.

Looking forward to hearing your story! Subscribed to your channel.

 

[Savage]

I'm now considering a mirrorless camera like the M6 Mark II.

I know I probably sound crazy going back and forth like this, but this is what I do for my "big" decisions. Lots of research and usually unable to make up my mind.

Why a mirrorless? Isn't that going to give me the same issues I have with using the DSLR? Yes, it would. But I'm reading that they put out great video quality and later this year Canon is going to really up the ante with their mirrorless line. Sticking with Canon, I will be able to use the 3 lenses I already have for my DSLR.

But then I'm still stuck learning how to use it, using a SD card to move files to my Windows laptop, and not easily editing with iOS. You can use their phone app to move your files, but I read that that app is a piece of crap that is hardly worth attempting to use.

This trip is obviously huge for us. It will be at least 3 years long, if not longer. I just don't want to take the wrong route with my device.

I have the iPhone 11 Pro in hand now, and the camera quality appears to be amazing over my X, as expected. But what if the M6 isn't hard to learn? What if I can use better accessories with it? What if the beautiful Tamron 10-24mm wide angle I already have is worth using a mirrorless? https://www.tamron-usa.com/product/lenses/b023.html

And then there's one more curveball. Could the new GoPro 8 be perfect for me? With their new media mods? Ahhhh.

 

[noobinator]

Keep it simple, otherwise you might end up more time tinkering with electronics on your trip than actually enjoying it. iPhones have excellent video (best in the business) with no extra learning or cost necessary.

I (over)analyze all my purchases too and am trying a new mantra of keeping it simple to enjoy some other parts of life more.

 

[Savage]

Keep it simple, otherwise you might end up more time tinkering with electronics on your trip than actually enjoying it. iPhones have excellent video (best in the business) with no extra learning or cost necessary.

I (over)analyze all my purchases too and am trying a new mantra of keeping it simple to enjoy some other parts of life more.

This is good advice. Simple is good, especially for what I'm doing.

We've sold most of our assets. Things we couldn't part with are in a storage unit.

Electronics wise, we will have her iPhone X, her iPad Pro, my Razer Blade (unless I ditch it for iOS), and my iPhone 11 Pro OR my iPhone X + our DSLR OR a new mirrorless. Both cameras would mean 3 lenses, a large Rode mic, a camera charger, 4 batteries or more, large tripod, etc.

I feel like the clear winner is the iPhone, maybe even the GoPro. But damn, why am I so indecisive, even when it is clear I've been leaning toward the iPhone.

What do you guys think about using my X to film with an external wide angle lens? 1080p is good enough for YouTube, right? If my wife and I have watchable personalities, would viewers really "notice" if we are using the X over the Pro or a real camera? (I say "notice" because of course they would, but content > production, to an extent, no?)
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If I watch one more YouTube video about all of this I'm going to become an expert, lol.

 

[mollyc]

I am an avid hobbyist photographer and used dSLRs for close to ten years and switched to mirrorless last year. I have oodles of gear.

I think for your use case, you should stick with your phone. You have limited storage and admittedly little interest in photography. It seems that you mostly want snapshots, not wall art (in fact you do not even have a wall on which to hang). I say stick with a phone and whatever accessories you might need to get the best quality photos and videos from it. Spend your time enjoying the nature and less time being bogged down learning an entirely new craft. 🙂