
IPhone Killed The Camera Star - akumen
http://osito.io/post/73509711020/iphone-killed-the-camera-star
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prof_hobart
>The Best Camera Is The One That’s With You — Chase Jarvis

This statement, and the frequency it appears, bugs me. To some extent it's a
bit of tautology (a camera you've got with you is going to get a better photo
than one you don't have with you - you don't say).

But whenever it's used, it's almost always in a context that seems to suggest
"there's little advantage in having a different camera with you, as you've
already got one in your phone". And depending on what type of photos you're
trying to take, that's simply not true. I love my iPhone camera, and I take
tonnes of (in my view) perfectly adequate photos on it. But that's not really
impacted on when/how I use my DSLR.

If you're after a reasonable snapshot of a famous building, or of your mates
down the pub, then sure your iPhone camera is going to do the job fine. But
you never needed a DSLR to take those types of photo either. Digital compacts,
and before them film-based compacts, have been more than adequate for the vast
majority of those kinds of photos for a very long time.

The SLR, and cameras like the OM-D, can be used for those shots obviously. But
the real reason for them is to get more control - in terms of aperture/shutter
speed, choice of lens etc - or to get access to things like higher quality
lenses. And particularly in the control area, smartphone cameras simply can't
compete. I've lost count of the amount of times I've been out somewhere and
seen something that I've thought would make a fabulous photo with my SLR, but
becomes utterly uninteresting as an iPhone shot. I can't frame it properly (at
least without doing a quality-sapping digital zoom), or I can't control the
dof, or whatever. If you're trying to do decent arty shots, it's usually
pretty much down to luck as to whether your smartphone is going to help you
take them.

tl;dr - the people stopping using their DSLRs because they now have an iPhone
should probably have bought a cheap compact instead of their DSLR in the first
place.

~~~
akumen
It is a cliche but a true statement. A lot of people bought and don't use
their cameras because they are too lazy to carry them around. It is easier to
leave your camera at home now that your smartphone can take a decent photo in
most situations.

In the film days you had to carry a small compact or you wouldn't have any
photos ;) In the early smart phone days ... same, a small digital compact or
best you'd end up were some grainy VGA shots. Now ... most smartphone can
produce a decent result.

I could never explain the explosion of DSLRs among the general public that
left the mode dial on "Auto" the entire time. It was fashionable and I guess
camera makers did a great marketing job.

~~~
prof_hobart
For compacts, I'd agree. But most articles, like this one, pretend it's true
for DSLRs or similar. And that's simply not true, or even close to true.

Like I say, the people who have replaced their DSLRs with smartphones didn't
need a DSLR in the first place.

~~~
akumen
Exactly, if a smartphone can replace a DSLR then you did't really need one in
the first place. Hence, the idea that DSLRs are not going to be sold to the
general public anymore and will return to be a niche product for
enthusiasts/pros.

~~~
prof_hobart
But then you didn't need a DSLR before the camera phone arrived either.

