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Author Topic: Why my next camera will be a phone, not a Z6  (Read 6387 times)

Peter McLennan

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Re: Why my next camera will be a phone, not a Z6
« Reply #20 on: May 19, 2020, 03:13:46 pm »

Wonderful light in the shadows, Peter.

Credit goes to ACR and the phone's DNG files. :)

Quote
I still use my DSLR for it's flip-out screen and great range of focal lengths (even if the zoom always seems to settle on 35 mm...).
Of course. There are many things a DSLR can do that my phone won't. Glad yours still gets used. Mine just sees a lot less use nowadays. For many things, the phone is more than good enough.
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Rob C

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Re: Why my next camera will be a phone, not a Z6
« Reply #21 on: May 19, 2020, 05:08:40 pm »

Rob, "sharing" an image immediately has amazing value.  Tweaking may or may not be valuable, but immediacy and informational content can trump IQ.

Agreed, the phone interface is horrible compared to a proper viewfinder.  However, phones have novel advantages over your favourite split-image rangefinder.  Voice-activated shutter, for example can be a godsend.  Inexplicably found only on phones. Who needs an effing cable release? Shooting a high angle (or somewhere else inaccessible) and can't see the viewfinder?  No problem.  Just say "shoot". Done.

And as for cute cats, well, sorry, I couldn't resist:



Nigel did this to me in the garden without warning.  My D800 was in the house.  My phone was in my shirt pocket.


Great shot, but I have bad news: Nigel has been fooling you: he ain't no cat, he's an acrobat.

:-)

Peter McLennan

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Re: Why my next camera will be a phone, not a Z6
« Reply #22 on: May 19, 2020, 07:11:56 pm »

Great shot, but I have bad news: Nigel has been fooling you: he ain't no cat, he's an acrobat.

He is that.

At the risk of this becoming a cat thread, here's Nigel at about six months, stretching his acrobatic skills



A good example of what a phone can't do: 200mm.

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jimh

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Re: Why my next camera will be a phone, not a Z6
« Reply #23 on: May 19, 2020, 07:20:16 pm »

I get the part about the convenience of the pocketable phone, and of being able to shoot without attracting attention.  And that's about it - I hate everything else about them. I have to put on reading glasses to use one, and out in the sun, I can't even see the screen, so it's useless.  Trying to hold it in one hand at arm's length, framing a shot while using the other hand to try and trigger the shutter - you gotta be kidding me.

For travel, I totally love my Nikon Z50 and a couple of lightweight lenses.  I'd never dream of giving up the ergonomics or the flexibility.  Think "cold dead fingers".

I wrote a blog post about why I think lenses are the reason 'real' cameras will always rule.  It's probably not of interest to you more experienced shooters, who already know all this, but here it is anyway.

[SELF_PROMOTION]
https://jimhphoto.com/index.php/2019/12/18/lenses-are-the-real-deal/
[/SELF_PROMOTION]

Peter McLennan

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Re: Why my next camera will be a phone, not a Z6
« Reply #24 on: May 19, 2020, 08:34:01 pm »

Trying to hold it in one hand at arm's length, framing a shot while using the other hand to try and trigger the shutter - you gotta be kidding me.

A perfect example of how voice activated shutter works for the photographer.
Why can't the majors figure this out?  It is SO useful.
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John R

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Re: Why my next camera will be a phone, not a Z6
« Reply #25 on: May 21, 2020, 01:46:17 am »

You guys should keep this going. I am really enjoying the discussion. And the images! For me, the inability to hold the phone steady for any serious use, like JimH said, is discouraging. I was looking for an adapter, which amounts to a cell phone holder/mount, so I can trigger the camera while steady. At this point, the cell phone is no longer compact. And it took a full year for me to realize I had a camera in my pocket. Doh... it takes a while to adapt to new technology that is so radical compared to the way we still use cameras. I got a cell phone because I got tired of cobwebs in filthy phone-booths. When the phone took my last few quarters and didn't allow me to make a call, and the operator told me to use my credit card for a 50 cent call, that was the last straw - for me - and that poor dilapidated phone!

JR
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Rob C

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Re: Why my next camera will be a phone, not a Z6
« Reply #26 on: May 25, 2020, 08:26:02 am »

I get the part about the convenience of the pocketable phone, and of being able to shoot without attracting attention.  And that's about it - I hate everything else about them. I have to put on reading glasses to use one, and out in the sun, I can't even see the screen, so it's useless.  Trying to hold it in one hand at arm's length, framing a shot while using the other hand to try and trigger the shutter - you gotta be kidding me.

For travel, I totally love my Nikon Z50 and a couple of lightweight lenses.  I'd never dream of giving up the ergonomics or the flexibility.  Think "cold dead fingers".

I wrote a blog post about why I think lenses are the reason 'real' cameras will always rule.  It's probably not of interest to you more experienced shooters, who already know all this, but here it is anyway.

[SELF_PROMOTION]
https://jimhphoto.com/index.php/2019/12/18/lenses-are-the-real-deal/
[/SELF_PROMOTION]

Absolutely agree, and the iPad is even worse from the ergonomic point of view (no pun etc.); these devices perform a great primary communication function, but to try to pretend they are universal photographic tools too is nonsense. In fact, when it comes to forming purchasing opinion within the non-camera aware group of buyers, downright misleading. Lies, in other words.

Peter McLennan

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Re: Why my next camera will be a phone, not a Z6
« Reply #27 on: May 25, 2020, 02:58:43 pm »

Normally, I'd not post anything here that wasn't at least close to "my best work", but this video is informative, if not fine art. So bear with me, please.

I'd owned the phone for a few days when I encountered this event and decided to shoot some test footage.  Note that, as part of the test, there's some slow mo of water, shot a half hour after sunset.  Lemme say that again, slo mo, hand held, a half hour after sunset.  With a phone.  Like I said, this is mostly a camera test.  If you're not watching this on a phone, turn up your speakers.  The sound is pretty good.  For a phone. :)

The IQ is not great, but there's lots to learn from the footage. Nor is the camera operating up to scratch.  I made the fatal, common mistake of trusting that tiny screen.  No post-stabilizing was used. Everything you see here was shot within about an hour.

We all know what happens when you pull out a camera.  Everything changes.  Usually, not for the better. 

In this case, nobody cared. "It's just some guy with his phone". In fact, I got a few smiles.  With a "proper" camera, that seldom happens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7uaGFLhbJs&feature=youtu.be



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loganphoto

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Re: Why my next camera will be a phone, not a Z6
« Reply #28 on: May 25, 2020, 06:06:01 pm »

Try shooting in raw.  Worked for me on android a lot.  The new iPhone HEIC image format is so good though that I don't think you need RAW.
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Peter McLennan

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Re: Why my next camera will be a phone, not a Z6
« Reply #29 on: May 25, 2020, 08:30:37 pm »

Try shooting in raw.

I do.  The pixel produces DNG files that are quite malleable.
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