iPhone vs DSLR ... pros and cons

My family and I wanted to go to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. We usually go every year to do their annual Christmas festival. And of course I wanted to bring my camera - you know my professional camera. I even thought about how I would do the night photos so I brought along a video light so that we could take some better quality night photos without using my pop -up flash. I thought I was going to be ready.

Sadly, my camera was left on my computer desk right before we packed up the car with two strollers, three kids, snacks, three water bottles, coats, hats, gloves, and all the other stuff.

Unedited IPHONE7 photo: Performed pretty well during the day time.. You probably couldn't tell unless you were looking really close that it was taken with a "nice" camera.

Now I would only be left with my brand-new iPhone 7 to play around with at the park. Some of you might be laughing at me saying "the iPhone 7 is an amazing camera!" And a lot of ways it was really fun to take pictures with. But in a lot of other ways I would never ever replace my real camera with my iPhone!

I do have to say there was a lot of advantages of using iPhone camera than using a big, bulky DSLR. But in a lot of ways the DSLR would perform better than an iPhone.

So I decided to make a list of advantages and disadvantage is of using an iPhone versus a "real camera."

Unedited IPHONE7 photo: I love the new "portrait" feature on it. It really made the background blurred out... There are some limitations to this feature- works best in shade/soft lighting with a still object that is only within a FEW inches away... At night, you will probably have trouble using this feature

Unedited IPHONE7 photo: here is another example of using the "portrait" function. But again, it was great lighting and a very still subject.

iPhone pros:

Lighter to carry/ fits in my pocket
Lots of great apps and tools to download your photos right to Facebook and social media
The iPhone 7- especially had a great portrait function that made your background really blurry
Easy for anyone to use

Unedited IPHONE7 photo: It struggled in LOW LIGHT situations. It was so blurry and the lights shining on the people on stage just makes them look like ghosts!

Unedited IPHONE7 photo: Trying to use the same "portrait" feature in a dark area. WOW. It looks terrible! There is no amount of photoshop that can save this.

iPhone cons:

The phone pretty much perform the same or very similar to a real camera during the daytime it's struggle that night finding the focus and having a clear picture
When I was trying to take pictures of my kids on different rides I found out that it was really hard for me to change any of the settings and so my photos were really blurry and dark!
Even though you can download some pretty powerful editing tools on your phone nothing will be able to save a bad photo that is so dark and grainy

Unedited DSLR photo: Even in the lowlight, the colors are so crisp. The lights in the background are blurry and blown out, but but overblown out.

DSLR/ MIRRORLESS Pros

Great image quality and with any lighting situation (depending on the level of the camera and the knowledge of the photographer)
You can change lenses to do different looks depending on what type of photos you want.
You have more flexibility to do more things in the camera. For example doing a shot like this: All you have to do is unfocus a lens with a click of a button.

Unedited DSLR photo: I was able to manipulate the focus of the Christmas lights with just a click of a button- you can't do that with an iphone!

DSLR/MIRRORLESS camera cons:

bulky and weighs heavier. You need a strap and a case- more things to carry with you!
You can upload wirelessly to social media if your camera does that... but most of the time you have to waight to go home and upload by HAND everysingle photo (or even edit them!)
You have to know MORE and have more knowledge to use a DSLR. Just pushing the "Auto" button in my book, does not count as knowing how to use your camera.

So should you buy a iphone over a REAL camera? Never. But if you want something convenient that is pretty decent, then sure, do the iphone. But if you want something really flexible that has A LOT of features and bells and whistles, then get a REAL camera.

So, wanting a camera at somepoint? But don't know what to get?

If you want mirrorless (compact DSLR camera with a limited supply of lenses, good image quality, easy to use but not as many features).

If you want DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex- basically a camera that changes lenses with a double mirror system inside). And I would NEVER get the lens that it comes with. I would do this lens instead. You're welcome.

Christal

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