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  • Writer's pictureKristin Johnson

The difference between a Cell Phone Camera and a DSLR Camera

Everyone is a Photographer, with a capital P, now and days.


It has become so easy to have access to a good camera, that anyone can do it. Even cell phones now have cameras that can be better quality then some point and shoots. The specs of cameras on cell phones have recently become quite impressive.


The new iPhone X offers duel lens, 12 megapixels, optical image stabilization, and an aperture as low as 1.8.


The Google Pixel 2 also offers duel lens, 12.2 megapixels, and a 1.8 aperture. It has HDR and optical image stabilization, as well as multiple shooting and fast focus. Besides being able to shot with automatic settings, you can also manually adjust exposure, focus lock, white balance, and more if you want.


Everyone has a smartphone now, and the camera technology inside these pocketable devices has improved tremendously in the last few years. We share more than two billion photos every day on Facebook alone.

- (https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-camera-phones/)


Despite how impressive these cell phone cameras have become, when you compare them to the results of a real DSLR camera, there is still no comparison.


The clarity, the control, and the options of a DSLR will always yield much better photos.


Now, I have taken some good cell phone photos, but they are snapshots. Sometimes they can be well composed, have beautiful lighting, or even be artistic. But they still do not compare to the photos taken with my Nikon D610.


Photos taken using an iPhone 7 Plus:


Photos taken using a Nikon D610:


So in order to be a Photographer, with a capital P, make sure you do your research and compare the quality and flexibility of the tools you are using to shot your photographs. Learning how to get amazing results requires settings, and thinking, and more then just taking your phone out and pressing a button.


This all seems very obvious, but everyday my high school students ask why they can't just use their phone to do their homework. A phone has a camera, but is not one. There is a completely different experience when you take photos with phone then when you take photos with a camera through a viewfinder, without instant satisfaction.


#dslr, #learn, #phone, #photography

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