camera vs smartphone

After spending several $$$$ over the years collecting lenses and upgrading SLR body, I found I actually snapped most of my travel pictures with smartphones, even when camera was hanging on my neck. :) Anyone else has similar experience?

Yes. As a matter of fact, on our cruise to Canada/New England last September, we left the DSLRs at home and just snapped with our Samsung Galaxy S6 cell phone cameras. We were thrilled with the results.

Last weekend DH and I took an all-day Travel Photography class at our local junior college, taught by a couple who are professional photographers. They devoted the last part of the class to shooting photographs with the cell phone, and they went on and on about how wonderful the cameras have become, suggesting that we all use them more often in our travels.

Now we're headed to Alaska and are wondering whether we should buy the highly rated Panasonic DMC FZ1000 advanced point and shoot cameras, use our DSLRs or simplify our lives with our cell phone cameras. First world choices, I know.

I have been debating getting a new camera (specifically the Panasonic FZ 1000) for our upcoming Alaska cruise, and just about the time I convince myself to pull the trigger on it, I start to waiver and start leaning back towards convenience and economy and using my iPhone. I would also be interested to hear what others results have been using a phone camera. In the end, I just can't see myself lugging around a camera and binoculars along with all the other things that will be needed to be prepared for uncertain weather conditions.

I have been debating getting a new camera (specifically the Panasonic FZ 1000) for our upcoming Alaska cruise, and just about the time I convince myself to pull the trigger on it, I start to waiver and start leaning back towards convenience and economy and using my iPhone. I would also be interested to hear what others results have been using a phone camera. In the end, I just can't see myself lugging around a camera and binoculars along with all the other things that will be needed to be prepared for uncertain weather conditions.

Boy can I relate to this! The debate, for me, comes down to convenience (smartphone) vs. zoom (camera). While you can get some amazing photos from a smartphone, the main difference (as you probably know) is optical vs digital zoom. Optical zoom uses the lens of the camera to bring the subject closer. While some smartphone phones have limited optical zoom, what they all have is digital zoom, which takes a central portion of the image and enlarges it, thus ‘simulating’ optical zoom. In other words, a portion of the image gets cropped and then enlarged back to size. In so doing, you lose image quality.

And that is the key difference - especially if you're snapping pictures of wild animals since they are seldom obliging enough to come up and pose for a closeup. For Alaskan scenery - a good smart phone is great; for Alaskan wildlife, I'll take my camera! And the newer point-and-shoots make it even easier.

(edited to say that I'm going to be trading in my old Canon Powershot SX20 for a Canon Powershot SX60 before our next Alaska cruise in August.)

On our last cruise I just used my phone. I will most likely be doing the same thing this year to Alaska but that is mostly because I will also have a 2 year to chase and I can only carry so much. Another way I look at it is what am I actually looking to do with the pictures. If I wanted to print a bunch of wildlife pictures I take with a nice zoom lens, then I might bring the nice camera.

Yes and no....

• take a picture with your smartphone.... take a picture with your DSLR. Which looks better when printed or on a big computer screen?
  
• Do you plan to take pictures at the shows? Smartphones cannot handle the low light.
  
• I was on a whale watch.... love the Nikon 18-300mm zoom lens
  
• Are you planning to take pictures of wildlife? Love the quick autofocus.
  
• how's the battery life on your phone? With the screen always on.... you might find yourself with a dead battery.
  
• love my external flash when need more flash power for overcoming shadows
  

While I use my phone more and more... I will bring my DSLR with me when pictures matter. How important are your memories to you?

I will be taking my super zoom camera with me to Alaska this summer. (Sony dsc hx200) With that being said how do you protect it from rain?

One option Optech rainsleeves:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PTFDYO

They come in different sizes.

We're going in late May...and I couldn't imagine making this trip without my dslr.

After spending several $$$$ over the years collecting lenses and upgrading SLR body, I found I actually snapped most of my travel pictures with smartphones, even when camera was hanging on my neck. :) Anyone else has similar experience?

I'm so glad you asked this question! I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to invest in a new camera. I have the iphone6 plus which actually has a higher megapixel camera than my old canon camera, but the zoom factor...makes me want to get a bridge/superzoom camera. I'll never be able to afford or have the patience to learn all the tricks of a dslr and the many lens configurations, but a superzoom might be fun.

I've been researching the Panasonic FZ300 and Nikon Coolpix 610. Normally, I don't take tons of pictures, but I want to make a book of our Alaska adventure when I get home and good pics are a priority. I just wonder if I'd use it much after my trip...decisions, decisions, decisions...

Yes and no....

 

. . .

• Do you plan to take pictures at the shows? Smartphones cannot handle the low light. My Samsung does much, much, much better in low light (with its F1.9 aperture) than any camera I own.
   
  
   
  
• how's the battery life on your phone? With the screen always on.... you might find yourself with a dead battery.I take along an external charger. On our last cruise, my cell phone did run out of battery, but I had one of those small Belkin chargers with me, so I just plugged the phone into the charger and continued shooting for the rest of the day.
   
  . . .
  

I just find that the pictures I like the most are those from my cell phone camera. I was just looking at the pictures I took on an cruise to Alaska in 2014, and I had to look at the properties to tell the difference between those shot with my Canon T3i and those shot with my old Samsung Galaxy S4.

Photography is my "outlet", so there's no doubt that I'm going to take my DSLR(s) and several good lenses on an Alaska cruise. The only pictures my iPhone will take will be of me by others.

I still recommend taking a DSL and lenses to Alaska,

The quality is not only much better but you can get many more photos which to me is important when you are viewing Glaciers and you can get closeups much faster.

And with a good camera the quality for printing the photos will be much better too.

Keith

Yes and no....

• take a picture with your smartphone.... take a picture with your DSLR. Which looks better when printed or on a big computer screen?
  
• Do you plan to take pictures at the shows? Smartphones cannot handle the low light.
  
• I was on a whale watch.... love the Nikon 18-300mm zoom lens
  
• Are you planning to take pictures of wildlife? Love the quick autofocus.
  
• how's the battery life on your phone? With the screen always on.... you might find yourself with a dead battery.
  
• love my external flash when need more flash power for overcoming shadows
  

 

While I use my phone more and more... I will bring my DSLR with me when pictures matter. How important are your memories to you?

I almost never use my phone when on a cruise. I am always zooming in and just do not have the same control as when using my camera (whether it be my dlsr or my bridge camera). The camera also gives me more control over light settings and tends to show more detail in the pictures.

After spending several $$$$ over the years collecting lenses and upgrading SLR body, I found I actually snapped most of my travel pictures with smartphones, even when camera was hanging on my neck. :) Anyone else has similar experience?

This is why I didn't invest much in P&S cameras that I purchased a couple of years ago. The photos people are taking with their cell phones are pretty amazing. Higher end cameras are nice, but to me not worth the money. I purchased two Lumix P&S cameras, one was a waterproof "rugged" camera if the weather was bad or for water based photos. Even today though, GoPro and your basic cell phone is likely all you will need. I'm guessing most Instagram photos are cell phone based, and most of the outdoor YouTube vids are from GoPro cameras.

I have been debating getting a new camera (specifically the Panasonic FZ 1000) for our upcoming Alaska cruise, and just about the time I convince myself to pull the trigger on it, I start to waiver and start leaning back towards convenience and economy and using my iPhone. I would also be interested to hear what others results have been using a phone camera. In the end, I just can't see myself lugging around a camera and binoculars along with all the other things that will be needed to be prepared for uncertain weather conditions.

I recently looked at the Panasonic Lumix webpage. Within just a couple of years, the number of smaller P&S cameras has diminished substantially. I know they offer great cameras such as the FZ 1000. I will be bringing both my smaller Lumix P&S because they aren't all that big. The primary one will be the non-waterproof one. I like it because it has something like 15x optical zoom, and given the landscape I think I would like that. If it looks like we will be getting a lot of rain on some days, I might opt for the rugged camera. I also plan on cleaning out my iPhone's memory space and taking a lot more phone photos as well, and buying a selfie stick for it.

I just found it is very convenient to post pictures on Facebook from my phone, instead of trying to download to the computer first.

I have been debating getting a new camera (specifically the Panasonic FZ 1000) for our upcoming Alaska cruise, and just about the time I convince myself to pull the trigger on it, I start to waiver and start leaning back towards convenience and economy and using my iPhone. I would also be interested to hear what others results have been using a phone camera. In the end, I just can't see myself lugging around a camera and binoculars along with all the other things that will be needed to be prepared for uncertain weather conditions.

If you want decent pictures you would not even consider using a phone for photos in AK. A camera is a must. The only think you need to take is the camera, binoculars are generally not needed when off the ship even on excursions. If you are having to use binoculars to see something you are not going to be taking a picture of it with a phone camera.

Photography is my "outlet", so there's no doubt that I'm going to take my DSLR(s) and several good lenses on an Alaska cruise. The only pictures my iPhone will take will be of me by others.

Mine too.

My kit that's coming with me:

Sony A99, Sony a6000

Sony 70-400mm f4-5.6 G SSM, sigma 24-70 f2.8, Rokinon 14mm f2.8, Rokinon 8mm f3.5 fisheye, GoPro Hero3+, and a flash!

Ok. I'm convinced. Time to start researching cameras, I guess.

After spending several $$$$ over the years collecting lenses and upgrading SLR body, I found I actually snapped most of my travel pictures with smartphones, even when camera was hanging on my neck. :) Anyone else has similar experience?

For static shots in good light and you want the "wide" angle and large DOF of a smarptphone their quality is so good for general viewing that most people in the world have defaulted to it.

I'd be shocked that the pictures of the whale in the distance, eagle, possible bear or other wildlife or scenic mountain/glacier in the distance that you want more close up view will look very good on that smartphone, LOL.

It is clear that the majority of people have taken to the smartphone like we did decades ago to the instant / compact camera, good enough.

For some things your big DSLR and zooms will yield timeless pictures others around you will only have memories in the brain but no images to refresh with ;)

If you want to capture any wildlife pics then a DSLR with a long lens is a must. I have a Canon 70D (crop sensor DSLR) and a 100-400 lens. I got my best pics last May out of our 7 Alaska cruises.

Here is what you can get with a DSLR & long lens:

if you want to capture any wildlife pics then a dslr with a long lens is a must. I have a canon 70d (crop sensor dslr) and a 100-400 lens. I got my best pics last may out of our 7 alaska cruises.

 

Here is what you can get with a dslr & long lens:

 

 

awesome!!

If you want to capture any wildlife pics then a DSLR with a long lens is a must. I have a Canon 70D (crop sensor DSLR) and a 100-400 lens. I got my best pics last May out of our 7 Alaska cruises.

 

Here is what you can get with a DSLR & long lens:

 

 

Now THIS is what I can't wait for! 99 days is entirely too long to wait!

There are so many variables getting a great wildlife photo (which is why it is my favorite). I only take a handful of photos when I'm not on a cruise and since we have gone up to Alaska several times I mainly focus on wildlife opportunities. The pic of the whale fluke and the eagles are a couple of my favorite out of thousands of pics I have taken in 7 cruises and I got them on cruise #7.

Most times for wildlife, the longer the lens the better. With my DSLR having a crops sensor it magnifies the lens 1.6 times. So my 100-400 is actually a 160-640. There have been many times I wish I could reach out more.

If you have never been to Alaska there are many great landscape shots to be taken so a wide angle lens can be handy.

The whale fluke shot I shared was on a small 5 person excursion in Icy Strait so we were very close to the water and the whale was probably about 50 yards away. The captain of the boat was aware of lighting and the whale was kind enough to be going straight away from us. I got a 27 shot sequence of this whales fluke coming out of the water and back in. This is photo #11 in the sequence.

If you want to capture wildlife keep your shutter speed as fast as you can to freeze that action. I am very much an amateur and just enjoy the thrill of the hunt of getting a memorable photo from our cruises. If you don't get one on your cruise it is just a great excuse to go again to get that first one and if you get some great ones then it's an excuse to get more. :D

If you have never been to Alaska bring plenty of memory cards as it is so beautiful!

Margerie glacier in Glacier Bay May 2015:

Somewhere between Ketchikan and Juneau May 2015:

Glacier Bay May 2012:

Sorry I will stop now. This thread is not about my pics. I just enjoy sharing the beauty of Alaska. :D