029 - Smartphone vs DSLR/Mirrorless for Travel Photography
This is a question I get a lot from people, “Why do you carry that big camera around while travelling? I can get just as good photos on my phone.”
And yes, you can get amazing photos on a phone. But a smartphone has limitations to it and there are certain types of photos you can only get on a proper camera. Types of photos that I love to take. But I also love to have just my smartphone with me on some days. It’s a balancing act. And one that we are going to address today. Smartphone vs full camera, which do you really need with you on your next adventure?
For this episode, we are comparing a smartphone to a full-sized DSLR/mirrorless (such as those with an APS-C or Full-Frame sensor). I’m not thinking about compact cameras in this equation mainly because they have been mostly surpassed by smartphones and people only buy ones with a specific purpose (such as a rugged, waterproof go-anywhere camera).
Alright, we are going to start with the advantages of a DSLR/Mirrorless camera versus a smartphone.
DSLR/Mirrorless Advantages:
Image Quality
The overall image quality available in a full-sized camera is leaps and bounds better than those on phones. Yes a smartphone can produce amazing results, but on the whole, you will get much better image quality from a full-sized camera. This image quality will really start to make a difference if you plan on doing anything with your images beyond just posting them to Facebook and Instagram.
Low Light Performance
Smartphones have come a long way in taking pictures in dark places, but they can’t compare to a mirrorless camera equipped with a fast prime. Smartphone images in dark places get washed out, are really grainy and the computational algorithms used to create these images can have problems with moving subjects. A camera with a bigger sensor can handle noise better and they also have a wider dynamic range for recovering information from the shadows. Most newer cameras also autofocus amazingly well in the dark (just go check out what Sony and Canon can do with near blackout focusing). Meaning you can get in-focus photos way easier in dark places. I will take a cheap mirrorless with a cheap 50mm 1.8 prime over a smartphone every time in these situations.
Background Blur
This will matter a lot to some and not at all to others. But the background blur and the bokeh coming off a lens is so much better than any computational photography can create. It’s not even close. Lenses fall off naturally, encompassing hair and other objects perfectly. Smartphones, don’t do this. They just don’t. The portrait modes smartphones have do a mediocre job of cutting out a subject and then applying an overall blurriness to the back of a photo. With a simple (ie single colour) background and perfect hair you start to get ok results. But how often are you going to have that kind of a background in travel photos? Once again, I’ll take that 50mm prime over a smartphone every single time.
Lenses
Speaking of lenses. You get so many amazing choices to take with you. From walk-around telescoping lenses that go 16mm to 275mm, to beautiful, fast (but huge) telephotos to tiny pancakes primes, you can get any lens you want to suit any situation. And the glass is just beautiful, offering superb image quality. And true optics are better than digital recreations. You may be able to get a smartphone that says it has a 100x zoom that is equivalent to a 500mm lens, but 90-95% of that zoom is going to be digital. Which produces horrid image quality. I’ve said it before, but stay away from digital zoom. Optical is always going to produce better results.
Not Draining Your Phone Battery
Taking a ton of photos on your phone will quickly drain its battery. The phone you need for maps, translations, texting, and so many other things. You can carry around an external battery for your phone, so this may not be a huge problem for some. But bringing around a small camera to take photos doesn’t drain your phone. Leaving it for all the other precious things you need, like selfies.
So those are five reasons why I love having a DSLR with me while I travel. Now, let’s talk about the reasons that your smartphone may be exactly what you need for the type of photos that you want on your next trip. Because the smartphone can be the perfect travel camera.
Smartphone Photography Advantages
Size
This is the most obvious. Your smartphone fits in your pocket, it’s lightweight, portable, and a third the size of most lenses. The size and weight or your smartphone is its biggest advantage over a camera. Plus, you always have it with you. So you aren’t bringing another item with you while you travel.
An added advantage to the size is the weight savings. You aren’t carrying around nearly as much during the day, meaning you will have more energy to go longer and see more. This is also an advantage when packing, as you can get more into a carry on bag without needing to worry about your camera.
Panoramas
You can shoot panoramas on a full camera, but producing them on your smartphone is way faster and easier. It involves no extra time or software (unlike those shot on a full camera). Just the ability to turn. And you can see the results instantly.
Selfies
Same as the panoramas, you can take selfies on a full camera. But they are way faster, and way more fun, to take on a smartphone. It’s way easier to pull your smartphone out in a crowded spot and take a selfie in front of a popular location than it is to set up a tripod and a timer or even put your DSLR out at arms length. Plus you can take a bunch of different selfies without your arm every getting tired.
Instant Editing
Some cameras let you push images to your phone to edit quickly, but not all. And you don’t want to be pushing all the images you take, as that will take a long time and drain both your phone and your camera. But when shooting on your smartphone, you can start editing your images instantly. And there are some pretty amazing phone-based editing solutions on the market meaning you can have full access to things like brushes, radial filters, and even basic sky replacements. This instant editing is great when you are stuck waiting somewhere or when you want a few shots up instantly for social.
Flexibility
One of the things that I really miss when having my full kit with me is the flexibility to do just about anything. With your smartphone, you can tuck it into your pocket (or preferably a zippered pocket so it doesn’t go flying out), a do pretty much anything on land. You don’t have to think about what you will do with all your stuff, where it will go, how you will keep it safe while you are gone, nothing. Just stick your phone in your pocket and GO! This flexibility is one of the biggest advantages of phones, because there are days will you will have an amazing opportunity that you have to say yes to but can’t because you are carrying around a giant camera.
They’re Discreet
Big cameras can make you a target for scammers and thieves. Pulling out a big fancy camera in certain areas will draw a lot of attention that you don’t want. Pulling out your smartphone for a quick snap, however, typically won’t draw much attention to you. You don’t look like you have an excessive amount of money. Whereas a big camera can scream money to some.
Beyond just the safety factor, you can more easily get discreet photographs. Street performers, or just doing street photography, can be made easier if people don’t realize you are taking photos. Or they won’t think twice about someone with their phone out. A big camera just draws more attention to you.
So there are six advantages to using a smartphone for travel photography over a full DSLR or Mirrorless camera.
But which one is the right choice for you? Ask yourself the following questions to help you decide.
Smartphone vs Mirrorless Camera for Travel Photography
How much can you pack to go with you?
Those with limited space or weight restrictions may be better off just taking their smartphone.
What are you going to take pictures of?
Are you going on a safari? Then a proper camera is going to be much better than your smartphone.
Are you just going wandering a city? Then a smartphone may do perfectly for you. Think about the type of photography you want to do on the trip.
Can you overcome the limitations of a smartphone?
Things like lack of access to proper telephoto capabilities, poor low light performance, and some autofocus issues plague every smartphone. Can you overcome these problems with the way you shoot, or what you are shooting? Or will these limitations severely cripple your photography?
Do you need to post instantly?
If you need content to go up instantly onto various social media channels, then using a smartphone is the way to go.
What are you doing with the photos?
If you want to be able to produce the highest quality prints from your travel photos, then taking a proper camera with you is a necessity. You can blow up phone prints but they will be much lower quality than blowing up those shot on a camera.
What do I already own?
If you already own a flagship smartphone but not a camera, then do you really need to drop a few thousand dollars on camera equipment for this trip? Or do you already own a flagship camera but your smartphone is getting pretty ancient? Do you really need to spend $1,500 on a new smartphone for this trip? Think about what you already have access to. That will tell you a lot about what you should take.
Asking yourself these six questions before your next trip and they will help you to decide if you should bring your smartphone or your DSLR/mirrorless camera.
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