Compare Phone cameras pics to DSLR/Point & Shoot camera pics here!

[jack58]

Let's compare your phone camera pics with DSLR or Point & Shoot cameras pics to see how far they have come. Example, in my case, I have a Samsung Galaxy S5 and a Nikon D5200, (not going to throw my D3 in this mix). The pictures I will post will be at the same place and time with both cameras. This makes for a better comparison.

This might be fun and educational. Phone camera have come a long ways in recent years... good enough that as a professional photographer I'm willing to leave my Nikons home sometimes and just take my Samsung Galaxy S5. For an example, I'm going to Disneyland next week and I'm going to just take the S5 and leave that bulky DSLR gear at home.

Let's compare different kinds of shots, such as:
Outdoors in sunlight or clouds.
Indoors with available light or flash.
HDR comparisons
People shots
Action shots
Food shots
Pet shots
Nature / Wildlife shots.
You get the idea.
Maybe we can have tips to show what can improve these shots too.

Please say what phone and DSLR or point and shoot your using with each pic.

I'll start with this. I was shooting for LeMay Auto Museum today and tried some shots with the Samsung Galaxy S5 (S5 from now on) with my Nikon D5200. I didn't use my D3 and won't use that for any comparisons.
This shot was taken up on second level and I wanted to see the difference in HDR in both cameras.

This is before HDR with S5: (the far skylight window is washed out)

This is after HDR is turned on in S5:

Real nice improvement for sure.

This is before HDR with D5200: (far skylight window washed out)

This is after HDR is turned on:

Real nice improve here also.

So neither camera does well with extreme lighting as you can see by first pic with the skylight washed out real bad.
So turning on the HDR really helps in this situation. I was really surprised the S5 pulled it off. The D5200 had better saturation, but not by far.

Part of what they pay me for is to show what your eye actually sees and you see everything clearly, color, saturation etc. The camera does not sometimes and needs help. Even the big $$$ cameras.

 

[mikedt]

I don't actually have a "real" camera, either DSLR or point & shoot.

Anyway here's some recent pics from my new Oppo. Untouched apart from downsizing from the original 13megapixel.


I don't know how these would come out if I were using a DSLR instead of a phone.

 

[jack58]

I don't actually have a "real" camera, either DSLR or point & shoot.

Anyway here's some recent pics from my new Oppo. Untouched apart from downsizing from the original 13megapixel.

That's OK Mike.

I'm pretty pleased they way the cell phones are coming along with their camera's these days. They can't quite compete with the DSLR yet, but they can hold their own with the point and shoots. This HAS to hurt the basic point & shoot business. The SuperZooms hold the edge still as they have the longer range.

 

[jack58]

I was on assignment shooting for Emerald Downs. They wanted some pics of their building with Mt Rainier in it. I shot a couple with the S5 to compare.

This is with the S5:

This is with the Nikon:

Deeper saturation on sky & more accurate colors with the Nikon.
(Correct color for top of building was more green than blue)
However, later I saw in the settings when I shot my LeMay's assignment, the S5 settings were already set for HDR, so that would explain why the colors were not very saturated in above S5 pic. Lesson here is to always pay attention to settings BEFORE shooting.

 

[SamuraiBigEd]

I will hold off posting any pics, it would be a comparison from a One Max and a Canon 6D, not a fair at all. I do want to thank jack58 for the thread, this could become very informative for those looking at point and shoots and even some of the lower level dslr's so please post your comparisons!

On a related note, there is rumor that Canon will be getting out of the point and shoot market for this reason, but remember rumors are just that, I will post more info once I find something more solid.

 

[jack58]

I will hold off posting any pics, it would be a comparison from a One Max and a Canon 6D, not a fair at all. I do want to thank jack58 for the thread, this could become very informative for those looking at point and shoots and even some of the lower level dslr's so please post your comparisons!

On a related note, there is rumor that Canon will be getting out of the point and shoot market for this reason, but remember rumors are just that, I will post more info once I find something more solid.

Ah yes, and why I didn't use my Nikon D3 for comparisons. The D5200 is more of what consumers will use and the point n shoot cameras.

and yes, the cell phone advancement in camera HAS to hurt the point n shoot business!

 

[Unforgiven]

I'm not photog, never owned a real good camera, I wouldn't even know what one is. I can say that I am pretty happy with the camera on my Moto X. I took this one from about 100 yards today.

I can definitely see where cell's could cut into expensive camera sales.

 

[zuben el genub]

DSLR has far more controls over shooting. I have both a Canon 20D and an SX50'
The long reach of the SX50's lens is good for decent closeups to identify birds, and the modes are not bad. It also has very high ISO. There are a lot of workarounds for the SX50. One post I read, someone wanted to take a picture of water that looked silky. This takes a tripod and a slower shutter speed than the SX50 has. You use ND filters.

However, with the 20D, you can buy any lens, so the selection of aperture and shutter speed is much better. You can also get the 20D IR for use in astronomy. The most expensive lenses are fast, meaning you can shoot at F2.8 through all apertures.

The SX50 and less expensive lenses go from F2.8/3.5 to F6 as you increase the length of the lens in mm. Say 28 - 135mm.

 

[whitehat]

Here is a comparison of video on the Canon 5D mark III and the Samsung Note III. I found the results extremely hard to believe.

 

[shmn]

http://androidforums.com/lounge/768821-best-camera-in-world-4.html#post6185124

That's a link to a comparison I posted between a Nikon D700 and a Samsung Galaxy S4 in the "The best camera in the world..." thread.

Although smartphones are getting better and better...they will usually only produce usable results in good light due to the very small sensor size. I can think of only two advantages of a smartphone as a camera: 1. It's always in my pocket; 2. I can post photos to the Internet or storage immediately.

A DSLR is still needed if I want to create a quality photo as opposed to a snapshot. Larger sensor (not megapixels but size of the photosites) will mean higher quality, less noise and the larger sensors allow you to achieve very narrow depth of fields. Megapixels really are overrated and are merely handy marketing tools.

In addition, a vast array of lenses allow me to achieve very wide angles, extreme telephoto and speed (fast lenses that collect more light). Also, the quality of the lens will improve image quality due to less distortion, chromatic aberration, coma, flare while maximizing sharpness, contrast, color rendition and bokeh.

And a DSLR allow you to control ISO, WB, aperture and shutter speed easily and quickly. I can use and control off-camera lighting easily and effectively. I can use a vast array of filters. I can shoot in RAW for greater post-processing control (although there are a hand-full of Windows smartphones that shoot RAW now).

The DSLR and the smartphone are both just tools. There are many 'pro' photographers who use smartphones in their workflow and there are many amateurs who use DSLRs. The bottom line is knowing how to use your tool effectively and how to create a winning image. That's why you see stunning images created with smartphones and lots of crap made with DSLRs. The person behind the tool is a lot of more important than the tool. Ansel Adams said

 

[mikedt]

From what I've seen recently, which is mainly what's on sale here and what people are using. The low to mid-range pocket digital point & shoot is very much dead, or at least a very endangered species. Just not seeing them at all now. People that are using "real" cameras as opposed to smart-phones, they're using DSLRs and the large-lensed super-zoom type cameras, which are not far off being DSLRs anyway.

I was trying out some HDR yesterday, never tried that before.
These were taken with an Oppo.

 

[jack58]

I went to Disneyland a few days ago. Took my Nikon D5200 and forgot to take my extra battery & charger, so the battery ran out after the first day... a bad rookie mistake.
So I didn't get too many to compare to the S5 as that was my go-to camera after the first day. That Galaxy S5 sure save the day! Anyways here is one comparison shot. The D5200 has slightly better saturation and colors, but not my much. ( on automatic for both cameras )

Nikon D5200

Galaxy S5

 

[GalaxyS2Kent]

I was on assignment shooting for Emerald Downs. They wanted some pics of their building with Mt Rainier in it. I shot a couple with the S5 to compare.

Deeper saturation on sky & more accurate colors with the Nikon.
(Correct color for top of building was more green than blue)
However, later I saw in the settings when I shot my LeMay's assignment, the S5 settings were already set for HDR, so that would explain why the colors were not very saturated in above S5 pic. Lesson here is to always pay attention to settings BEFORE shooting.

More than saturation, the Nikon had much, much sharper results. On those car shots (your first post) and Disneyland shots, there was almost no difference, however. Those were nearly identical.

 

[jack58]

More than saturation, the Nikon had much, much sharper results. On those car shots (your first post) and Disneyland shots, there was almost no difference, however. Those were nearly identical.

Disney shot still had more saturation. S5 did better than expected in the indoor without flash HDR shot (showing details in skylight window) still a little less saturation. But that is competing with a Nikon D5100. However, my D3 would blow both of those out of the water...

 

[jack58]

Time for some more comparison shots between my Galaxy S5 and Nikon D5200:

My wife and I went up to Mt Rainier National Park yesterday. Gorgeous day.

Indoor without flash wasn't very good with either camera. Need flash or or my D3 for that. This was at the 114 year old Paradise Lodge Inn Restaurant.

S5

D5200

Taken from the Lodge. Both did much better and pretty close.
S5

D5200

At Reflection Lake that was just starting to thaw out. Again, both camera did pretty good and was close.
S5

D5200

I'm pretty pleased the way the S5 is doing. Could be a little better indoors though.