Photography is an excellent hobby to get into, but it can be an expensive one. If you are serious about taking high-quality photos, you might be looking at the different cameras you can buy. Even the mid-range ones can be quite pricey and you may be thinking, is it really worth it?
Phone technology has come on a long way and you can take some pretty impressive photos, so should you invest in a camera or not? Really, it depends on what you want to take photos of and what you want to do with them. This guide will give you a bit of help so you can decide whether a phone or camera is better for you.
Benefits Of Using Your Phone Camera
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Phone cameras are small and easy to carry around and they can be less conspicuous than a full-sized DSLR for snapping photos at events like concerts. You also won't attract as many stares as you would holding up a big camera, which is great if you want inconspicuous shots. This means that whenever your phone is on you, you will always have a decent camera with you and it's there when those special moments happen.
Phone cameras automate most of the things you would normally do on a camera. If you're new to photography and don't really know what you're doing, that's a big bonus.
The camera tech on phones has advanced a lot in the last few years, so you'd be surprised how good the quality is. If you want to get the most out of it, you should play around with the settings. Using the raw photos iphone setting, for example, can get you the same quality you'd get from a DSLR camera. The other great thing about using your phone is that you don't have to buy a separate camera, so you'll save money.
Benefits Of Buying A Camera
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Obviously, DSLR and mirrorless cameras have more capabilities than a phone. You can change lenses and you can manually adjust some settings to get the best possible quality of the photo. Their much larger sensors allow far better image quality and beautiful out of focus backgrounds with the right lenses. If you're passionate about photography, this is what you need to take high-quality shots. The downside of course is that they tend to be bulky and it's often difficult for beginners to use them as they require quite an investment in learning how they work, along with learning how to properly post-process your photos.
You definitely need to invest in a camera if you want to take advanced shots, like shooting the stars, for example. Phones are not quite capable of these kinds of specialist shots, so you will need to buy a proper camera.
When you are looking at DSLR and mirrorless cameras, don't spring for the most expensive one straight away. You should start out with an entry-level one to get a feel for how it works and what you can do. If you see yourself getting really passionate about or even becoming a professional in photography, then think about investing in a top-end model.
In the end, it all comes down to your budget, what photos you're after and what kind of lifestyle you lead. The phone camera has many benefits but if you can afford it, a DSLR or mirrorless makes taking high-quality shots so much easier.