With the almost constant advances being made in mobile phone technology, most of us now have access to a modern swiss-army-knife that can connect to the internet, organise our lives and take pictures at a definition that would (until recently) only have been attainable through cameras costing almost as much as a new car. But this convenience has come at a cost, namely to the digital camera market, which has seen a notable nosedive in profits in the last few years.
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But for those who are really serious about photography (and haven’t decided they prefer the simplicity and ‘purity’ of analogue film) an ‘afterthought’ camera ‘app’ bolted onto a phone just won’t do. The major camera firms have been fighting back of late, releasing cameras with a greater range of features at more competitive prices. In this article we will examine exactly what sets these cameras apart and why even hobbyist photographers should hesitate before migrating across to their smartphones for good.
Megapixels
All digital cameras (and smartphones) capture their images as a combination of elements referred to as ‘pixels’ and a megapixel literally means ‘one million pixels’. As such, the more megapixels a camera is capable of capturing in one image, the more detailed that image will be, the only real downside being that the file size of each photo will be ostensibly higher. Phone manufacturers have long branded the megapixel number as a prime selling point for years now, in much the same manner as games console manufacturers used ‘bits’ in the late 80’s and early 90′.
The truth however, is that the number of megapixel is just one facet relating to a cameras quality and the quality of the photos it’s capable of producing. Currently the phone on the market with the most impressive megapixel density is the Nokia PureView 808, which packs a whopping 41-megapixel sensor, which might seem incredibly impressive (and it is) but there are other factors to consider.
Picture quality
A qualitydigital camera will be able to offer a variety of features, which even high end smartphones could only ever dream of. The focus achieved with a dedicated camera will be far more reliable and will be able to achieve a greater depth and clarity because it’s built with just one purpose in mind.
The software used in digital cameras will also generally be far more stable than android, windows or iOS handsets and stable software generally means better pictures free of the glitches and bugs associated with phones and tablets. Digital cameras also allow greater image clarity thanks to more forgiving shutter speeds. A digital camera will also have a far wider light sensitivity range, which will allow users to take pictures in darker environments without having to use a flash.
Zoom zoom zoom
Perhaps the most important feature missing from a standard smartphone camera is an optical zoom. There are add-on accessories on the market that just about emulate optical zoom features but these are unreliable at the best of times. An optical zoom adds analogue efficiency to a digital camera and many modern models are capable of achieving up to 7.5 x without any loss in picture quality.
HD video
Another reason to seriously consider investing in a modern digital camera is HD video capability. Many of the top-tier cameras now come with the option of HD video recording up to 1080p. Whilst they might not be able to replicate the results of a fully fledged camcorder, for home movies and the odd experiments into amateur film making it should more than suffice.
Covert Digital Cameras
Another facet in which camera phones can not possibly compete is in the home security market. Pinhole digital cameras are a fantastic way in which to keep your home secure without resorting to a garish CCTV rig and are surprisingly affordable. Using continuous or motion recording technology, all footage can be linked to your computer or DVR machine for easy playback and the compact size means that the majority of people visiting your home won’t even realise it’s there!
If you’re even remotely serious about your photography (or home security) then there can be no denying the positives heavily outweigh the negatives when it comes to using a digital camera.
Not only are they more durable, weather resistant and well suited to the job at hand than your smartphone, but if you plan on being taken seriously as a photographer you don’t want to be seen in the photo pit at the ‘big gig’ or at your friends wedding waving your iPhone about like you’re trying to find a signal.
Ian Appleton is a copywriter and amateur photographer from the UK who recently picked up a top of the range Nikon camera from his local car boot sale and a home security camera system from sensorsecurity.net. His snaps have never looked so good and his home has never felt more secure.
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