Ok. The short version. Read this and you will pretty much get the gist of my further ramblings if you are short on time or attention span.
It is more about what I enjoy using over anything else gear related.
I had two very different use cases recently and used very different gear for both.
Scenario 1: A function at work.
Bottom line: I just wanted the pic. One of those, “Oh, you are going? I am sure you will have your camera. Could you get some pics?”, situations.
Tool used: My phone.
Which phone: It could have been any modern phone but in this specific case it happened to be a couple of years old Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Mega Thruster GTR 3000… Some of that is made up.
Main specs:
- 103MP (1x lens only)
- A range of built in optical zoom lenses.
- 0.6x
- 1.0x (Naturally)
- 3x
- 10x
- Not used today but two camera apps that I really like.
- Regular camera app that is quite intuitive.
- When I want a bit more control an Expert RAW camera app.
- A mess of other photo and video features that are great but were tested initially, left me impressed, and were never touched again. For example:
- Pull out the stylus, which I forget it has 90% of the time, and you can use it as a remote shutter trigger.
- Portrait mode… well done admittedly but I am not a fan of faux bokeh for some reason.
- Panorama (which was used once this day), slow-mo, super slow-mo, hyperlapse, etc. Many cameras have these features.
- A director’s view mode that is nuts. It shows multiple cameras at once on the screen including the selfie camera so you can switch between them real time while shooting video. I have no idea what I would use this for personally but it is fun to play with every once in a while.
- Other stuff.
Why this camera?
In short there was no passion involved at all. As stated I just wanted the pics.
That being said once I looked at the end results I did have a bit of a “Why do I not use this more often?” moment. Here are the pics with a few comments added after.
Follow up thoughts.
Mission accomplished. I needed pics and I got pics. My team was very happy. All is right with the world.
I do find it funny when folks say, I am sure you will have your camera singular. Oh, how optimistic of them to think I am so rational as to possess a camera. Ah, the good old days before I fell irretrievably down the rabbit hole.
But this task did not warrant a dedicated camera. As usual there was good and bad to this.
The good:
- Versatility.
- I can not overstate how nice it was to switch between camera lenses, different on board MP cameras, modes like Panorama, and between photos and videos so seamelessly. I do not use the camera features on my phone often but it all was very intuitive and fell readily to hand. What also helped with this was…
- Compact size.
- No camera hanging around my neck or on my hip. Just pull the phone out of my pocket and immediately start capturing. This also helps with its…
- Stealthiness.
- Everyone has a phone so no one paid me any mind. Lift up my camera and I get a different reaction. That classic, “Why does that nut have a camera?”, face. Or all hopes of capturing a natural moment fly out the window as folks start squaring up with a faux natural pose or two.
- Editing and sharing.
- A quick crop and other edits are taken care of without much fuss and the images are stored up in the cloud right away. No SD card downloads required. Yes. I know this can be done with camera apps. But I do not enjoy that at all. Also the ribbon cutting video was uploaded to YouTube immediately.
The bad.
- The ergonomics.
- No shocker here. An actual camera feels better and actual buttons and switches feel better than a mostly touch screen affair.
- Sensor real estate.
- You cannot fight physics. Despite the best efforts of software folks I do still prefer actual bokeh and the IQ of a full frame sensor. Others may not be able to tell the difference, but I usually can. Admittedly with some use cases more than others. Landscape vs. portraits, for instance.
- Lack of soul.
- This is a MAZDA6 vs a MIATA thing. A Ford such and such sedan, I think they stopped making sedans actually, vs a Mustang thing. A discontinued Chevy SS vs a Corvette thing. American car makers have really gone all in on the melted M&M shaped crossover SUV things haven’t they? Sure the former is practical, but given a choice what would you rather drive. Ok, this will not make sense to some as they are reasonable folks. And the same applies here. I look on with a bit of envy at those who are cool with sedans and melted M&M crossover… CUVs?… anyhoo whatever they are called. More power to them. Me? The latter every time. Along the same lines given a choice I will choose the worst real camera you have on you over a phone every time.
- That is it honestly.
It is hard to fault the availability and convenience of a solid photo and video solution in your pocket.
Scenario 2: Galavanting with my son.
Bottom line: Pics can be missed. It is about the experience. And the knowledge that the images I do get will likely be worth the extra faffing about.
Tool used: My favorite camera and lens kit.
Which camera: See above. It could have been any modern or vintage camera as well. At any price point or spec. All would be preferable if time and occasion permitted. Understandably many would prefer modern features like AF and such which I understand. But this is how I am currently afflicted.
Main specs:
- 24MP
- MF
- Normal and wide lens.
- Technically video. But that is not the intended use case here.
That is it. That is all I want.
Why this camera?
This is a fully passion driven decision. Makes no paper spec sense at all. The polar opposite of using a camera phone this side of using an 8×10 camera. This is not just about getting the pic. It is about the (Grab your preferred anti nausea medication.) the experience. I am not saying it makes sense but if at all possible it is what I prefer to use.
There is one practical consideration. This gear makes for two small lenses that fit in a front pocket when not in use so no camera bag required.
That being said once I looked at the end results I did have a bit of a “I now see why I prefer to use this solution if possible.” moment. Here are the pics (Some repeat images from a recent Vintage Digital post.) with a few comments added after.
Follow up thoughts.
Let me get the obvious question out of the way.
Could I have used my phone to take these photos? Technically yes.
Would I have? Not likely.
Would they have turned out as well? I do not believe so.
I in no way can imagine myself ever framing some of the photos above with my phone. And even if I did I do not believe the results would have turned as well.
This task did not warrant what is arguably an archaic device lacking in many modern conveniences. But this lack of conveniences is exactly why some of these photos were even captured in my opinion. Once again there was good and bad to this.
The good:
- Experience.
- It is what it is. Whether it be this camera or another more mainstream solution I would much rather use a camera. And the implement used will always be intertwined with the experience. Hanging out with my son calls for something special in my little world. And a phone does not cut it.
- The ergonomics.
- Closely related to experience above this particular camera makes easy work of image capturing once you learn your way around it while feeling great in hand. Same can be said for any number of cameras.
- Compact size.
- While not as compact as a phone, of course, this camera and two small lenses is not a bother to bring with me at all. There are other camera and lens solutions that would be nearly as small, comparable, or even smaller.
- IQ.
- I like the images more. No surprises there.
The bad.
- Not stealthy.
- May be specific to a camera like this but each day out a stranger went out of their way to approach me and mention the camera. I do not see that happening with the Ultra Mega Thruster GTR 3000 up above.
- Workflow.
- While I find it no hardship to download an SD card at the end of the day I will admit that having your images held on a connected device is more convenient for uploading/sharing.
- That is it honestly.
Well that about wraps it up.
This is a use case and outcome specific to me and those who are similarly afflicted. If you are getting on fine with your phone Godspeed. I wish you well. Some would say my path makes no sense. I get it.
But for me, it is cameras for the win. The experience is as or even more important than the capabilities of the device itself.
Happy capturing.
-ELW
Eric L. Woods 