Image credits: highsnobiety
I am currently on the verge of switching to mobile photography. At least that's what I am feeling right now due to different personal reasons of which I will be enumerating further below. I am at this point weighing out my reasons and the stuff that I am willing to give up when using the mobile compared to using a DSLR or a mirrorless camera. For now, I have this dire need to blog about it so to finalize my decisions.
How come I am coming up with this decision?
Image credits: samanthaenroute
Well, I had been looking at my hard drives lately then I realized that both James and I, we have got thousands of images saved in there and I have never really used more than 50 percent of all of these. As you can see, images taken on a mirrorless or DSLR camera are quite heavy so we have four hard drives all full with the images and videos.
So, I have thoughts that mobile photography is the best way to go and I want to enhance my skills in mobile photography rather. Here go my reasons:
1. Portability
Image credits: learn.corel
I want to travel light and bringing two or more gears is just too much of a weight for me. James got a mirrorless camera with two lenses, then I also have another camera body with yet another lens. There's a drone and there's an action camera. Most of the time, I take videos on the GoPro but really, they are not being used, 99% of the time, I leave them in the drive to die and I am sorry about doing that.
I only need 10 images for my bitLanders blog, a few other photos for the other blog sites but in this current situation, I kept on taking lots of images but I really need just a few.
2. Efficiency
Image credits: fstoppers
Mobile Photography apparently gives more freedom and efficient way of capturing photos especially in fields where the need to take photos has to be almost unnoticed.
Staying low key is hard to achieve with the big camera gears. The shutter noises can actually disturb others and the thought of someone pointing their big cameras someone is already taking all the attention of the people around.
Clicking the shutter with a mobile phone is faster. Also, it is quicker to grab a 6-inch mobile device than a digital camera.
3. Usability
Image credits: thephoblographer
With the images all readily available on the phone, using it directly for blogs and posting on social media is obviously way faster. Having them accessible right away rather than going through the process of copying the photograph files from the main camera gear to the computer via a memory card, then it will be more complicated if the file shot were on RAW then there's a need to convert these files into JPEG again before being able to really upload it to whichever site it is required to.
The files from the mobile devices given that they have proper lighting, enough contrast, and brightness, let's say the image is already okay can be uploaded directly minus all those complicated processes.
4. Easy Edits
Image credits: lifeinlofi
Now if there's a necessity for the images to be edited, mobile software is already available for editing these photos. In fact, mobile photo editing application is easier to use!
Apps like Snapseed, Lightroom for mobile and even the mobile phone's default application can be used for all these requirements. This application also got the option to save the previous changes and can be applied right away to whatever current image project. This way, the editing process will be faster, with just a few taps on the mobile, editing is already done!
Video credits: Peter McKinnon via YouTube
5. Always Way Cheaper Than DSLR Gears
Image credits: thephoblographer
Another point here is that mobile phones are way less in cost compared to those professional gears. When one buys a camera gear, it is also given that you also buy accessories like filters, tripods, additional lenses, stabilizers and a lot more not to also mention camera bags for all these items. And these materials are not cheap! They come with huge prices that it may take some time before one could complete all the needs.
But with mobile, these accessories won't cost that much for them to be acquired. Stabilizers for mobile is way affordable compared to the DSLR, mobile cases which has lens slots and more.
Video credits: Beebom via YouTube
Image credits: crazyphonesnet
Finally, this generation's technology is gearing towards filling the gap between the DSLR world and mobile photography as well as cinematography. I am sure that in the near future, most mobile phones can already produce almost DSLR quality images and videos.
Whilst considering these positive incentives for using a mobile phone for taking photos, I am all aware as well of the things that I am throwing away such as the following:
Image credits: 43rumors
1. DSLR Cameras provide higher resolution images compared to the mobile camera.
2. Color accuracy, more accurate color shades of images.
3. Zooming capabilities with electronic controls rather than digital.
4. Shutter and aperture options buttons instead of the use of touch screens for faster adjustments.
5. Versability in terms of interchangeable lenses.
6. Battery life which is longer compared to the mobile which may require power banks.
Image credits: departful
There are more of that in the list but the relationship between myself and these bulky cameras is now starting to take its toll on me. It feels like I am using too many gears for my needs. I use my images mainly for blogging and I felt like what I am creating are overkills.
So this had to end and I know the aspects which I am considering ditching seems heavy because I have to say bye-bye to the quality portions, this is really hard but I know for sure that once I got used to it, I'll sure appreciate it more. The heavy bags and complicated options will be replaced with a lightweight and efficient material such as the mobile phone which I can use in every single aspect may it be photography, online communication, and even offline activities.
This blog entry was written and published by Jean Beltran-Figues for bitlanders.com.
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