Professional photographers have for a long time known the difference, but it's not that obvious for everyday users like you and me. To this end, Ars Technica's Lee Hutchinson has done an in-depth comparison of the camera in Apple's iPhone 6 and a "prosumer" model from Canon, EOS 5D Mark III. http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/10/smartphone-camera-vs-dslr/ – The results? As you expected: the "prosumer" camera model outclasses the iPhone camera by several orders of magnitude.
Even with their settings as close as possible, the dedicated camera has made much superior photos compared to the iPhone. The reasons are multiple.
For one, Apple is not a camera maker. It lacks the necessary expertise to create a camera which would even get close to (semi-)professional grade. Canon, in turn, has a whole division dedicated to photography, and even its compacts - which are known to have major limits - are superior to smartphone cameras. Then, there's the small fact that the vast majority of smartphone cameras have fixed lenses. This means that all zooming is done by software, which inherently degrades the quality of the end result. And I think there's no need even to mention the sensor itself.
When it comes to technology, a DSLR will always be superior to any smartphone camera. Most of the times, though, using a DSLR to shoot photos of your children playing on the beach is overkill. The smartphone camera is perfect for everyday use. But never underestimate the power of skill, though - it can mean the difference between a good picture and a pile of garbage.
With the right eye and the right amount of care taken when snapping the picture, the iPhone's camera can be a perfect alternative to any other. It's all about making the most of the circumstances - and the knowledge to do so. And these photos snapped with a smartphone are perfect to be published on social media or your blog. Even if you didn't pay several grand for equipment.
(Photo by danielygo via Flickr)
Article written by Joe