Cell Phone Camera or 35mm?

[NetworkGuy]

I am debating is I want to bring my 35mm camera. Most of the excursions seem to be in cities and the cell phone works great there.

 

What have other people done?

[LHT28]

Do you need cell service to use the camera in the phone?

 

 We take  a small pocket camera (Casio)   the 35 mm Minolta  got too cumbersome  for us

Personal choice  or what works best for your needs

 

[boone2]

We’ve been debating the same for our transpacific next week. I love using my camera but I also get great pics on my iPhone.   I think I’ll take the camera. It’s not that big to carry 

 

[turnin50]

My husband always brings his camera, he has a good quality backpack that fits all his lenses etc, it does take awesome pictures but I just use my phone. I think if you can carry it in a case without too much trouble take it.

[Curlyred29]

I use both, I like that my cell phone geo tags my photos but my DSLR can take pictures that my phone just can’t take. I did upgrade my phone to the iPhone 13pro before my last cruise because of the camera upgrade and it is good, but if you want to take pictures of anything a little further away the phone won’t do it with the same quality 

[Heidi13]

Since I haven't had a cell phone since I retired 10 yrs ago, I always travel with 2 DSLR bodies and multiple lenses

[broberts]

50 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

Since I haven't had a cell phone since I retired 10 yrs ago ...

 

😱

 

 

 

Edited September 20, 2022 by broberts

[WESTEAST]

Definitely use iPhone as the quality of photos are excellent by our standards and the ease of touring with a  phone versus a camera works for us.  Prepare digital travel photobooks after each holiday and the quality of these books using iPhone photos is great (you can enhance, crop etc.). One doesn't need cell service and always keep iPhone on Airplane Mode and connect to WiFi only when onboard.

[*Miss G*]

For outdoor scenery pics (Alaska, Antarctica, Arctic, etc) I always wish I had a proper camera.  For indoor and city touring, I find I get nice pics with my iPhone and it isn’t awkward to carry.

 

8 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Do you need cell service to use the camera in the phone?

 

No.  The camera works independently of any network services.

[Fouremco]

4 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Since I haven't had a cell phone since I retired 10 yrs ago, I always travel with 2 DSLR bodies and multiple lenses

LOL, as I have gone in the opposite direction. After many, many years of lugging SLR and later DSLR cameras and lenses around, I recently decided that the iPhone 14 Pro Max would become my "go to" camera when travelling in the future.

[em-sk]

11 hours ago, NetworkGuy said:

I am debating is I want to bring my 35mm camera. Most of the excursions seem to be in cities and the cell phone works great there.

 

What have other people done?

 

I have a Sony Alpha DSLR.  Great Cameras, with multiple lenses. The chip in the DSLR is physically larger than an iPhone.  Have a couple of interchangeable lenses.  Dynamic range especially in low light and high light conditions is much better with the DSLR.  Optical zoom on the DSLR is always going to be better than the software zoom in an iPhone.  Shutter control is much better on the DSLR.  

 

If by 35mm you mean a SLR camera with film instead of a sensor the same will apply especially if you have good quality lenses. 

 

If its not a "professional" SLR style camera but one of those low cost 35mm cameras that were popular in the day, your likely going to do better with your iPhone.  

 

Would I take the DSLR or just the phone? Depends.  If it is a cruse where I am expecting to see some great landscapes or want to photograph things at night I will bring the DSLR.  If it is the Caribbean then probably not.

 

I went from the 35 mm SLR  to the DSLR years ago to avoid all the hassle of dealing with film.

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by em-sk

[CDNPolar]

We have had high powered cameras and now rely 100% on the iPhone.  We just got the iPhone 14 specifically for the upgrades to the camera both in still and video.  We produce very high quality movies from every trip that we are on and they are a combination of still and video and they all come from the iPhone.  Our friends are amazed when they find out that we only used the iPhone. 

 

Travelling with a camera is a preference for some, and we used to do it, but that is added concern and often adds issues as it is one more thing around your neck that you are carrying and protecting from damage or theft.

 

The question do you need cell service to use the phone camera - no - but we do have our data roaming on (under Rogers Roam Like Home) as then the camera establishes the meta data - location, time, date, etc, for when we are downloading and preserving our photos later we can sort by location and time.  Also, because we both take pictures, when we merge the pictures at home (last trip there were 8000 pics) they all sort again to location and date/time because of the meta data.  This however DOES require you to have data roaming and that costs more.  Rogers Roam Like Home is up to $15 per day depending on the location.

[Milhouse]

We generally try to travel lighter nowadays so the DSLR with the extra lenses normally just take up too much weight and space for our criteria.  Most of the pictures we take are kind of quick snapshots that we find a phone camera good enough for.  I like taking pics of food, locations, etc just to document our trip so I can reference what we did.  The missus likes taking pics/selfies for memories and enjoys the pop-ups of "This day 10 years ago..." pictures.  

 

However, I am more open to taking the DSLR on a cruise because it's easier to grab it from the cabin when I know I want to take some shots around the ship.  However, I still don't think I'll bring my heavy telephoto lens unless I have a specific use for it.