Hello, it's Cristina here to talk about camera choices today. I have always been a huge fan of dSLRs ever since I got my first one in 2008, but I fully appreciate the opportunity of having more options available. I have to confess that I am strongly biased towards my big camera - as you will see below, - but my purpose today is to encourage you to know the tools available to you and be able to choose the best one for each specific occasion. I believe there is no best choice overall, but if I think about the situation I am in, I never second guess my decision.
Phone cameras
You know what they say.. the best camera is the one that you have with you. Having my phone has certainly made it possible for me to capture the little and/or unexpected things that I would have missed otherwise. I have my phone with me all the time - at work, at the grocery store, when I visit someone. Definitely he big advantage of phone cameras is portability. If it's the only camera you have with you.. well it's clearly the winner!
However, portability/availability is not the only factor that leads me to choose using a phone camera on occasion. There are a few more reasons I sometimes go with phone cameras at times even when I have more options available. For example, it's much less intimidating to take someone/something's picture with a quick snap of a phone that with a big camera+lens. Another reason is that practically anyone can take a picture with a phone, so if I want to have someone take a picture of me, this is the low risk option.
Finally, there is one more reason why I love phone cameras so much. Selfies, especially the ones I take with my husband, are a huge plus since they are so easy to take. It's always fun to snap and see what turns out - the process is always somewhat impredictable, since we want to use the back camera on the phone, which has better quality that the front-facing one, and the fun factor is definitely a bonus.
Advantages:
- portability
- ease of use
- selfies
- easy to share with family/friends
- availability of free/cheap editing apps
Disdvantages:
- limited functions / controls
Digital cameras
I have to confess that I have completely given up on digital (non-SLR) cameras, since phone cameras have improved so much in the last couple of years. If you don't have a camera on your phone, this is a great option.
DSLRs
My big love. I think that 70% of the photos I take at home and all the photos of trips/special events are taken with my Canon 6D. I love the control I have of the exposure, and I value the image quality enough to keep hauling the big camera around. Of course, since I cannot bring the camera with me at all times, I miss out on some unexpected events.
Advantages:
- image quality
Disadvantages:
- portability
- ease of use
- conspicuous.
- planning required.
Comparison
So what's your favorite camera? My choice is pretty obvious, but I want to leave you with a comparison of two shots I took with my husband at the pumpkin patch last week that may explain it even better. The first is taken with an iPhone 4s, and the second with my Canon 6D. Both images are SOOC (straight out of camera - unedited).
In this case, my camera choice was the dSLR. I knew we were going to the pumpkin patch, I knew we'd have a little photo shoot there, and I wanted to get some good pictures. So I brought my big camera. What if we'd just stopped at the pumpkin patch randomly while driving by? Well, in that case, I would not have had my big camera, but the phone camera would have saved the day.
My point is: any camera is better than nothing.. but it is often worth it to think about the options available. I find that making a conscious decision is always better than simply going with the easiest option.
