OT: How to take AMAZING pictures with cellphone cameras

[eBAUMANN]

Originally Posted by jimcav

how do you do that, and since i haven't managed it, what is best/safe way to clean. is a kleenex ok?
jim

just give it a quick buff with literally any fabric.
the softer/cleaner/drier the better.
ie - your t shirt

because the lens is so tiny, even a seemingly small smudge (like a finger print) on it will effect the quality of THE ENTIRE IMAGE.
compared to a traditional DSLR, which has a MUCH larger lens, and is capable of collecting quite a few smudges before any noticeable degradation of image quality can be detected.

[eddief]

I was going to wipe it down with a microfiber cloth. I noticed a flaw in the lens and wondered if it was a chip. Instead I found it to be a clear film stuck on the lens. Wonder if it was meant to stay there or if it was put there when new at the factory and meant to be removed when I started to use it. Also wondered how it has been affecting my photos?

Originally Posted by jimcav

how do you do that, and since i haven't managed it, what is best/safe way to clean. is a kleenex ok?
jim

[Mr. Pink]

There's a simple fix to this. Put a small tethered lens cap on that phone. It can be done. Otherwise, it can't be kept clean. Cmon. Would you carry one of your best lenses around in your pocket and toss it around anywhere without a cap on it? Let's not even go near the quality of those lenses. Pretty much a joke, compared to a higher end Nikon/Canon/Sony/Fuji.

[MikeD]

If you want to make a photo look like a modern art painting, try the Prisma app.

[jasonification]

use those grimy fingerprints to do "soft focus" shots!

[DRietz]

What apps are people using on their iPhones to take raw photos?

[MattTuck]

yeah, disappointed that there isn't a "sweaty jersey pocket" filter.

[eBAUMANN]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

There's a simple fix to this. Put a small tethered lens cap on that phone. It can be done. Otherwise, it can't be kept clean. Cmon. Would you carry one of your best lenses around in your pocket and toss it around anywhere without a cap on it? Let's not even go near the quality of those lenses. Pretty much a joke, compared to a higher end Nikon/Canon/Sony/Fuji.

i put UV filters on my "real camera" lenses and a hood...lens caps come off day 1 and sit in the pelican case at home until i am storing the lenses for some reason.

why?

1) lens caps get lost, easily
2) lens caps get in the way of taking photos, literally
3) having one dangling from your camera on some string = n00b

this statement comes from years of photojournalism/weddings/sports/street shooting, FWIW.

MINOR smudges and scratches and whatever on a UV filter do NOT effect images taken with the lens. they are too close to the lens elements to even register on the sensor in the actual photo.

back to phones though, a quick buff with your shirt is all that is necessary to get the lens COVER (the thing you are buffing is NOT actually a lens element...far as I know) clean enough for a nice clear image.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by DRietz

What apps are people using on their iPhones to take raw photos?

Procam has a RAW setting.

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by eBAUMANN

i put UV filters on my "real camera" lenses and a hood...lens caps come off day 1 and sit in the pelican case at home until i am storing the lenses for some reason.

why?

1) lens caps get lost, easily
2) lens caps get in the way of taking photos, literally
3) having one dangling from your camera on some string = n00b

this statement comes from years of photojournalism/weddings/sports/street shooting, FWIW.

MINOR smudges and scratches and whatever on a UV filter do NOT effect images taken with the lens. they are too close to the lens elements to even register on the sensor in the actual photo.

back to phones though, a quick buff with your shirt is all that is necessary to get the lens COVER (the thing you are buffing is NOT actually a lens element...far as I know) clean enough for a nice clear image.

Well, I've been around the biz all my previous life too, but let's put it back in our pants.

That said, heh, the phone designers could easily design a little sliding door as a lens protector. Easy. But, I guess, it doesn't fulfill the sleek, cool aesthetic that the public seems to want. Gotta be cool and sleek, right? Now, as far as putting a UV filter or something on the lens, yeah, I've seen it thousands of times. Its being lazy. It's not as though filters are immune to prints and grime. Its just a transparent lens cap for most. And, I don't care how good they are, you're also introducing another element of lesser quality in front of your 700 dollar or so chunk of finely ground Japanese optics. As you say, why? It's like going to Walmart for tires to put on your ten grand road bike.

And phone camera lenses are garbage.

Oh well, happy pix. Peace out.

[eBAUMANN]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

Well, I've been around the biz all my previous life too, but let's put it back in our pants.

That said, heh, the phone designers could easily design a little sliding door as a lens protector. Easy. But, I guess, it doesn't fulfill the sleek, cool aesthetic that the public seems to want. Gotta be cool and sleek, right? Now, as far as putting a UV filter or something on the lens, yeah, I've seen it thousands of times. Its being lazy. It's not as though filters are immune to prints and grime. Its just a transparent lens cap for most. And, I don't care how good they are, you're also introducing another element of lesser quality in front of your 700 dollar or so chunk of finely ground Japanese optics. As you say, why? It's like going to Walmart for tires to put on your ten grand road bike.

And phone camera lenses are garbage.

Oh well, happy pix. Peace out.

my point is, when it comes down to it, photography is about the CONTENT of the image, not how many pixels there are or how perfectly corner detail is rendered...

ive seen plenty of sh*t photos come out of $25k cameras...sure the image is TECHNICALLY beautiful (from a pixel peeping computer nerd POV) but that is NOT what photography is about...its about what you point that camera at and when you push the shutter...and no camera will be able to tell you how to do that, no matter how clean the lens is

some of the favorite photos i have ever taken came out of a 35mm point and shoot camera. the simplicity and quality of that camera (a t4) was a combo that allowed me to capture moments almost instantly, without screwing around with 6 different dials and buttons (and a lens cap) before I was able to get the shot.

PS - I use high-quality UV filters + hoods for lens lens protection (instead of a cap) - if you are careful with your equipment and keep the filters clean, its a totally viable method and it does not compromise image quality at all.

[weisan]

What’s the proper technique in holding a phone for taking pictures?

[azrider]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

etc..'way better'...??

As someone who has researched this I can assure you it is way better. Just google camera iphone vs samsung and you'll see that 'experts' all tout one as being far superior over the other.......but hey, you sound like you're pretty in the know so maybe the 'experts' got it wrong

the iphone pics listed on this thread are 'ok'................the Samsung pics below are amazing.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showth...ghlight=camera

[gospastic]

[Tony T]

Originally Posted by adub

download the snapseed app.

+1

.