kfeusse Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 how many MP does your cell phone camera have and do you think it is good enough for every day pictures or family vacations? I am trying to decide how good of a camera is a must if I want to put pictures in a photobook (like Shutterfly). Right now my phone has 5MP...but I am wondering if I need to upgrade. thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificent_baby Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 While I love my iPhone, the pictures aren't the best compared to other phones. I have a 6s and the megapixel's are fairly high (12?). My sisters have Samsung phones and their pictures turn out really, really good! That said, I did use it on vacation, along side my good camera, and the outdoor pics turned out well, though I know they could have been better. I really hope Apple decides to come out with a better camera because I love the phone itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfeusse Posted September 28, 2016 Author Share Posted September 28, 2016 I have a Samsung too...is there anyway you could find out for me what your sister's cameras are? thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 I think I have heard that the MP are not necessarily the biggest factor in whether a camera is any good or not, but you'd have to research that. I have an iPhone 5s, and I feel that the camera is good enough for everyday photos. I'll still pull out my slightly nicer Nikon for really important things though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificent_baby Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 I have a Samsung too...is there anyway you could find out for me what your sister's cameras are? thanks. I will ask! Could be awhile, she's very slow to respond. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 (edited) My iPhone takes much better pics than my Samsung camera. Enough so that I passed the camera down to oldest DD and I use my phone all the time. ETA: I'm sure if you needed a lot of fast motion, long distance, or low light shots, a camera may be your better bet. Edited September 28, 2016 by alisoncooks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 I have a very low end Samsung Android phone. 2014 model with I believe a 5 MP main camera. It has Android 4.4.x and I don't think that can be upgraded. I installed the "Open Camera" App, from Google Play, which is free. I only will use the basic functions, but "Open Camera" is apparently very powerful in the control it can give you with your camera, if you are so inclined, and if your phone permits. My wife has a Motorola phone with a 12 or 15 MP Main Camera. She takes a lot of photos. I don't. If you are going to be uploading photos to the web, probably they will be at low (VGA) quality. 640 x 480, to reduce the size of the files you Upload. For that, you don't need a high end camera in your phone. Another consideration is the *quality* of the camera lens they install in the factory. Your 5 MP and my 5 MP may be different quality. For me, someone who rarely takes photos, 5 MP is all I need. YMMV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 (edited) I don't remember what the mp is on mine (samsung note 3) - but it's just fine as a point and shoot. you can probably buy a better quality separate point and shoot. dh has a digital slr. Edited September 28, 2016 by gardenmom5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 Best camera is the one you will use. My phone is compact and easy to carry; my dslr is large and requires me to be an "intentional" photographer. Most everyday pics are done w/my iPhone 6. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 I have an older Samsung and it's fine for outdoor pictures but indoor pics often come out blurry due to lighting. I will be investigating further before upgrading. Low lighting is definitely an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Yell Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 Best camera is the one you will use. My phone is compact and easy to carry; my dslr is large and requires me to be an "intentional" photographer. Most everyday pics are done w/my iPhone 6. Agreed! Also, if you're not printing photos bigger than 4x6 or so, you should be fine. If you want to blow up a family portrait to 20x30 you'll likely need a better camera. Also, get as close as possible to the subject rather than using the zoom on your camera... quality will be better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfeusse Posted September 28, 2016 Author Share Posted September 28, 2016 so, if I wanted to test it out before spending $70 on a photo book that will disappoint me...if I look at my pictures on the computer, will that give me an indicator if my camera is ok...or how else can I test it out?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 Best camera is the one you will use. My phone is compact and easy to carry; my dslr is large and requires me to be an "intentional" photographer. Most everyday pics are done w/my iPhone 6. :iagree: Exactly. So few people want to carry a camera most of the time. And a lot of the point and shoots are only marginally better than the phone ones so you really need to carry something larger to do better, but most people don't want to. I feel my iPhone 6 takes pretty good photos. I am occasionally disappointed if I need to take an indoor, lower light pic or have to zoom. But 90% of vacation photos are outside for us. Totally sufficient. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 (edited) I have an older Samsung and it's fine for outdoor pictures but indoor pics often come out blurry due to lighting. I will be investigating further before upgrading. Low lighting is definitely an issue. have you checked the settings on your phone's camera? any software updates available for your phone's camera? eta: i had issues with the flash on my phone. (it was software. resolved.) -so it wouldn't go off for indoor shots. Edited September 28, 2016 by gardenmom5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfeusse Posted September 28, 2016 Author Share Posted September 28, 2016 have you checked the settings on your phone's camera? any software updates available for your phone's camera? how do I do this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 I agree about the best camera being the one you will use. I use my iPhone for everyday shots. However, if I am going on vacation for scenery, or into a situation that cannot be repeated (eg. a birthday party or a gathering of friends when one is moving away), I take my better camera. It's not just about megapixels; it's about being able to hold the camera correctly so there is no shaking/blurriness, the light-gathering ability of a bigger lens and a few other things that a camera gives you. One thing a camera does is it makes people act a little better. I get a LOT better shots with my camera because people are not sticking their tongues out or doing rabbit ears to everyone (although I do think rabbit ears are kinda cute). If I never see another FB selfie with people sticking their tongues out, that will be ok with me. I'm doing a big photo project right now, using pictures from 8-9 years ago. Without exception, the camera pictures are better quality. I am including a few of the phone-camera shots (it was state of the art at the time) because they tend to capture a moment when I wasn't prepared with my camera, or sweet facial expressions. But they don't look nearly as good as the camera shots. The camera shots, by the way, were with a Sony point-and-shoot with a Zeiss lens. The lens made a huge difference. The pixel number, not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 Maybe you could contact Shutterfly and ask. Maybe they can print a sample page for you or have a return policy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.