Can Smartphones Replace High-End Cameras?
Over the last 10 years, smartphone photography has progressed rapidly. Today, almost anyone can access a decent camera and instantly capture the moment. Today’s phones are advanced enough to create interesting photos with the effect of a soft and creamy out-of-focus background, an effect called Bokeh which was previously only mastered using high-end cameras. There are plenty of editing apps, presets, and filters that can be added to smartphone photos. When these tools are used correctly, they have the ability to create some truly interesting photos.
So with all of this technology now living in any given person pocket, does this mean that professional photographers with their high-end DSLR cameras, their multitude of lenses, and studio equipment are becoming obsolete?
Smartphones, filters and professional photography equipment have one thing in common. They are just tools. When you hire a professional photographer, you are not just hiring them for the equipment that they use. You are hiring them as visual storytellers and investing in their years of training and experience.
What it comes down to is whether or not the individual using the tools have the knowledge and experience, and creative eye to effectively create images that are unique, captivating and stand out from all of the rest.
Why do professional photographers invest in high-end gear?
As we mentioned, smartphones are equipped with some great, compact cameras that are perfect for on-the-go photography. However, they start to fall short when they are met with poor, uneven lighting, or when the subject is moving or at a distance. Professional photographers understand where smartphones fall short. That is why they invest in high-end equipment and have mastered it to create stunning photos even when they are shooting in poor lighting and a variety of other tricky situations.
High-end equipment also allows photographers to manually manipulate settings such as aperture and exposure, giving them more control over what their camera captures. Smartphones, however, apply these settings automatically, limiting the ability to make adjustments depending on the scene at hand or when a creative idea is sparked.
Quality is Critical
Another reason why professionals always opt for high-end gear is for the image quality produced through a professional DSLR camera and other studio equipment. This equipment has the ability to produce image files that hold far more information than an image produced by a cellphone. This type of file ensures a photo will maintain its quality, colour, and sharpness no matter how the image is enhanced, enlarged or printed.
Ensuring an image is captivating and its quality remains is especially important when the image is being used to represent you or your business. Low-quality photography looks amateurish and will leave potential customers wondering where else your business might be lacking in quality.
As we mentioned above, the value of a professional photographer will always lie in their creative vision, experience, and ability create in any situation. Even though smartphone cameras have improved over the years, hiring a professional will ensure that your images are unique, captivating, tell your story, and ensure that high-quality images are produced no matter the situation or lighting.
