Phone to snap pictures of mostly black cats in a dark room quickly?

[Dubba]

A While back I got a Nokia 8.1 to use from work but I have to return it soon. I'm not looking forward going back to my old honor 7lite, so I'm in the market now. This Nokia has felt surprisingly good, I like the weight, pictures are decent when lighting is adequate, interface overally feels quite snappy, nothing to complain about a phone that costs 200-350€. Except during the moments when my cats are doing something I want to share with my crazy cat people friends, quick launch isn't quick and focusing time during low light is terrible.

 

I was looking for a Note9 but for some reason they've exited this universe completely. Is there a phone that doesn't cost triple the amount I paid for my car, that can do well in taking pics of dark cats, is not an iPhone but has a long support still?

[19_blackie_73]

A full format dslr with a fast prime /s

But on a serioud note though, your best bet may be the pixel 3a, the pixel series was always quite good. Though you are probably looking at a good sum more

[LamoidZombieDog]

3 minutes ago, Dubba said:

A While back I got a Nokia 8.1 to use from work but I have to return it soon. I'm not looking forward going back to my old honor 7lite, so I'm in the market now. This Nokia has felt surprisingly good, I like the weight, pictures are decent when lighting is adequate, interface overally feels quite snappy, nothing to complain about a phone that costs 200-350€. Except during the moments when my cats are doing something I want to share with my crazy cat people friends, quick launch isn't quick and focusing time during low light is terrible.

 

I was looking for a Note9 but for some reason they've exited this universe completely. Is there a phone that doesn't cost triple the amount I paid for my car, that can do well in taking pics of dark cats, is not an iPhone but has a long support still?

only thing would be a Samsung galaxy Note 10 or note 10+. i think the 10 starts at like 900, thats the cheapest your going to get for really good night vision. the Note 9 is "alright" with night vision as well.

[LamoidZombieDog]

1 minute ago, 19_blackie_73 said:

A full format dslr with a fast prime /s

But on a serioud note though, your best bet may be the pixel 3a, the pixel series was always quite good. Though you are probably looking at a good sum more

DSLRs suck with low light, i used a 3000$ DSLR with a 1500$ lens to try and take a lowlight and it did worse then my note 10+. Also, the pixel 3A camera cant compare to samsung.

[Dubba]

Well I have a 5D mkII, it's old but suits my needs well.

Though with that I'd need to get it out of the bag, set up lighting, choose the lens... yeah

 

None of the shops I visited have had pixels on display so I don't know how it feels in my hands. But I'll keep my eyes open for that

[Dubba]

2 minutes ago, LamoidZombieDog said:

only thing would be a Samsung galaxy Note 10 or note 10+. i think the 10 starts at like 900, thats the cheapest your going to get for really good night vision. the Note 9 is "alright" with night vision as well.

Yeah the Note10.. I visited three shops last weekend, did my rounds and in every shop I always went back to the Note 10, it just feels real comfy in my hand, though the screen extends a bit too far out the edges in my opinion.

[LamoidZombieDog]

Just now, Dubba said:

Yeah the Note10.. I visited three shops last weekend, did my rounds and in every shop I always went back to the Note 10, it just feels real comfy in my hand, though the screen extends a bit too far out the edges in my opinion.

if you want a smaller device and a lower price then go with the note 10 over the note 10+. if you dont like the screen going so high up you can turn on a fake bezel so its the same top size as a note 9. personally i like the full edge to edge display. but i also have a note 10+ and like the insanely huge screen. the note 10(+) is great in low light in general, but also can turn a pitch black photo into daytime. most people dont realize its a thing, but if you go into pro mode and set your ISO and brightness info to max, and take a photo, it will take 15 secconds to process the photo (keep the phone still or it will be blurry) and it will come out with a super nice bright photo. if your looking for a good camera as well as a high end phone, go for the note 10. if you want a little cheaper go for the S10, though night vision isnt as good.

[porina]

15 minutes ago, 19_blackie_73 said:

But on a serioud note though, your best bet may be the pixel 3a, the pixel series was always quite good.

I have a Pixel 3A. Now, the question is, how low is low light? I could try running a test.

 

13 minutes ago, LamoidZombieDog said:

DSLRs suck with low light, i used a 3000$ DSLR with a 1500$ lens to try and take a lowlight and it did worse then my note 10+.

Then you're using it wrong. The only way phones can vaguely keep up is by throwing a ton of processing on the image. You can do that DSLR output too, although in general it will be an extra step so less convenient if you just want a quick post on social media.

 

11 minutes ago, Dubba said:

Well I have a 5D mkII, it's old but suits my needs well.

Though with that I'd need to get it out of the bag, set up lighting, choose the lens... yeah

Over thinking it... keep it somewhat to hand, leave a fast lens fitted (maybe a wide to standard prime or short zoom) and use available light. No need to prepare a studio for every shot if you weren't going to do it for a phone photo either.

[LamoidZombieDog]

1 minute ago, porina said:

I have a Pixel 3A. Now, the question is, how low is low light? I could try running a test.

 

Then you're using it wrong. The only way phones can vaguely keep up is by throwing a ton of processing on the image. You can do that DSLR output too, although in general it will be an extra step so less convenient if you just want a quick post on social media.

 

Over thinking it... keep it somewhat to hand, leave a fast lens fitted (maybe a wide to standard prime or short zoom) and use available light. No need to prepare a studio for every shot if you weren't going to do it for a phone photo either.

low light would be Pitch black.

 

no. im not doing it wrong. i wouldnt have a 4500$+ Camera setup if i didnt know how to use it. 

18 minutes ago, Dubba said:

Well I have a 5D mkII, it's old but suits my needs well.

Though with that I'd need to get it out of the bag, set up lighting, choose the lens... yeah

 

None of the shops I visited have had pixels on display so I don't know how it feels in my hands. But I'll keep my eyes open for that

Pixels arent usually in stores because you can really only get it from google or direct from a carrier if you buy it new in the box. its not a standard flagship like S Note or iPhone.

[Dubba]

13 minutes ago, porina said:

Over thinking it... keep it somewhat to hand, leave a fast lens fitted (maybe a wide to standard prime or short zoom) and use available light. No need to prepare a studio for every shot if you weren't going to do it for a phone photo either.

I think I have to confess, I only have a cheap kit lens and a cheap 50mm/1.8. 5DmkII isn't the best in indirect ambient lighting of my mancave and I use that camera more for walking around city, always ready in a bag to pick up with me. During summer I keep it on a table fitted with the 50mm because summer light is plenty enough for cat pics but winter is long an dark

 

But if I were to go back to the topic, maybe I should add that the phone would be used to do other things too. And when it comes to cat pics, a phone that is pretty much always at hand will have a better chance to be ready to capture that moment which might last only a second and a half.

[porina]

 

28 minutes ago, Dubba said:

But if I were to go back to the topic, maybe I should add that the phone would be used to do other things too. And when it comes to cat pics, a phone that is pretty much always at hand will have a better chance to be ready to capture that moment which might last only a second and a half.

Fair enough. I'm still willing to do example shots from my 3A if that helps, but quantifying how low your light level is might is more difficult. I can find a substitute static subject but that wont include the challenge of a moving target.

[Dubba]

Are you implying I have a problem with my lighting?

It's perfect!! I relax and create best in comfy low light.

 

Seriously though, the title is a bit of an exaggeration but I'm still in a market for a phone with fast camera, among other features like long support. Also my 5D mkII isn't really great for videos, amateur or not. Cat pics aren't everything I intend to do.   Hard to try to describe the amount of light since everything is diffused led lighting but I can always take your suggestions and try to find comparisons against my current phone too. The Pixel intrigues me for it's cleaner launcher, but even our carrier shops didn't have those unfortunately