DSLR or Smartphone

[carlosmnm]

This might seem like a very dumb question. sorry I'm a beginner and don't know much about cameras!! But i was wanted to get a nice camera for christmas with very good amazon sales right now. I want to get a DSLR more specifically the Nikon d3300 which is a entry level dslr. Theres a very good deal on it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T8LQ8VW?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER. but my question is it worth it? I have the new galaxy note 5 which takes very photos and idk if its worth to buy the dslr when i have this phone? I wanna take really photos especially when me and my family go on vacations, nice outside shots of nature and  sports. I also wanna take a lot of video with it (a big reason why i want the dslr is for the smooth slow mo). Do you guys recommend staying with phone or getting dslr? can u guys put what the dlsr can do better than the phone if you guys can. Thanks people.

[Guest]

Smartphones aren't that good compares to a DSLR.

 

If you want to start taking them sexy pictures, you should get an actual camera.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-Digital-Optical-Full-HD/dp/B00EFILNV8/ref=sr_1_4?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1449469600&sr=1-4&keywords=Canon+S120

 

Is good for vlogging - Casey Neistat 2015

[Philosobyte]

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Samsung-Galaxy-Note-5-SM-N920A-Smartphone-Review.149124.0.html

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Samsung-Galaxy-S6-Smartphone-Review.140249.0.html

S6 has the same camera as the Note 5. 

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/studio-compare?utm_campaign=internal-link&utm_source=mainmenu&utm_medium=text&ref=mainmenu#baseDir=%2Freviews_data&cameraDataSubdir=boxshot&indexFileName=boxshotindex.xml&presetsFileName=boxshotpresets.xml&showDescriptions=false&headerTitle=Studio%20scene&headerSubTitle=Standard%20studio%20scene%20comparison&masterCamera=nikon_d3200&masterSample=dsc_0001&slotsCount=4&slot0Camera=nikon_d3200&slot0Sample=dsc_0001&slot0DisableCameraSelection=true&slot0DisableSampleSelection=true&slot0LinkWithMaster=true&slot1Camera=sony_slta57&slot1Sample=dsc00297&x=-0.01835895124450234&y=0.7316603097183997

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/3445496386/2015-round-up-interchangeable-lens-cameras-under-500/8

 

Might be useful links. You can decide yourself whether you're content with smartphone image quality or not. Plus, I'm pretty sure there are YouTube videos showcasing smartphones/camera photos and videos. 

[dizmo]

It sounds like you'd want a DSLR. They offer way, way more options as far as features and adjustments, and if you choose to pursue it as a hobby you can keep the lenses you buy forever, while upgrading the body. DSLR's also offer better grip; I'm sure you don't want to drop your phone and shatter the display trying to get a great shot.

 

Phones are nice because they're always on you, many times easier than a DSLR to carry around, and are pretty point and shoot.

 

Have you considered a mirrorless camera? They're not bad if you're looking for something in between. The J series by Nikon is pretty awesome, I used one on my trip to San Fransisco and it took great shots. They're also minuscule compared to a full sized DSLR.

 

I have a Note5 as well. I'll be buying a Canon G9x for travel, and a T3i/D5200 for product shots.

 

Smartphones aren't that good compares to a DSLR.

 

If you want to start taking them sexy pictures, you should get an actual camera.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-Digital-Optical-Full-HD/dp/B00EFILNV8/ref=sr_1_4?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1449469600&sr=1-4&keywords=Canon+S120

 

Is good for vlogging - Casey Neistat 2015

Erm...that's not a DSLR either, and honestly the Note5 probably takes pictures of pretty comparable quality to the S120.

[Blebekblebek]

idk why are you even think about getting DSLR if you compare it with smartphone

 

DSLR is really different class even among other camera

it require dedicated passion and treatment

 

each lens had it own function, and it cost a lot, I know it because my brother spend thousand dollars only for lenses.

 

now, instead getting DSLR, a pocket cam or Semi Digital might do for you if you want to start, it's already have built in lens and ready to use anytime.

http://www.smashingcamera.com/best-semi-professional-dslr-cameras/

the downside of any cameras it probably not much handy (unless you pick a pocket cam)

 

I do understand why you trying to get a smartphone instead a camera, in this day and age when everything is so compact and convenience, carrying extra stuff with us seems to much work specially if you decide to get DSLR (or even Semi DSLR)

 

my suggestion just get a pocket camera, it will do, and you will not dissapointed with image quality either since it's definitely lot's better than a smartphone, even the most expensive one.

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/120768-best-compact-cameras-2015-the-best-pocket-cameras-available-to-buy-today

[Klerk]

There is no smartphone camera out there that can come close to the image quality of a dslr. A smartphone camera is good for convenience since it is always available. A dslr also gives you more control over a lot of things when shooting and editing unlike a smartphone camera where you just point and shoot. I would suggest getting a dslr if you want quality images and video.

 

I would personally go for a mirrorless camera since they are more portable than dslr's and would be great when travelling. I am not sure how much a Sony A6000 go for nowadays but it is a great camera for it's price.

[Penny5837]

This might seem like a very dumb question. sorry I'm a beginner and don't know much about cameras!! But i was wanted to get a nice camera for christmas with very good amazon sales right now. I want to get a DSLR more specifically the Nikon d3300 which is a entry level dslr. Theres a very good deal on it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T8LQ8VW?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER. but my question is it worth it? I have the new galaxy note 5 which takes very photos and idk if its worth to buy the dslr when i have this phone? I wanna take really photos especially when me and my family go on vacations, nice outside shots of nature and sports. I also wanna take a lot of video with it (a big reason why i want the dslr is for the smooth slow mo). Do you guys recommend staying with phone or getting dslr? can u guys put what the dlsr can do better than the phone if you guys can. Thanks people.

If you want to go pro, no one week take you seriously if you show up with a phone. Just my opinion.

[Nexxus]

you might as well compare a 5 star restaurant to McDs while you are at it.

[ShadowCaptain]

a big reason why i want the dslr is for the smooth slow mo

 

Most entry level DSLRs do not do slow motion, many only record at 30fps, and at max 60 for some half speed

[ALwin]

snip

 

It depends, do you see yourself using a dedicated photo camera more often to take photos or using the camera in your phone?  Same for video, some phones (e.g. the iPhone) has a good enough slow motion feature in their camera app. I mean good enough for sharing with family and friends, but of course not for cinema production.

 

A DSLR can do so many things better than a phone camera, and gives you nearly full manual control over aspect.  Almost any photo camera, from compacts to full fledge DSLRs, is better than a phone camera.

 

But in the end this is your decision to make, whether you want to use your phone or a photo camera.

 

Read this link

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/10/smartphone-camera-vs-dslr/

[zenodio]

Honestly, if you don't plan on picking photography up as a hobby or profession a DSLR might not be for you.

You mention picking up a camera for taking vacation photos and sow-motion video, entry-level DSLR's usually don't have slow-motion capabilities and if you're just gonna leave the camera in full-auto anyway and stick with the kit-lens the entire time then a point-n-shoot might be better suited for you.

[d3sl91]

snip

Not a stupid question at all. Asking questions before spending hundreds of dollars is very smart. 

 

First, the BEST camera, is the one you will pick up and actually use. For many people, a cellphone camera is just that. Newer samsung, LG, and Apple cameras are great. 

 

Unless you plan on really getting into photography as a hobby, a DSLR is likely a bulky, heavy, troublesome camera for you. They do not do slo-mo. They are not great for "just pick up and take good pictures for Facebook and photo albums". They shine and are great, when you plan on learning actually how to use them, and also plan on investing in better lenses. 

 

I would look at smaller Point-And-Shoot cameras, or mirror-less cameras. Being smaller, and more "pick up and shoot" type cameras, they will get AMAZING pictures, without the bulk and hassle. Here are some $500 ish or less cameras:

 

Point-and-shoot:

Sony RX100

Panasonic Lumix LX7

 

Mirrorless:

Sony a5000

Sony a6000

 

The problem, is that again, most of these $500 or less cameras, do not do more than 60FPS video. So, while those will do "okay" slo-mo - its not like 100+FPS that is really slo-mo. 

[carlosmnm]

Not a stupid question at all. Asking questions before spending hundreds of dollars is very smart. 

 

First, the BEST camera, is the one you will pick up and actually use. For many people, a cellphone camera is just that. Newer samsung, LG, and Apple cameras are great. 

 

Unless you plan on really getting into photography as a hobby, a DSLR is likely a bulky, heavy, troublesome camera for you. They do not do slo-mo. They are not great for "just pick up and take good pictures for Facebook and photo albums". They shine and are great, when you plan on learning actually how to use them, and also plan on investing in better lenses. 

 

I would look at smaller Point-And-Shoot cameras, or mirror-less cameras. Being smaller, and more "pick up and shoot" type cameras, they will get AMAZING pictures, without the bulk and hassle. Here are some $500 ish or less cameras:

 

Point-and-shoot:

Sony RX100

Panasonic Lumix LX7

 

Mirrorless:

Sony a5000

Sony a6000

 

The problem, is that again, most of these $500 or less cameras, do not do more than 60FPS video. So, while those will do "okay" slo-mo - its not like 100+FPS that is really slo-mo. 

oh okay, so if we are comparing quality, does the sony a6000 have very video and picture quality compared to the d3300?

[Guest]

It sounds like you'd want a DSLR. They offer way, way more options as far as features and adjustments, and if you choose to pursue it as a hobby you can keep the lenses you buy forever, while upgrading the body. DSLR's also offer better grip; I'm sure you don't want to drop your phone and shatter the display trying to get a great shot.

 

Phones are nice because they're always on you, many times easier than a DSLR to carry around, and are pretty point and shoot.

 

Have you considered a mirrorless camera? They're not bad if you're looking for something in between. The J series by Nikon is pretty awesome, I used one on my trip to San Fransisco and it took great shots. They're also minuscule compared to a full sized DSLR.

 

I have a Note5 as well. I'll be buying a Canon G9x for travel, and a T3i/D5200 for product shots.

 

Erm...that's not a DSLR either, and honestly the Note5 probably takes pictures of pretty comparable quality to the S120.

No I mentioned the S120 because it was Casey's favorite camera, never said it was a DSLR.

[zenodio]

Snip

Excellent suggestions, I've also heard great things about the Olympus OM-D E-M line, ton's of affordable and compact lenses for that system too.

 

oh okay, so if we are comparing quality, does the sony a6000 have very video and picture quality compared to the d3300?

Yes, I'd say the A6000 is even sharper with the kit-lens than the D3300 with the kit-lens.

Here is a quick comparison:

Nikon D3300

http://www.letsgodigital.org/images/producten/3462/review/d3300.jpg

 

Sony A6000

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cameralabs/13786417674

 

Of course, this is mainly because of the lens, but the Sony has an excellent sensor along with a much sharper kit-lens (it seems)

To get sharper results with the D3300 you'd have to get a seperate lens.

[carlosmnm]

Excellent suggestions, I've also heard great things about the Olympus OM-D E-M line, ton's of affordable and compact lenses for that system too.

 

Yes, I'd say the A6000 is even sharper with the kit-lens than the D3300 with the kit-lens.

Here is a quick comparison:

Nikon D3300

http://www.letsgodigital.org/images/producten/3462/review/d3300.jpg

 

Sony A6000

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cameralabs/13786417674

 

Of course, this is mainly because of the lens, but the Sony has an excellent sensor along with a much sharper kit-lens (it seems)

To get sharper results with the D3300 you'd have to get a seperate lens.

thank you a lot, what do you think about the samsung NX500? It has more MP and 4k?

[d3sl91]

oh okay, so if we are comparing quality, does the sony a6000 have very video and picture quality compared to the d3300?

Yes.

 

At this pricepoint when comparing the same age cameras, the image quality will be very similar. Both are APS-C, both have 24 ish MP APC-C sensors, etc etc etc. 

 

Overall score on DXOmark is the same http://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Sony-A6000-versus-Nikon-D3300___942_928

[zenodio]

thank you a lot, what do you think about the samsung NX500? It has more MP and 4k?

 

I've heard it should be kinda weird, the menus are rubbish as well, you won't notice the difference between 24.3MP and 28MP at all, 4K video should be decent at this price-point I guess but that's about it really. I don't think the "benefit" of 4K video is enough to justify purchasing the NX500 over the A6000 or D3300 at all.

 

I won't really recommend prioritising 4K video recording unless you're a professional who knows what they're doing, it's usually also mainly used for recomposing in post-production and then exported to 1080p.

I was just going through the full spec-sheet on the Samsung NX500 website, it doesn't say anything about which bitrates or codecs it records video in, so I'm assuming it's probably nothing to write home about.

 

The NX500 is also full of useless, gimmicky features, I wouldn't even touch the camera with a stick to be honest.

[mauiibarra]

DSLR

[Captain_Slow]

you cant produce the look and feel of a bigger sensor with a smaller sensor, and you can't produce the look and feel of a one focal length with different focal length. 

 

so a camera with bigger sensor and a choice of different focal length (especially long lenses) will produce results you can NEVER achieve with your smartphone, even if you were a guru at photoshop. 

[carlosmnm]

I've heard it should be kinda weird, the menus are rubbish as well, you won't notice the difference between 24.3MP and 28MP at all, 4K video should be decent at this price-point I guess but that's about it really. I don't think the "benefit" of 4K video is enough to justify purchasing the NX500 over the A6000 or D3300 at all.

 

I won't really recommend prioritising 4K video recording unless you're a professional who knows what they're doing, it's usually also mainly used for recomposing in post-production and then exported to 1080p.

I was just going through the full spec-sheet on the Samsung NX500 website, it doesn't say anything about which bitrates or codecs it records video in, so I'm assuming it's probably nothing to write home about.

 

The NX500 is also full of useless, gimmicky features, I wouldn't even touch the camera with a stick to be honest.

What about the Samsung NX30? Does it compete with other cameras with same price range

[LeeWonky]

Here's what I say.

 

If you want the most efficient way of taking a photo, Smartphone's the way to go because it is 50-99% likely to be in your pocket (I know lots of people who put their phones in their handbags, backpacks, so on.

If you want a much higher probability of taking good quality photos, take a DSLR.

[zenodio]

What about the Samsung NX30? Does it compete with other cameras with same price range

Doubt it, one thing to consider is the NX-mount Samsung use for their lenses, they're the only ones using it which makes your lens selection quite shallow.

And again... Samsung menus

 

But that's just my opinion of course, I'd advice you to read and watch different reviews of different cameras to figure out what will work for you.

[ALwin]

Doubt it, one thing to consider is the NX-mount Samsung use for their lenses, they're the only ones using it which makes your lens selection quite shallow.

 

Well technically F mount is used only by Nikon, Sony A and E mounts are only used by Sony, etc... but yes the NX mount has a fewer lens selection than other mounts such as the Nikon F or Canon EF.  I think F-mount might have the largest selection of lenses available from through the decades, Nikon hasn't switched to using other mounts as often.

[Captain_Slow]

Doubt it, one thing to consider is the NX-mount Samsung use for their lenses, they're the only ones using it which makes your lens selection quite shallow.

And again... Samsung menus

 

But that's just my opinion of course, I'd advice you to read and watch different reviews of different cameras to figure out what will work for you.

 

Samsung menus are miles ahead of sony menus.