# My new camera is an iPhone



## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Just got an iPhone 4S, which is also one helluva camera. Great light metering and superb color balance. Any thoughts, shared experiences, etc from y'all?


----------



## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

It's a fantastic digital "Instamatic" camera. I use it a lot now in the workshop for quick pics of what I'm working on, or for shots of daily activities in the garden. I agree--the colors are great, even in fairly low light. It is, however, a fixed-focal-length camera. The "zoom" is a digital zoom, to which I am morally opposed. I can't use it for any "composed" shots of anything. But for simple snapshots of day-to-day life with the kids, etc., it's better than any Kodak ever was. (Sorry, George. Steve beat you hands down.) 

Later, 

K


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You mean Kodak film cameras right Kevin? You may be unaware of Kodak's digital camera line. 

Greg


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Also, George has been dead for 80 years, and his company has been nearly dead for 10 years.. 
so its not really a fair fight!  

But, it can be said that Kodak is the direct ancestor to the camera in the iphone, 
(Kodak invented the digital camera) so have to give credit there.. 

Scot


----------



## Burl (Jan 2, 2008)

Like Kevin, I use mine quite a bit for quick shots in the shop. I have found the depth-of-field to be less than what I need sometimes, but otherwise its pretty good. I also find myself using it to catch real railway equipment when I would have otherwise missed it because I didn't pack the camera when I left.


----------



## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

I too use the Iphone 4S for most of my photographic needs and used my Blackberry storm before that. MY first Digital camera was a Sony with a cool flippable screen feature on the back like some of the movie cameras. That finally died (screen death) although still works and takes great photos you are taking them blind. I replaced that with a new Sony digital point and shoot that I did not like as much. That arrived just before I got the Blackberry which was my first "smartphone". It took what I considered to be far superior photos to the old LG cell phone I had before and even better than the new Sony. The Sony spends most of the time on the shelf now. Having said that I find times when the Iphone plays tricks with the lgihting and I get the flash going off but the subject is too far awy and everything is off color either gold or magenta. Otherwise I find it does pretty good for the quick poiint and shoot times I use it. 

Chas 










File as emailed from my Iphone 4S. Not reduced in size.










Link to full size file as downloaded from my Iphone 4S

These two shots were taken with my phone on the way home from my mother doctors appointment last Thursday. They are cars I believe manufactured by Ebenezer car services? Stored on a siding next to Rt 400 south of Buffalo NY.

I slowed way down so mom could take these across me as I was driving.


----------



## Henson (Jan 2, 2008)

Now you just need to view your Iphone pictures on the new Ipad, unbelievable how clear.


----------



## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

You mean Kodak film cameras right Kevin? You may be unaware of Kodak's digital camera line.
You mean the line they're closing down as they try to get out of bankruptcy? Link Kodak may have invented digital cameras, but they've been playing catch-up ever since. I covered Kodak during the early stages of the digital revolution, and they were always three steps behind the other guys, with cameras that could never be described as "cutting edge." Their core business then (and now) was built around making it easy for the user to print out their photos, not take them in the first place. That was the core of their business in the beginning, too. The camera was merely a tool; they made their money in the film processing. Bring in the era of the Smart Phone where everyone has a camera in their pocket, iPhoto, Facebook, etc. where sharing photos is done instantly by hitting "send," and the old paradigm is doomed (as we see with Kodak in Chapter 11). Kodak's digital cameras were never anywhere near the top in terms of quality, and they've been steadily losing market share in the digital camera realm for the past 10 years. We'll see what can happen with them licensing the "Kodak" name to other manufacturers, but history hasn't been kind to other brands who have tried that. The question for Kodak is whether they can survive solely on their printing business. 

Actually, I think George Eastman and Steve Jobs are very kindred spirits. They were both visionaries, technologically proficient, and most importantly, marketing geniuses. (And both fairly ruthless businessmen at times.) When you compare what Eastman did for photography in the 1900s to what Jobs has done with the iPhone, there are significant parallels that can be drawn. Eastman's vision was a camera in every hand. Not necessarily a top-end camera, but a camera that's easy to use to capture life's moments as they happen, and more importantly a camera that uses his film which you need to send to his labs to be processed. The iPhone is certainly cool, but it's really just a user interface that leads you to what Apple's really selling--music, movies, etc. things you have to get through their on-line store. The simplicity of taking and sharing photos is merely the hook to get you in the door to where the real money is made. The advantage Apple has is that the phone can easily change as technology advances. The basic Kodak camera didn't change in over 100 years, and as soon as the core technology (film) became obsolete, the die was cast. 

Later, 

K


----------



## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

The iPhone 4S has one bug...Apple defined UP on the phone backwards for many users who take photos with the phone. So, when you take a landscape shot, many folks do it with the buttons UP...like they would be on a digital camera. The Volume + button can be used as a shutter release...so it makes sense. 

Except...the volume buttons are on the DOWN side of the camera...so images come out upside down if you use the camera like most folks use a digital camera. Technically, Apple is OK because they properly encode the EXIF data...so photo manipulation programs know which side is up. But...older web programs and emails don't handle it. So, if an iPhone user emails an embedded photo, it will be upside down if he took it BUTTONS UP. The same thing will happen when you post photos to some web sites.


----------



## Tom Lapointe (Jan 2, 2008)

I have the slightly older iPhone 4, which is no slouch either







for a cell phone photo / video cam. At 720p HD, quality is good enough that I've pretty much retired







my old standard-definition Sony Mini-DV Handicam (which I got about 11 years of use out of).







We also have a 5-Megapixel Olympus still camera which while good, has seen little use since we got the iPhones (bought 2 under a family plan so my "significant other"







has one - which she's *absolutely addicted *to!). The comparatively small size also permits them to go places larger cameras can't; for example, they fit *very nicely *







inside the cab of a *Bachmann Davenport! *











I was break-in running the Davenport a few weeks ago prior to installing DCC in it when the size of the cab door opening caught my eye.







I have the iPhone in a rubberized non-slip case, so it was literally *just stuffed in the door, *as can be seen in the external shots (done with my girlfriend's iPhone!







). Yours truly is visible as the blue-hatted giant







lurking from behind the barrel shed & near the coal tower. A couple of additional points; I was definitely running the Davenport *way too fast *







, & the drive train isn't anywhere near as loud as it sounds in the onboard view (the external views give a better idea). The other thing was that was slightly surprising is that the onboard video was shot *through *the plastic window glazing of the Davenport, which was *surprisingly distortion-free *







from an optical standpoint.

As good as it is, though, I miss the lack of a *true optical zoom *







for shooting video. I'm planning a day trip to B & H Photo in New York (via Amtrak!







) to go shopping for a *"prosumer" - grade camcorder *







sometime in early April. Kevin, any particular model recommendations







While I'm personally something of a *"Sony-phile", *







I'm also looking at some models from Panasonic & Canon as well (thinking $2K ~ $3.5K price class).








Tom


----------



## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Chas, if you was headed down Rt 400, ya should stopped at Schwable's for a beef on weck  

Tom, the video is pretty amazing. 

Kevin and all, I agree with many of y'all's comments and criticisms. As for zoom, I never expect much, nor do I care much about, zooms on point-and-shoot cameras. I'm on my third digital p-a-s and don't really use zooms a lot. If I wanta do that (shoot tele) I bring out the big gun, my Canon 50D. 

Kevin, Apple ain't gonna get rich by selling me stuff, except for it's hardware, which is gorgeous. I have only six or so apps in my iPhone and half are free. 

As for the comparison between George and Steve: Did Simon & Garfunkle write a song about any of Job's devices? 

joe


----------



## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

The iPhone gets another bonus point too, because when you are done taking pictures with it you can use it as a remote control for your locos.


----------



## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

I am still using the 3S so I don't have movies. Plus I still don't know how to download the few still shots I have used it for. 

My biggest complaint is that as a phone it is a real pain in the butt to hold if making long conversations. My fingers tend to curl around the bottom as it increasingly becomes more uncomfortable to hold. This muffles the mike so the people I am chatting to usually tell me I am fading away. 
Still at least the speaker phone operation is quite acceptable in a quiet room. 
I don't text very much as I find the (so called) keyboard a pain to use. 
One other gripe. When set up with blue tooth in a car you have to swipe the screen to get it unlocked and then wait whilst the Blue-tooth takes up. 

There is one thing I like. The Internet tethering does work very well. 

Would I buy another I Phone. I doubt it very much, especially if I can find another smartish phone that has Internet Tethering, a proper qwerty keyboard, a good speaker phone and will answer hands free through Blue-tooth without the rigmarole I have to go through at present. 
I am not interested in cameras, videos or music etc. 

Anybody got any ideas?


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Kevin, as usual, I make a simple statement, and I get Funk and Wagnall's response. 

I take exception to your statement: "But for simple snapshots of day-to-day life with the kids, etc., it's better than ANY Kodak ever was." 

Your statement that for simple snapshots the iPhone is better than ANY Kodak ever was... 

Fooey! 

Greg 


(fumbling around the touch screen to find the settings vs. a real button on a real camera)


----------



## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Greg, if I had a dollar for every time we had differing opinions, I'd be a very rich man.  Heck, for as often as we disagree, I'll take 10 cents and still live like a king. 

Did Simon & Garfunkle write a song about any of Job's devices? 
 Maybe not, but you can rest assured they're _using_ them to write the songs! (Perhaps the sequel "Apple done took my Kodachrome away...") 

Tom, I've been out of that loop for a while, but I've got a co-worker who recently demo'd a bunch of cameras in that price range. He was leaning towards the Sony in the end. I'll ask him which one. I've heard good things about the Canon, too. 

Later, 

K


----------



## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

Timelapse taken with Iphone 4S using an app called minatures (phone was on a mini gorillapod magnetic tripod)


Or in the beginning and ending of my diamondhead video, is all Iphone 4S
Iphone 4S timelapse - with music

But, I just got one of those GoPro Hero2's though, stay tune


----------



## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

It's amazing what can be done with cell phones. My daughter has a friend, in Italy, that has taken a whole bunch of photos with his cell phone. I believe his project is known as "The Blue Sky Project". www.blueskyproject.it


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Make you a deal, you stop and we will work out a payment system. 

10 cents each reply sounds reasonable, let me do some rough calculations, can I pay by check, or do you need direct deposit? 

(you all need to be laughing here... I might not be able to afford it!) 

Greg


----------



## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

PayPal. You have my e-mail address.  

Later, 

K


----------



## jake3404 (Dec 3, 2010)

Tony, 

I have an iphone 4 and I dont have the problem with bluetooth in my car. It connects automatcally without me doing anything. I also think the Qwerty keyboard will be going the way of the Do-do. I was recently in a AT&T store and the only phone with a qwerty keyboard was an old one. All the new stuff was touch screen. 

As far as the iphone, I like mine. i have had a few android phones and didnt like them as much. In fact, my father-in-law hated smartphones, he had a barebones simple motorola for many years and wouldn't touch a smartphone. We bought him an iphone and he loves it. I'm no tech guru, but in my opinion the iphone is the best I have ever used.


----------



## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Jake, not meaning to get into a Kevin vs Greg "discussion," but I'm a bit puzzled by your comments that "the QWERTY keyboard will be going the way of the Do-Do." I have the latest 4S--my second one, which Apple gave me to replace my first that had a phone problem--and it has a QWERTY keyboard, as does any device (iPad, Mac, PC, etc) used in our part of the world. The fact that iPhones and iPads and even auxiliary keyboards like the ones Apple sells for i's products, have touch screen keys has nothing to do with QWERTY, which is the way letters, symbols, etc are arranged. This dates back to the late 1800s when the typewriter was invented, and had to do with certain adjacent keys sometimes jamming up the works if they were pressed simultaneously. Anyway, long story short, keys were placed where they have been pretty much since certainly the early 20th century for that reason and for convenience (and speed) in touch typing (not hunt and peck), which is what one does on iPhones, etc. My wife says that letters like Q and Z, for example, are placed away from other letters because ya don't use them as much. Anyway, tactile keyboard (the kind with actual keys) and touch screen are two different animals and I doubt that either will go away because each has its place. 

As for QWERTY, which is the keyboard layout--I don't see that system going away soon because it is so ingrained in our world. Yes, there are other, newer letter arrangements (Dvorak and Colemac or something like that) which have the various "keys" in different, possibly more convenient or more logical locations (you can Google this and find out more on the subject), so that if you are a hunt & peck typist like me, it's probably easier to "type" if certain, more commonly used letters are easier to find when you're looking for them and not typing by rote, which is what touch (i.e."real") typists do--at least until they go the way of the dodo.


----------



## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

I phones, smart phones, etc., This technology is amazing for someone my age, if I really stop and think about how far we have come since the simple Western Electric dial phone. Even when comparing the new phones to some of the original cellular phones, one must stop and consider the amount of gadgetry in that little piece of plastic with no keys. On our trip to Europe, last Fall, we used a simple pay as you go cell phone that we had purchased there seven years ago. I wish that we had purchased a smart phone for this latest trip. Although we had very good printed information, the smart phone could have made some things a bit simpler. I had no idea that these phones could do all that they do.


----------



## Rail Planet (Jan 22, 2012)

Tom, I love B&H... I buy all my DSLR equipment from them and use SONY everything. For camcorder reviews, check out www.digitalcamera-hq.com/camcorders/ 

And just for the record, I too think an iPhone's camera takes a better picture than any KODAK digital...


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

In a topic not unrelated to this thread, I was laid off from Kodak last Friday, after 17 years.. 
but I knew it was coming, and I have been preparing for a complete career change, (there are no jobs in "my field"..Digital imaging technician) 
im planning to go back to school this fall!  
20 years after I graduated from college the first time with a Bachelors degree in photography. 
going into computers this time. 



















Scot


----------



## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Scottychaos on 26 Mar 2012 03:48 PM 
In a topic not unrelated to this thread, I was laid off from Kodak last Friday, after 17 years.. 
but I knew it was coming, and I have been preparing for a complete career change, (there are no jobs in "my field"..Digital imaging technician) 
im planning to go back to school this fall!  
20 years after I graduated from college the first time with a Bachelors degree in photography. 
going into computers this time. 



















Scot Sorry to hear you were laid off Scot. It is a real life changer. I think I was about 45 when it happened to me. Best of luck with whatever you do in the future.


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Gary Armitstead on 26 Mar 2012 04:02 PM 
Sorry to hear you were laid off Scot. It is a real life changer. I think I was about 45 when it happened to me. Best of luck with whatever you do in the future.










Thanks Gary,
yeah, im 42, right about at the center point between college and retirement!
I still have over 20 years to work..
Im actually glad to be out of Kodak now, rather than later..
I wouldn't want to be 55 then get laid off..
so, I think its all for the best..it's time..


Scot


----------



## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Jeez, Scot, that is really crappy. But you seem to have a handle on getting things back on track and I wish you all the best.


----------



## Bob in Kalamazoo (Apr 2, 2009)

You're right Scot, it's much better to happen now than it 55. It happened to me at 39 (almost 40) and it was a good move. I put in another 23 years at a university and retired after 23 more years. It would have been a lot tougher at age 55 to make a change. 
Bob


----------



## todd55whit (Jan 2, 2008)

Sorry to hear that Scott. Good luck.


----------

