When it comes to picking the best camera for a new user often times you have to make the case for something other than their phone – why carry two devices when their phone is always with them. Modern phones often boast about their high Mega Pixel counts as the end-all, be-all metric for making great photographs but the fact is that Mega Pixels are just part of the story. If you really want to make some truly breath taking pictures worth sharing, leave the phone in your pocket and consider upgrading to a full-fledge camera. This guide will help you understand why better images start with larger sensors and why photography is not all about mega pixels.
If you remember the mid-to-late 90’s, the processor wars were a time when Intel and AMD and their respective OEM partners were constantly releasing new computers boasting “faster speeds.” The faster clock speeds rarely meant a dramatic increase to productivity or what was capable on the other aging components in factory builds; it did however make it easier to sell computers by creating the consumer expectation that more mega-hertz meant a better machine. Today we’re seeing this more and more from phone manufacturers convincing people that the camera that’s always with them, their phones, are the only cameras they need.
Many smartphone manufacturers have aired television spots boasting dense mega-pixel counts for their flagship devices paired with sweeping vistas and happy, smiling people implying that this level of image quality is possible with their phones; images captured on a sensor roughly the size of a fingernail. While it may be possible to achieve some great images from these smartphones the truth is that if you want to make photographs that are equally awe-inspiring on social media as they are as a physical print, then you need to consider stepping up to a dedicated camera with a larger sensor.
The sensor in cameras is where all the magic happens; when you capture an image, the sensor takes all the light that was allowed to hit that sensor and translates it into data that it will process into the image that we see on our screens – both smartphone or computer screens. The more available surface area that’s available to capture light and the data that represents it, the sharper and more detailed of an image you’re more likely to get.
Many budget cameras skimp on sensor sizes, opting for smaller sensors more akin to those found in smartphones. The benefit here is that it helps keep the camera bodies svelte and pocketable with the tradeoff being image quality. Thankfully today’s crop of advanced compact cameras like the Sony RX100 II, Panasonic LUMIX LX100, or even the FujiFilm X100T offer much larger image sensors (ranging from 1-inch sensors to DSLR-sized APS-C sensors) without the bulk of larger bodied interchangeable lens systems. These cameras offer much richer images and detail while not sacrificing portability.
Another benefit of larger sensors in cameras are their ability to perform well in much lower light or at higher ISO settings. If you’ve ever tried taking a picture of your romantic dinner for two only to end up with a grainy mess at worst or white-washed image of your main course because of your phone’s flash then you know that these cameras are not up to the job. By using a dedicated camera with a larger sensor, somewhere in the range of a Micro Four-Thirds or APS-C sensor, you can still find a small-body camera with the additional benefits of improved low-light performance (like the 28-megapixel, APS-C sensor in the Samsung NX500 or the compact power of the Olympus PEN E-PL7’s Micro Four-Thirds sensor) and the option to attach faster, better lenses make these options that are easily to stow and carry and hard to outgrow.
In short, your phone may be the best camera you have with you at all times but there’s a short ceiling in terms of performance and quality. Stepping up doesn’t necessarily have to mean missing out on sharing (all camera models previously mention come with easy sharing options that can get help you get your images from the camera and onto your social media app of choice) or being weighed down by bulky gear. Your photography is the art of capturing the moments that matter to you; why not have the best tools to capture the best memories.
