Now that the Apple iPhone 8 Plus is out, and the iPhone X is soon to come, I ask myself again - should I get a Leica C Type 112 compact camera, or the latest iPhone model?
Leica C and Apple iPhone images are from their official websites
An unfair comparison, you might say! Obviously one is a camera, the other a phone with a camera, along with a host of other functions, like a photo storage and management device, a comprehensive photograph editing and retouching device, a photo creative workstation, and a photo sharing and posting device. And why compare two different objects? Well, they're both an out-of-pocket expense of about $1100 SGD, and both are nice to have, so to me it is a valid question.
From the comparison of functions alone, even if looking at only the aspect of photography and not any other use of the iPhone, one could already say stick with the Apple. But let me expand further.
Here are 5 reasons to choose the Apple iPhone 7Plus or 8Plus over a dedicated camera unit.
1. iPhone is always available. I don't leave home without my iPhone 7Plus. Even though I'm a Leica DLux compact camera owner, I still feel the weight and bulk so I don't always have it with me. Being on hand, iPhone catches great moments anytime and on any occasion. Whether out on that special foreign vacation trip, or just in your own city backyard doing whatever.
Just a casual photo while resting, in Versailles, France, with my beloved young adult kids inconspicuous in the foreground. iPhone 6Plus.
Buying paintings and chatting with the artist, at Place Du Tertre, Montmartre, Paris. iPhone 6Plus.
2. iPhone makes great selfies and self portraits. Better than one can do with a Leica when handheld. Of course a nice feature would be to mount the Leica C on a tripod, view the image using the iPhone, and snap photos. I believe I could set this up, but I haven't tried it, and I think I won't always have the energy to do this set-up. Meanwhile, you can place the iPhone at a good location and with minimal set-up, take great self portraits.
Selfie while on a cycling spin, the Singapore Marina Bay Sands and Marina Barrage at the background. It's so easy to take selfies now, it's helped spawn a generation of self absorbed photographers. iPhone I will argue, will take better selfies 😊
Self portrait at home with a simple set-up, just placing the iPhone on a convenient spot.
3. The Portait mode on iPhone 7Plus really works! Portrait mode isn't new. It's been around with other cameras for a long time. But like many things Apple, thank God they make it really better! The camera coaches you to stay at a certain subject-to-camera distance, and you get terrific results. The new iPhone 8Plus has Portrait Lighting that automatically delivers studio-level staged lighting. This is something I'm excited to use! Now there's also a portrait mode from the front camera!
Portrait mode on the iPhone 7Plus really works to blur the background and get wonderful results, like with this photo of my lovely and kind-hearted wife 😃
4. iPhone makes for great street scene photography. Being inconspicuous - everyone has a phone cam, or I guess I should say ubiquitous, the iPhone can discreetly take really high contrast and storytelling dramatic street scenes, capturing people and environments in their beautiful and natural states.
Artists going about their daily routines with tourists milling around, at Place Du Tertre, Montmartre, Paris. Taken with the iPhone 6Plus.
Evening at Frankfurt, Germany. People walking to and from subways, as shops at Goethestrabe fashion shopping street are now closed at an early 7pm (way too early for Asian shoppers!). iPhone 7Plus.
5. iPhone 7Plus takes good telephoto shots. The telephoto lens of iPhone 7Plus takes great low telephoto shots, and good or okay medium telephoto shots. Here the Leica will excel sharply! And this would be one strong reason to get the Leica. However, this hasn't outweighed my other considerations so far especially that if always having my camera around.
The telephoto on iPhone 7Plus works well at low or moderate distances. Images are sharp. Video quality is very good. At Desaru, Malaysia.
For extended telephoto to make the most of distant objects, here the Leica will work much better. The above are the best I could do with the iPhone 7Plus, at the highest digital zoom. Not bad, but not the best. The long telephoto shots would be the strongest reason for me to get a new Leica. Taken at Desaru, Malaysia. 6. Classic photography operation and feel. Here again the Leica excels extremely well. Especially with the Leica DLux models, but also with the Leica C. You can go truly Manual with your settings and choices of aperture, shutter speed, and you'd tend to be more methodical and deliberate in your image captures. But the iPhone nonetheless can be used with careful composition to create truly dazzling photos. And the new iPhone 8Plus even has slow synch flash, and 24, 30 and 60 fps video. The slow mo video is also amazing!
Ridiculously beautiful scenes in Ghent, Belgium, carefully composed and captured using the iPhone 6Plus.
7. The iPhone as a photography tool, is much easier to use. Photos are immediately on your phone (duh) and ready to send anywhere on social media, some external cloud storage, or just kept on your phone for long time viewing. The screen is much larger, and you can do professional level editing using simple or complex apps like Photoshop Touch. I do understand that the new Leica C generates its own wifi field and can immediately transfer photos from the camera to he phone, but that's still a two-step process of taking a photo then looking at it in the bigger and more high quality ipjone Retina display. So using the iPhone directly is simpler, faster i.e. more efficient, more effective.
So that's my take. Writing this blog, I still look forward to buying the Leica C in the future, and maybe when there's yet another upgrade, however for now, I would rather spend my monies on the latest iPhone model.
Use your funds wisely! Don't get into credit card debt if you can absolutely avoid it! Curb your appetite for the latest device if needed. Waiting for the right time to get that special device will make it more sweet in the future 😊 thank God for the ability to get new things!
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