Recent smartphones are equipped with high-performance cameras that can take high-quality photos that would impress even professional photographers.
The iPhone 15 Pro series is equipped with a 48MP main camera, renowned sensor-shift optical image stabilization, high-resolution shooting, and ultra-wide-angle and telephoto lenses, making it versatile enough to handle a variety of situations.
However, to make the most of these features and take photos comparable to those taken with an SLR, you need the right photography techniques and additional equipment specific to your photography needs.
Why do photos and videos taken with a smartphone look like they were taken with a smartphone?
Photos and videos taken with smartphones are often criticized for having a "smartphone-like" appearance. This is due to the fact that the images are stored as data after undergoing various digital processing within the smartphone, and the difficulty of fine manual control, limiting the ability to fine-tune aperture, shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, and other settings when taking photos.
Additionally, because the sensor size of a typical smartphone camera is small, it lacks bokeh and depth compared to an SLR, and tends to give a flat impression.
There are inherent differences in how light is captured and image quality, and there are limitations to the resolution of detail and dynamic range.
However, these "smartphone-like" effects can be significantly improved by using the right photography techniques, equipment, and applications.
Tips for improving the quality of your smartphone photos
Pay attention to camera settings
To take high-quality photos, it is important to pay attention to the camera settings. Selecting the appropriate settings for the scene, such as exposure, white balance, and ISO sensitivity, can make a big difference in image quality.
Since the settings range of the original app is limited, we recommend using a dedicated app specialized for photography, which will be described later.
Shoot with the best lens possible
For smartphones with multiple lenses, like the iPhone 15 Pro series, the best image quality can be achieved by using the main lens with the highest performance.
The main camera of the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max has an ultra-high resolution of up to 48MP, but the ultra-wide and telephoto cameras have a lower resolution of 12MP.
There is the benefit of differences in expression due to differences in the angle of view, but unless you have a specific purpose in mind, shooting with the main camera will result in the highest quality photos and videos.
Do not use zoom, which degrades image quality.
Digital zoom will make the image grainy, so try to use optical zoom or no zoom at all whenever possible.
Also, on devices such as iPhones, the camera will automatically switch to macro mode when you get close to a subject, but since image quality deteriorates significantly in macro mode, we recommend leaving the macro setting turned off.
Use a dedicated photo-taking app
The appeal of using a dedicated app with more advanced functions than the standard camera app is that you can manually set the shutter speed and ISO sensitivity, which cannot be set using the original app, and you can make detailed settings on your smartphone just like using a camera.
The recommended apps, especially for taking videos, are: " Blackmagic Camera " is a free camera app for iPhone provided by Blackmagic Design .
Other We recommend apps like " FiLMiC Pro " and " Pro Camera by Moment ."
Hold your smartphone steady and take photos
It's important to keep your smartphone steady to prevent camera shake. Use a tripod or other support equipment to take clear photos and videos.
Handheld shooting causes more camera shake than you might think. Also, using a tripod greatly increases the range of expression, such as when shooting with a long shutter speed.
Dedicated grip for improved operability
One of the reasons why taking pictures with this camera is comfortable is the grip that fits comfortably in your hand.
Due to the flat rectangular shape of a smartphone, it is difficult to continue taking stable photos with one hand for long periods of time, so measures are needed to improve the shooting experience.
In such cases, using a special grip that fits comfortably in your hand will allow for more stable shooting. Use equipment such as the PolarPro LiteChaser Pro Grip to improve operability.
In addition, a mount with a screw hole is required to attach the smartphone to the tripod mentioned above. The LiteChaser Pro Grip has a screw hole for attaching a tripod on the bottom, as well as a cold shoe mount on the top for attaching an external microphone or light, making it easy to build an extended shooting system centered around the iPhone.
Take it to the next level with filters
Use lens filters to reduce glare and adjust colors to enhance your photos.
ND filters are essential for high-quality video shooting and will greatly contribute to capturing footage with your smartphone that is on par with professional cameras. This article explains in detail the necessity of ND filters when shooting video with a smartphone.
Try out different filters to get the photo you like best.
