My iPhone Camera FAILED me! 

Go to squarespace.com/Chelsea & save 10% off your first website or domain with code “Chelsea"

4:26 iPhone camera settings can be saved to your preferences: -Settings -Camera -Preserve Settings

I took my A7r4 to Italy this summer and didn't have any trouble. I think the key is not making yourself a target by bringing lots of gear. I traveled light, just bringing my 35mm lens and using my camera strap and no bag. I'm so glad I brought a real camera with a fast lens. It helped me capture things I would have otherwise missed.

This is the best technical and philosophical discussion on this subject I have ever seen! Thank you.

Most cities in Europe are safe and you will see a lot of ppl with expensive cameras ! Just take your camera and enjoy it at full potential , this is what was built for , it will be obsolete in 5-10 years anyway ! I had the same problem before going to Italty this summer and after a full week in Rome walking and taking the public transportation everywhere I can tell you " TAKE YOUR CAMERA" , put the camera bag in front of you in crowded places and you will be more than fine ! This is the main purpose of a CAMERA shooting, do not keep it locked in closet !

Bring back the photo review show. I miss that era of Chelsea and Tony

When I went to Italy and met up with my Italian friend, he didn't even want me opening the trunk of the rental car to search for something in my suitcase because of theft. I was shocked honestly at how stern and paranoid he was about me showing even a whiff that I was there on vacation. I had to use my phone which sucks because we went to Rome, Pompeii and others places in Sicily. I own the R5 so better to be safe and paranoid than sorry I suppose. When the locals say beware, you listen or go in a big group.

Your experience is exactly why the OMDS OM-5 with 12-45mm F4 (24-80mm FF) is a seller for travel. Simply look past opinions that MFT is "dead": the IBM Mainframe has been "dying" for the past 30 years, and today in 2023 the IBM Mainframe is still strong. MFT is still here in 2023 with new products solving the issues outlined in your video at the size and weight one desires for travel.

Honestly, this is why I have travel cameras, and they aren't expensive ones either. Just get something that is maybe 1 or 2 gens back from any brand really, for me it's the Fuji X-E3. Just use that to fill that space.

On a recent trip I took an inexpensive Canon RP and an old EF 28-200. I generally shoot with a Canon R5, which I find too heavy and big to lug while traveling,and too expensive to risk. In the past my travel camera was an APSC, but the RP is lighter, smaller and it is full frame. Theft or damage of the RP is more tolerable compared to the R5. The RP with a single lens was also less of an annoyance for my travel companions. So far this seems a reasonable choice. The RP was bigger and heavier than my iPhone 14 Pro Max, but it got much better results. Thanks for a very practical discussion.

I completely agree with your disdain of phone cameras. My most frequent and practical use for my phone camera is when I do the shopping and I need more info than just a list, so I shoot a label of anything in the pantry when I need that info. Thanks for the great video.

I loe how practical and candidly you speak about camera tech, as a photographer! (And not as just another tech channel.) You speak so personally and openly about dilemmas and ideas, reasons for doing XYZ etc.. This is why I trust your opinions over others.

I took my camera gear to Brazil and ended up shooting all the beautiful scenery with my phone in fear that my gear would get stolen. Sucks to travel so far and be stuck with a phone for image capture so I understand your pain.

Great and useful discussion. You guys never disappoint! I often get frustrated with having to use my phone in places where I can't bring a camera (like indoor sporting events). I need to get some media passes... :)

You are so right with the GPS tagging. I found the best combo for me on vacation. I now have a Sony RX10 IV and my S22. I have a small leather sling bag with the camera water bottle and anything else I need with my phone in my pocket. I use a USB hub to copy the days photos to another SD card for backup using the S22. As an additional benefit I can use the hub with HDMI to look at photos or watch movies on the hotel TV. No laptop needed.

T and C. You always have great content. Getting back into photography after a long hiatus. Keep up the good work.

It seems like for a lot of the issues mentioned a good compromise would be to use an apsc or a m43 set up. You wouldn't have all the benefits of full frame but the gear would be easier to carry and its less expensive if something does happen to it

Thanks, both of you, for this video, and special thanks to Chelsea for your appreciation of the viewfinder. I feel that the lack of a viewfinder is a deal-breaker when I'm shopping for a new camera. I too like that feeling of blocking everything else out. I also like the added stability of being able to brace the camera against my body.

First, I appreciate both of you guys so much for everything you do for the photography community. 2nd, It blows my mind that you guys were in Italy recently. I was in Veniuce at the end of August and had a really good time in spite of some REALLY rainy weather.

Thanks for letting me know about the raw processing of the iphone, I wasn't aware of the limitations 👍🏻🙏 Love your podcast

I think you make some really good points and confirm my view that the smartphones are still way off the quality that a photographer can achieve with a camera. I do have to leap to the defence of Italy however. I have been there many times on vacation over the years and I have never even contemplated leaving my cameras at home. I have never been robbed either.

Pretty sure the IPhone raw is still a stacked multi image file

These experiences make the Sony APSC cameras so appealing. Take one of them with a sigma 18-50mm lens and you’re covered in most situations. So easy to carry it around and get photos that won’t disappoint you.

Thank you!

There's a format called Micro 4/3 which is extremely portable and unobtrusive if you choose carefully. I can cover almost anything with a tiny Laowa 7.5mm ultrawide, a Lumix 20/1.7 pancake lens, and a tiny Olympus 45/1.8 prime which I use on a tiny camera. If I want to shoot longer there are very small 35-100 and 45-150 zooms. The dilemma is reduced in size along with the equipment.

You guys are the sweetest and the best mom and dad camera nerds possible right now! :D

I recommend using the extension lenses with the x100v. They both are easy to carry around. They turn my x100f from a street photography camera in to a travel camera.

Thanks so much for bringing up the topic. But I think x100v does have a tilt screen and the focal length is 35 not 24

So glad I stumbled upon this video! I'm literally leaving for Italy in a week and was debating whether or not I should just use my phone for taking pictures or if I should take my Canon R6 Mark II (which I just bought), an EF 24-70 F2.8 II, and an RF 35mm 1.8. I was more worried about the size and weight and having to carry it all around while walking miles everyday. I think it ultimately came to asking myself, "Do I want my pictures to look different and have a sense of depth/feel to it, or will I be satisfied with the all too conmon "smartphone" look?" Grateful for T&C's insight and all of your comments! 🤓

You can change the camera settings to remember what format it used last

100% agree, but would be great it you showed more examples. not too difficult to come up with

Thanks for the video.

I'm an American living in Europe since 1998, and I've done travel photography in many countries, both in cities and out in the wildlands. While in cities, I usually hide my Canon R6 in a Peak Design 6L sling, as the bag does not look like my Lowa or other camera bags, and it is not big enough to peg me as a tourist carrying potentially valuable stuff. Also, no selfie stick, no trucker cap, no Hawaiian shirt, no t-shirt with a huge logo on it, no backpack with a big water bottle, and no big fancy tripod with garishly anodized parts that scream "steal me!" The whole idea is to blend in with the locals rather than sticking out. The PD 6L sling bag is large enough to carry the camera body with the RF 70-200 f/2.8L mounted, but that lens will attract more attention than I want in some cities, so I usually make do with the RF 24-105L or RF 100-400 (non-L). For additional security when shooting with my iPhone, I have it in a Peak Design Everyday Case with an Anchor Link that keeps my phone attached to one of their Cuff straps around my wrist. I'll be taking those items to the heart of Mafia-land (Naples and Sorrento) in a few weeks and again to Porto soon after that. Hoping that it goes well, as it has on every other trip over the past several years. PS: I did some bird photography last week in Stockholm with a borrowed, uninsured Canon R3 with their RF 1200 f/8 L lens. $25000 worth of perhaps the least discreet rig I have ever used while on a public walking path at a city park. About 10 of us were trying out ALL of the big whites and switching between all of their current mirrorless camera bodies. No need for security guards. We were honestly much more worried about dropping the big heavy equipment than we were about theft.

I can fully understand the struggle for shooting photos with a phone, when you are used to a camera. I just went to Sweden and took wonderful pictures with my D780 and when I went to Stockholm I only had my IPhone 12 and I actually got a picture that really comes close to a perfect picture. But it only works with a phone when it’s already an overcast sky and not too much direct sunlight

Thank you. Always enjoy hearing your perspective cuz its legit honesty of frustration of how we really feel about Apple. Also the wanting to carry your pro rigs even on vacation…. Its hella scary taking gear out now at days though. So rather enjoy the time where i’m going than being in constant stress.

Chelsea, I am shocked you dont carry a Sony RX100 VII in your purse to avoid ALL the reasons you guys poo-pooed on the smartphone. I have felt the same way about the shortcomings of smartphone cameras since 2017. I only use my smartphone camera for simple 'necessity' shots but almost never for photos I care to appreciate later.

Always informative!

Glad I found you guys. Now I kno to only use the 3 camera focal lengths and to not zoom into anything; to just move closer or further. Also to save my money and put the settings back to 12mp instead of the default 24mp they set so that I'll have to buy more icloud space. Thievery 🙄.

Very good video, thanks.

I have to agree with most of our comments. I'm a retired commercial photographer after 35 years running my own studio. I have the same feeling Chelsea mentioned about not feeling as connected if my eye is not up to the viewfinder. Even when I shot with my Sinar 8 x 10 my eyes were only a few inches from the focus screen with a dark cloth over my head. I also need glasses for close up vision and have my Canon diopters adjusted for that. Also related to the tilt screen for those high or really low angle shots. I also find I can make spilt second adjustments while my eye is to my Canon viewfinders whereas I find it much slower with my phone to go into the settings to make adjustments. Usually with the phone I miss a quick shot due to this. I'm headed to Provence for a 2 week break and while I will have my LG phone and might use it I will mainly use my 2 Canon M5 bodies and 3 or 4 lenses I will carry in a small shoulder bag.

Great video thanks. I hope we hear your comments about the iphone 15 pro soon.

I thought that’s what proraw was for. You shoot raw but also get the computational editing applied. Also, there is a setting for the camera app to remember what you previously used. So if you shot raw, it will still be set to raw the next time you use the app.

I think a relatively cheap, used cropped sensor camera is good for travel when you’re a bit worried about theft. They are also quite compact and light.

I can't believe you would not take your camera such a significant location, as a photographer I also see the world through my camera in a very different way than through my phone or my eyes. I live in Tenerife - Spain with relatively little crime and travel to Barcelona a few months ago where I was told things were drastically worse; but I never left my camera out of my hands always kept a close to my buddy and since I was taking pictures most of the time it wasn't uncomfortable at all, also out of common sense I avoided going to the worst neighborhoods in the city us advice by people all over I. I have some of the best memories not just from the photos with the little extra time I took this covering the details in the architecture just because I paused to focus and compose my photos. I believe photography made me enjoy my visit a lot more, and I only use my photos in restaurants where I cared more for the delicious Catalan food anything else. And when I got back home editing brought all this wonderful moments in Barcelona.

Italy is definitely the place you want to bring a real camera 😅

I bought a Fujifilm X100V specifically for travel as I really don't like taking my main gear with me (Nikon D810, etc.). Used it last year in Europe and other trips and it works great! I couple that with my iPhone 13 Max and I am usually very well covered. I don't usually have a ton of issues with photos when I travel.

Appreciate this video. Theft is horrific in many of these travel destinations. Have to be careful. You can set preserve settings in the settings menus to, for example, not have to choose raw every time. Though otherwise the camera settings are still super annoying to try to get to get to. Even turning on/off flash takes too long and is iffy. I wish it was always there, but you have to click a dropdown menu that is slow. And if you open the camera app from locked then you can’t freely go between photo and video settings. Thankfully 3rd party apps are good

Tony&Chelsea thank you so much for this video, I am an old school photographer and it is important for me to experience the tactile sensations of the lens rings, the viewfinder and the shutter release, it is important for me to use a real camera and not the software contained in the iPhone, for me the camera in the iPhone is just a way to capture what needs to be written down on paper and nothing more, but when I want to be creative in photography, I take the camera and enjoy the pleasure of creating a photo and the iPhone pictures it really has nothing to do with that.

It's funny...I just got back from Italy too, we could have run into each other in Florence or Venice! I wanted to pack light, so I just took a GX9 + 12-60 & 20mm f/1.7. All fit in a cross-body pack that I had slung around the front, so I wasn't too worried about theft. I used my iPhone 14 Pro Max for dinner pics and ultra-wide (in RAW). This combination worked as good as I could have hoped and I didn't feel too encumbered on the go.

I've been using my Pixel 6 to take raw images and editing them in post, and have actually been pleasantly surprised. They merge a lot of the stacked image data into the raw, so you have great dynamic range there. I'm curious if iphone does the same thing. Hell, I'd love to see a phone raw file comparison video to see which phone's raw files edit best in post.

When I had to use my phone in RAW for a few weeks after my camera died from a fall into a lake, I realized moreso how limited phone cameras are.

Hey Chels, When needing to shot overhead I use the "V"upside down overhead with the screen fully out using Touch Screen shooting then flip the photo in camera or leave as for post editing.. I'm sure u'd know this.. !! Cheers from AU🙃

Great video as always, by the way for suns and sunsets i always shoot DHR in Lightroom mobile, the merged exposures will give you all the control afterward with the resulting DNG to have a great looking sunset.

You guys really should try that phone that has the 1" sensor and variable aperture. I think it's a Huawei phone, not positive. But I'd be interested in your thoughts on it in raw and otherwise. It goes from f1.4? To f4 (relative ofc) with 10 STOPS BETWEEN THEM ALL! I'd LOVE to see that video!!! I think it's the Mate 50 Pro but don't quote me!

Going on our 1st ever cruise in March and heading around the Caribbean and I’m in 2 minds as I’ll be going on a few catamaran trips and stuff which I still want to take the R6ii for landscape photography from off the boats but then I’ll be leaving the gear on the boat while I go snorkelling which the idea of leaving the gear is doing my nut in I do have my gear insured but still it’s a daunting thought of risk loosing it all

I bring my Ricoh GRIII on trips to solve this issue with my iPhone. APS-C sensor in ultra compact. Only down side is not great for portraits or if you need to zoom in.

Had same issue with my Iphone 14pro, specially night shot, so happy I had R6 mark II with 50mm f1.2

The X100V does have a tilt screen, it just tucks in so nicely to the body that you forget it tilts.

~9:00 Only having three prime lenses and not being able to zoom meaningfully is a good reason to be creative with the scene and recompose using what you have. I've been enjoying my results when forced to use the 120mm equivalent FL

Just for the pleasure of watching your videos.

I really relate to Chelsea’s comments about enjoying a moment through my photography. I’ve been watching you guys for years, you’ve helped my photography so much. I just wanted to say thanks and keep up the good work!

Whenever I travel with my wife I leave the big-rig camera at home because I already know she's not going to be happy with me fiddling with it and getting the perfect shot. Samsung S22 Ultra to the rescue. The zoom is great and its good enough for memories.

The phone is convenient for snapshots or informal video for a channel. I do love cameras but as I age, past injuries make my camera painful to carry these days. I agree, the camera is superior, but I agree that the phone has its place.

I should note: in pixel 7 pro: the computational photography and "raw" gets baked into the raw file....no matter what mode you choose: even portrait mode.

I used to be a phone nerd, I thought I like using phone, but turn out, I only like using the camera of the phone because that's all I have. Last year I bought a Canon 550D, and since then, I barely use the phone ( and it's camera )

So glad you also see the haloing from iPhone cameras! Take a photos of, say, a building against a bright blue sunny sky, and the building has a white halo border around it where it "touches" the sky. It totally ruins the photo and i can't find any way to stop the camera producing that white halo, no matter what settings I try. I absolutely HATE not having a viewfinder for exactly the same reason as Tony, plus composition in bright sunshine is so much easier. And aperture control, exposure comp., controllable bracketing, etc. All things you don;t get from a phone camera. Sure, you can get some good photos, in the right circumstances, with a phone. But only in those particular circumstances.

"Marketing math"... I like it!

The old Nokia Lumia 1020 was great because it gives you the option to control shutter speed and exposure settings that even today's phones can't do. I still have it, from 2013, but I'll bring it with me for super back up lol.

Regarding shutter speed, there are 3rd party Camera apps that do more than the standard Apple camera app. Good call on the viewfinder, that is a BIG help for us with glasses. Fun closing: I love the phone camera more than my old Nikon D3100. 😊

This is music to my ears!

Think Tank Rotation 22 pack with camera in the belt compartment and both the waist belt and chest strap buckled. Your gear is safe. The belt pack can be rotated forward for immediate accessibility while walking. What's in mine? A Sony a7Rv (or my Riv) w/ either the Tamron 28-200 or the Sony 4/70-200 Macro. If it's the 70-200, then on a neck strap I'll have either my Fuji x100v or my other 61mp Sony w/ the 4/16-35 PZ G.

Sehr ehrlich und danke für die Worte 😊Chapeau 👋🏼

Best overall and travel camera: Leica Q3. I just love it

My main issue with phones is still that they don't have a shutter speed limit like the real cameras have, to always use the right shutter speed for action. As for GPS I sometimes track my walk with the watch and later sync positions in Lightroom.

All well said.

I took my Canon 5Dmk4 to Paris and It got very heavy to carry so I picked whether to take it depending on where we were going that day. I did use my cell phone quite a lot, especially on a very wet day when we went to the Louvre. No way anyone is getting a great picture with all the crowds! I have since bought an R7 specifically to be my travel camera. It takes great pictures and is much lighter. I hope it will be a good compromise. One reason to use a cell phone is if you want to be in the picture; everyone knows how to take a picture with a cell phone but you can't hand a DSLR to a waiter and ask them to take a picture.

When I'm traveling, particularly out of country, I take my phone (Samsung S22 Ultra right now) and a Sony RX100-VA which are both pretty easily hidden or disguised to make them less tempting to thieves as well as being extremely easy to take with me. I'm very fond of the VA due to its size, the 24-70 lens (1.8-2.8f), and 1" sensor, tile screen and tiny popup viewfinder. Photos are quite good with both. Of the two, I strongly suggest the RX100 series with the accessory leather case that comes with a neck strap. Putting the strap around my neck makes it very easy to slide the camera under a jacket flap to hide it until I'm ready to take a photo. I would love to send you a couple of sample photos from each so you could see how well they both do their jobs. My other cameras are Sony apsc 6000 and 6500 with several different lenses both of which I've had for several years and also enjoy. Even though they both serve me well and are fairly small, they are still quite obvious to everyone around me.

Great discussion Tony, have you two ever had issues going into NYC and getting skyline shots at night? That's one of my fears of heading dowm from NH and not really knowing the area at night. I have a friend that just brings their Nikon P1000 with them on vacations instead of their Nikon pro gear. He had stuff stolen at the Golden Gate Bridge when they stopped over from Hawaii

Really like this channel T&C... very long time subscriber.

I just came back yesterday from 2 weeks in London and Ireland. I had my camera and lenses but I didn't even got my lenses out of my suitcase. There where only 2 days without rain in the whole trip and on those days I was so afraid of rain that I didn't use the different lenses. I used my camera only on 2 days, the rest of the pictures where just the phone.

I would like to know what you think about the GRiii if you could review please. Pocketable little camera great for vacations.....

We went to Venice this weekend and I brought an R8 and an R5 with 24-70mm F2.8, 70-200mm F2.8, a 50mm F1.2 and a 24-105mm F4. I carried either the small kit (R8 + 24-105mm) or the large kit with the R5, 24-70, 70-200 and 50 in a small backpack. It was worth breaking my back seeing the pictures that came out of the iPhone 14Pro Max compared to even the R8. The pictures even taken in the same place and at the same angles tell completely different stories just because of the way they are processed. I am never leaving house without at least a Canon M6 Mark II on me. I am now investing into more sling style bags so that I can always carry a camera with me.

Because a big full frame camera isn’t ideal, as a Smartphone isn’t good enough, I take a RX100VII with me. I also have the the GX5 MKII with it’s 24-120mm F1.8-2.8 and these both little cameras getting the job done in most situations. Especially the RX has such a nice, sharp lens. The 1“ is good enough and combined with LRs AI denoise, these little cameras are just perfect. I don’t have any fear to get a theft victim, as no one cares for these little cameras. So next time, maybe you should give them a try.

As for me (as opposed to wifey, in previous post), I've come to make this compromise: either take a Tamron 17-28 and 28-200 - or - some combo of Samyang 18mm, Samyang 24mm, Samyang 45mm, and Samyang 75mm. Next major trip I may take just the 18mm and the Tammy 28-200 - I zoom more than I care to admit. I tried the ZV-1 that I got for my grandaughter and wow. Almost swayed me but I didn't pushed it hard. May have to find an RX VII and see how much I can push in LR/Topaz. Then again, this is getting into computaional looking pix. Physics sux.

Are you publishing your iPhone 15 Pro Max camera review soon? I know a lot of other bloggers have talked about it, but Tony does such a great and thorough job, I think of him as the modern “Consumer Reports” for camera reviews. And I say that with the highest praise. As always, you guys did a great job with this tvideo.

As someone who lives in London U.K. and regularly travels around Europe, I have had no issues at all. European cities mostly only have low-level crime (such as pickpockets) but if your sensible it’s not an issue. This year I’ve travelled to Italy, Hungary and Czechia and have always felt safe and comfortable carrying a camera - I would never leave home without one! I love my iPhone, but it doesn’t hold a candle to my Canon R7! 🙂

Always great, balanced advice and have to say Chelsea is one of the the prettiest ladies I have ever seen

I was really waiting for someone to make this video. It was for the best that you guys made it. I dont like the way my phone take s pictures, I have outgrown it and I need more control over my process, because no matter what you do, a phone photo will always looks like a phone photo even though you try putting expensive lenses on top of it.

Hope you had a lovely trip to Venice! I'm currently in Palma, Mallorca and the iphone stay's in my pocket. However the Canon G7x ii is capturing some great shot's and is playful enough for me to think about what kind of shot i want. Maybe a relatively inexpensive, small, light weight portable camera is the answer for long days abroad and pixel peepers alike? 😆

It's nice to know that professionals still make mistakes. On my trip to Italy I did take my DSLR, however, on our first day in ROME, I chose not to bring it... That was a dumb idea as I tried my very best to get a good shot of the Trevi Fountain with my iPhone. Needless to say, those were the worst pictures from our trip, but like Chelsea was saying, fine for the share, but disappointingly so. I hope to go back someday, but I'd probably opt out of taking the R5 and take the easier to travel with R50 and leave those white whales at home... unless I'm going to be making some extra quid on the photos that is! Thank you guys for keeping it real.

I think there is a strong place for a travel camera with superzoom. I’d love to see you actually compare and contrast a compact like HX99, or even an OM5 with 14-140 glass, to a top end phone camera. Smaller than your “full rig” but are they worthwhile over a phone?

On holiday, I take my A7III all the time. I also bring a 2.8 28-75 and 70-180. Forgot to mention the a flash with a a mini softbox

More than the image quality my biggest issue with iPhone(s) were images and videos getting stuck in the phone not been able to copy for editing. It gives device not responding when copying. After switching to Android I love how they work like a external drive when copying files. Manual controls on the camera app is very good for me.

I carry my R6 with several lenses when I’m going somewhere that either the place, wildlife or people are subjects I’ll probably never see again but I’ve used my iPhone’s going back to an iPhone 5 for photos and none have failed to provide good to very good results. Not as good as a $3000 full frame body paired with a $1200 f1.2 lens but much more convenient. I just temper my expectations.

The x100v does have a tilt screen, perhaps you were shooting in portrait? Also on iPhone under the settings app, go to camera, then preserve settings, and you can toggle on Apple ProRAW and it will no longer keep turning back off every time you close the camera app.

For another perspective on utilizing mobile phones for travel photography check out the work of Jefferson Graham, Rick Sammon and Scott Kelby.

Travel is what I shoot 80% of the time. Y=This is why I am invested into the APS-C world - lower cost, lighter weight. I mainly make photo books with the images and even if I crop in on a full size 10x14 page, I absoluteley love my results!

You should try the Huawei P60 Pro if you want to adjust the aperture.

The iPhone 15 pro has a programmable button now. You can hold it down to open the camera and press it again as a shutter button.

Take the camera and a travel telephoto zoom lens and you're set! The Tamron 18-400mm was awesome to use - not sharp at all but so much sharper and easier to edit than iPhone.