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For obvious reasons, our camera phone and lenses are our go-to in camera gear. I ALWAYS have my iPhone X on me. No, the quality of images won’t compare with our SLR with pro lenses, but a camera is only as good as its availability. Since your phone is always nearby, it will easily see the most use. With a few extra accessories and some tutorials, you can really improve your camera phone’s capabilities.
WHY IT’S IN OUR CAMERA BAG
Technically it’s not in our bag, but more likely in our pockets. This is just one of those tools that we never go anywhere without. Sure, we use it for quick snapshots, a slow motion quick capture, and many other things, but we also use it for GPS directions in our rental car and looking up restaurants to try. We could not imagine traveling without our camera phone and lenses!
WHAT WE USE IT FOR
When it comes to ease of use, it doesn’t get any easier than the iPhone! We’ve said it already, but we use this when we just don’t want to miss a moment or take the time to get “the good camera” out. It’s such an important piece of kit, because it’s always on you. That’s why it’s so important to learn how to get the most out of it!
PROS
The fact that your phone fits in your pocket is it’s biggest advantage. We’ll say it yet again. It’s always on you! Another often forgotten pro is that you have the ability to utilize countless apps that can take your creativity to a new level (tilt-shift photography, vintage looks, manual pro settings, etc…).
CONS
The biggest con to using your phone as a camera is the quality. Yes, they have come a long way! However, if you were to look at a side-by-side comparison of footage from your iPhone next to footage from the Sony a6400, the difference is very noticeable. Finally, when it comes to low light, the sensors on your phone just can’t compete with the quality a larger sensor can provide.
INVESTMENT
Camera phones and their corresponding lenses aren’t cheap, but is a tool that you most likely have already committed to.
ACCESSORIES
The best investment you can make for your iPhone are Moment lenses (and the corresponding phone case they are used with)! These little, but solid lenses will take your mobile photography to a whole new level with lenses that twist and lock in place making them super secure! We have tried clip-on versions, but this is a case of you get what you pay for.
Phone Case – Be sure to search for the case specific to your phone.
Wide Angle Moment Lens – For those times that you can’t physically get further away to fit your subject in the frame. We have used this both indoors and out and are always amazed by the results.
58mm Moment Lens – Great for giving yourself some zoom capability beyond what your phone can do on its own.
Moment Lens Pouch – This particular one holds two lenses and attaches easily to a purse strap, camera bag, or your belt.
Mini Tripod – It’s made to last and you’ll find yourself using it much more than you ever thought you would. Want that sharp photo in low light, time-lapse, or group shot? Then you’ll need a tripod!
Selfie Stick / Tripod – What self-respecting camera enthusiast would travel without a selfie stick? 🙂 Seriously though, you would not believe how handy this piece of equipment is. You can easily grab footage high above your head, set it on the ground for easy family phone portraits, and yes, extend your arm to get a perfect selfie. If we are traveling, this is another piece of gear that we are never without.
You most likely already have a phone with decent camera capabilities, but chances are, you are only using about 20% of what it’s actually capable of. We will do our best to give you some insights on how to take advantage of what your phone already has to offer. A few accessories will take you a long way, but we’d also like to teach you the work behind the lens to really capture moments the way you’d like to.
As always, please feel free to check in with any questions about camera phones and lenses! We are most comfortable with iPhones, but we will see what we can do to help if you are working with a different camera phone. We want to make sure that you are confident with the best tools to tell your story!
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