It may be time to retire your crop sensor DSLR and enjoy the freedom of shooting with an iPhone.
Let’s look at how a crop sensor DSLR compares to an iPhone 14 Pro Max in real-life situations.
For the purpose of this comparison, we’re going with the Nikon D3500.
Other crop sensor cameras may have more features and capabilities, some may have fewer.
This is just for the purpose of illustrating some of the differences.
Larger pixels are more sensitive to light and appear to show less noise than smaller pixels.
Binning is a technical process of combining pixels to make each pixel act as if it’s larger.
When the pixels are combined, it reduces the number of active pixels on the sensor.
Figurine
The difference in dynamic range is obvious.
This small plastic man was photographed with the same indoor lighting.
Both images were shot in RAW format, meaning the iPhone used the entire 48 megapixels.
This is partially due to the better dynamic range.
While the iPhone also has a warmer, yellow tint, the D3500 has more accurate skin tones.
The camera must shoot in continuous mode with enough frames to capture the action to get a perfect position.
It requires that the camera follows focus and meters quickly for changing light.
The photographer must also be able to keep the subject within the frame.
With a fast-moving object like a speeding dog, it’s best to shoot wider than crop in.
The iPhone photo was shot in burst mode.
While the Nikon has 11 focus points, the iPhone uses a continuous focus called Focus Pixels.
The Nikon photo shows a lower dynamic range as the shadows go very dark and details are lost.
Instead, it focussed on the wall.
Still, the dog’s face has a little more clarity than the iPhone photo.
Close-Up Portrait
A performance pattern appears when we look at these photos of a smiling woman.
The iPhone has better contrast and dynamic range.
The whites are white, and the shadows are softened, allowing for detail without harsh edges.
When pixel-peeking, the iPhone has excellent clarity and sharp edges with no noticeable grain.
This photo was a RAW file shot at 48 megapixels.
Harsh shadows can make an interesting portrait but could be more flattering.
Undereye circles, pores, and wrinkles are accentuated with dark edges.
The iPhone excels at bringing out subtle colors.
In this photo, a lingering pink tint appears in the sky.
The iPhone’s new Photonic Engine improves camera performance, protecting color accuracy in mid-light and low-light scenes.
It also protects details, as is evident in the cloud’s definition and clarity.
The distant cloud and mountain lack the color and definition in the iPhone photo.
Again, the iPhone’s high dynamic range brings up the shadows in the foreground grasslands.
Orange, pink, yellow, and purple clouds rise in the sky.
Here it peeks behind clouds that lose definition in the brightness.
Editing would correct this photo, and we would see more clarity than the iPhone photo.
Still, the image isn’t acceptable when taken straight from the camera.
Should You Give Up Your Crop Sensor Camera?
You should switch to your iPhone.
An iPhone is best at automatically making corrections to create the brightest, most colorful photo possible.
The iPhone will default to local tone mapping to lighten a person or animal against a bright sky.
If you have HDR turned on, you don’t have to worry about shadows becoming too dark.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is a clear choice if you take photos primarily to record memories.
It’s always with you, and there isn’t an expectation that the picture will be great art.
