What Did I Give Up by Leaving the Canon at Home?

 

What Did I Give Up by Leaving the Canon at Home?

Of course, the iPhone does not replace every capability of a DSLR.

My Canon EOS 60D offers interchangeable lenses, optical viewfinder shooting, and more flexibility with certain specialized photographic techniques.

A dedicated telephoto lens remains valuable for distant subjects. A macro lens can offer greater control for close-up work. Traditional camera controls can also be preferable for particular long-exposure and action-photography situations.

And there are circumstances where a larger sensor and specialized optics offer advantages, especially when working with difficult light or planning extensive image manipulation.

But I had to ask myself a different question.

Did I actually need those capabilities for this trip?

I wasn’t planning to photograph distant wildlife or fast-moving sporting events. I wasn’t carrying out a specialized commercial assignment.

I was documenting travel, architecture, landscapes, street life, and personal experiences.

For those purposes, the iPhone proved to be an excellent choice.

The equipment I left at home represented capabilities I might have used.

The equipment I carried provided the capabilities I actually needed.

That is an important distinction.

A Few Frustrations Along the Way

I should admit that using the iPhone was not completely trouble-free.

There were times when the sunlight was so bright that the screen became extremely dark. I could still operate the phone, but seeing the composition clearly was difficult. With a traditional camera, I would normally look through the viewfinder, but with the iPhone I had to rely on a screen that was sometimes almost impossible to read in direct sunlight.

I had also purchased a magnetic attachment that made the iPhone feel more like a conventional camera. It provided a more secure grip and included a button on top that I could press to take photographs. I found it very useful, especially when I wanted to hold the phone steadily and concentrate on the scene rather than tapping the screen.

Unfortunately, there was one occasion when I went out without it.

While taking photographs, my thumb accidentally touched the screen and switched the camera from the rear-facing camera to the front-facing, self-portrait camera. I did not realize what had happened. I continued photographing, assuming I was capturing the buildings and streets in front of me.

Later, when I reached a place where I could review the images properly, I discovered that the entire series consisted of selfies.

It was extremely frustrating—and more than a little disappointing. The photographs I thought I had taken were not photographs of France at all, but accidental portraits of me.

That experience taught me an important lesson: when using a phone as a camera, accessories and screen awareness matter. The iPhone is remarkably capable, but it is still a phone, and the controls can be easier to disturb accidentally than those of a traditional camera.

So, although I returned from France convinced that the iPhone was the right camera for this trip, I also learned to carry the magnetic attachment whenever possible, keep a close eye on the screen, and check a few photographs before continuing with an entire series.