# Watch Shots: Phone vs Professional Camera



## NatiLad79 (Sep 22, 2020)

When taking photos of your watch to sell do you prefer using your phone's camera or do you pull out the professional camera? Thoughts?


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## longtimelurker (Oct 16, 2020)

My DSLR. I am not really familiar with the controls on my smartphone. And although I am sure I can find just about every setting, it's not as ergonomic as a camera. 
Also, the fixed view angle on smartphones suck. I have a specific focal lengths and lenses in mind when I want to make a shot. Phone is just too limiting. 
Also, the sensor is too small. Too much noise. 

Phone works great for video because of the e-stabilization and the huge viewfinder and a form factor that's easy to manipulate around small subjects like watches.


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## NatiLad79 (Sep 22, 2020)

longtimelurker said:


> My DSLR. I am not really familiar with the controls on my smartphone. And although I am sure I can find just about every setting, it's not as ergonomic as a camera.
> Also, the fixed view angle on smartphones suck. I have a specific focal lengths and lenses in mind when I want to make a shot. Phone is just too limiting.
> Also, the sensor is too small. Too much noise.
> 
> Phone works great for video because of the e-stabilization and the huge viewfinder and a form factor that's easy to manipulate around small subjects like watches.


Thanks for the insight


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## Coders (May 11, 2020)

DSLR will always give better results, however it depends on what kit you have. Eg macro lens etc.

But..in good light and at the right angle, smartphones can give great results.

here is an example of both...










iPhone


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## NatiLad79 (Sep 22, 2020)

Coders said:


> DSLR will always give better results, however it depends on what kit you have. Eg macro lens etc.
> 
> But..in good light and at the right angle, smartphones can give great results.
> 
> ...


Ok, this might be a little daft, but what does DSLR stand for?....Btw; the DSLR shot seems a lot crisper than the iPhone


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## dreamer101 (Feb 9, 2021)

I love photography and just gotten deeper into this Hobby. So to answer your last question: DSLR stands for _digital single-lens reflex_ what means that you have a mirror inside your camera which reflects the picture to the seeker so you can see exactly the same picture which gets onto the sensor. Mostly it is used to describe what you meant by "professional camera" - though the newer professional camera models don't have any mirror anymore, but shoot on even higher quality (some of them at least). 
To answer your other question: It totally depends on the camera of your phone and your professional camera. Some smartphones already have an incredibly good camera inside, most of all the automatic functions work stunningly well, so that you can easily shoot a great photo without much knowledge. If the light is right, if you don't need a certain image detail or need the image to be printed out very big, your phone is good to use (if you have a good camera on it). Your professional camera might be better if you need to zoom in, if the light is low or if you want to make certain light settings (eg. a small aperture to have a nice bokeh ect.).


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## Jtphoto (Mar 27, 2014)

No matter how good the camera is in your phone it will never match the quality image produced by even a cheap DSLR with a decent lens. 
The biggest downfall of the phone camera the size of the lens, the next is the photo sensor size. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## NatiLad79 (Sep 22, 2020)

dreamer101 said:


> I love photography and just gotten deeper into this Hobby. So to answer your last question: DSLR stands for _digital single-lens reflex_ what means that you have a mirror inside your camera which reflects the picture to the seeker so you can see exactly the same picture which gets onto the sensor. Mostly it is used to describe what you meant by "professional camera" - though the newer professional camera models don't have any mirror anymore, but shoot on even higher quality (some of them at least).
> To answer your other question: It totally depends on the camera of your phone and your professional camera. Some smartphones already have an incredibly good camera inside, most of all the automatic functions work stunningly well, so that you can easily shoot a great photo without much knowledge. If the light is right, if you don't need a certain image detail or need the image to be printed out very big, your phone is good to use (if you have a good camera on it). Your professional camera might be better if you need to zoom in, if the light is low or if you want to make certain light settings (eg. a small aperture to have a nice bokeh ect.).


Thank you really I appreciate the explanation.


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## NatiLad79 (Sep 22, 2020)

Jtphoto said:


> No matter how good the camera is in your phone it will never match the quality image produced by even a cheap DSLR with a decent lens.
> The biggest downfall of the phone camera the size of the lens, the next is the photo sensor size.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thank you. I will definitely keep it in mind.


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## DeadEye (Jul 14, 2020)

Phones take amazing photos now days, though they will never accomplish what a good prime lens on DSLR or Mirrorless body can accomplish. It's all about the glass! Which is why lenses in many cases are more valuable than the camera bodies they are mounted on. They usually hold their value as well, good glass that is.


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## scuttle (Dec 15, 2008)

longtimelurker said:


> Also, the sensor is too small. Too much noise.


Just no. You shouldn't have any noise problems with any modern phone taking a picture of a watch - because why on earth would you do that in low light??? Which is the only time ISO/sensor gain needs to be turned up enough to show noise.

In fact phones are pretty useful for watch shots compared to "professional cameras" because the small sensors make it easy to get decent depth of field for macro shots without resorting to eg focus stacking.


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## scuttle (Dec 15, 2008)

NatiLad79 said:


> Thank you. I will definitely keep it in mind.


Don't: it's nonsense. Read this by a well known professional photographer:

The iPhone as a camera

Or look at Pro Watch Photos Shot with an iPhone and a Jeweler's Loupe

..."Real" cameras are better in some circumstances - that's why they exist - but decent phones are actually pretty damn good for macro shots with controlled lighting.


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## NatiLad79 (Sep 22, 2020)

scuttle said:


> Just no. You shouldn't have any noise problems with any modern phone taking a picture of a watch - because why on earth would you do that in low light??? Which is the only time ISO/sensor gain needs to be turned up enough to show noise.
> 
> In fact phones are pretty useful for watch shots compared to "professional cameras" because the small sensors make it easy to get decent depth of field for macro shots without resorting to eg focus stacking.


Thank you very much


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## NatiLad79 (Sep 22, 2020)

scuttle said:


> Don't: it's nonsense. Read this by a well known professional photographer:
> 
> The iPhone as a camera
> 
> ...


Thank you for the hyperlink. I'll check it out.


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## longtimelurker (Oct 16, 2020)

scuttle said:


> Just no. You shouldn't have any noise problems with any modern phone taking a picture of a watch - because why on earth would you do that in low light??? Which is the only time ISO/sensor gain needs to be turned up enough to show noise.
> 
> In fact phones are pretty useful for watch shots compared to "professional cameras" because the small sensors make it easy to get decent depth of field for macro shots without resorting to eg focus stacking.


Pretty much EVERY modern phone is going to show iso noise in a darkened or even dimmed room. You know, like when you are trying to get some lume shots or longer exposures.

Maybe I have a lower tolerance for noise. My shots aren't all macro distance, either. Sometimes I have background that needs proper exposure and the tiny little sensor just can't handle that much range or exposure time. (I don't do the in-camera bracketing /HDR because I generally shoot RAW so I can look at the white balance on something other than my phone screen)

This is straight from my pixel 5 in a room in which I could still read a book. There's plenty of noise. I take plenty of watch shots in this room for a specific style that I like to print. I suppose you can call it low light, but I find plenty of situations where I can see noise in the shadows of well-lit shots.


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## longtimelurker (Oct 16, 2020)

scuttle said:


> Don't: it's nonsense. Read this by a well known professional photographer:
> 
> The iPhone as a camera
> 
> ...


I also don't agree that a DSLR is always better than any phone. Lens selection, ergonomics, and sensor size are the only real drawbacks. And those don't always or even often apply.


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## scuttle (Dec 15, 2008)

longtimelurker said:


> Pretty much EVERY modern phone is going to show iso noise in a darkened or even dimmed room. You know, like when you are trying to get some lume shots or longer exposures.


Ugh - it gets worse...

No. If you're shooting the lume, you set the exposure FOR THE LUME. Not for the darkened room. If your freshly juiced lume isn't bright enough for a phone to shoot a close up of without grain then your lume isn't worth shooting...



> This is straight from my pixel 5 in a room in which I could still read a book.


And you don't actually understand what caused the problem with the shot. (Hint: dynamic range...) Which is one that is completely irrelevant to how any vaguely competent person would take a shot of a watch for sale, which is what the OP asked about.

And I say this as someone with a fullframe DSLR handy, a portfolio good enough so that I shoot "trade" with professional models - My Site - who fanatically shot macro of insects as a kid... Really: you shouldn't be giving people advice that can cost them money.


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## longtimelurker (Oct 16, 2020)

scuttle said:


> Ugh - it gets worse...
> 
> No. If you're shooting the lume, you set the exposure FOR THE LUME. Not for the darkened room.


I didn't give anyone any advice. Certainly not to buy anything.


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## scuttle (Dec 15, 2008)

Basically: if you want to shoot a watch for sale, a phone is fine. The main thing is to get the lighting right - improvise a light box like this:

How to Make a DIY Light Box Guide

You may benefit from having an app that gives you control of your phone camera settings manually. Other than that the main hassle is lint.


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## scuttle (Dec 15, 2008)

longtimelurker said:


> No sh*t, sherlock. Still doesn't solve the dynamic range problem. I don't only want to expose just the lume.


But what you want has nothing with what the OP asked about. Nobody. Cares. About. What. You. Want. Because this thread isn't about you. Not everything is.

(And your stated goal is easily accomplished by improvising a support for the phone and taking two shots at different exposures...)


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## munizfire (Oct 25, 2018)

I use both (iPhone 12 Pro & Nikon D5600 with basic kit lens), but personally I like the camera shots better.

Example: 

















(Pretty sure you guys can identify which one is which, although both did a great job at capturing different things)


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## CVK (Mar 16, 2021)

The camera shoots works better. I personally use Sony A7 MKII with a 90mm Macro lens.


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