Mobile phone camera versus a regular camera: Something your mobile phone camera can't do!

Want to join for this hike today (September 16, 2015)?
Some, generally rich, folk will gather at this place today and talk about how to make rich richer in this country. Cursing but not offering any viable solution on immigration or healthcare... Millions of us will tune in on CNN (Crap No News) to watch them and get brainwashed.. They will tell you that unless you give tax breaks to rich, no jobs will be created (I know this will be left for Presidential debates and may not be here on this GOP debate) though the fact is Bush's tax breaks caused more job loss and pain for the economy..but anyway, I am planning to go on Mt McCoy today evening and take few more shots with some zoom lens. At least, I know I will be able to enjoy beautiful sunset. Interested in joining for a hike and taking photos?
#GOPDebate #RepublicanDebate #simivalley#ReaganLibrary

Here are two photos that show you what your mobile phone can't do. It can't zoom in!

Here is a photo taken with a mobile phone. You can barely see the Presidential Library in the photo below. It was almost a mile away! See the next two photos taken with a regular camera- Panasonic FZ200. You can not only see the library but also the Air Force 1 plane inside!

Samsung Note 4 photo

Zoomed in photo

Why is my iPhone or iPod not taking good photos?

Many people love their iPod, iPad, iPhone or any smartphone as such, for the nice photos it takes. It is true that in good light and in outdoor bright places, these instruments take nice photos. Also, they have very optimized display so even an okay photo will look bright and nice on any smartphone or on iPod/iPad. However in many situations, iPod or any camera as such will run into its hardware restriction. Because of its sensor's size and size/quality of lens, iPod/any smartphone can't work well in certain lighting situations. However if you are willing to help, you can still have better photos in some situations where your smartphone alone simply fails.

Here are certain things YOU can do to improve your photos in low light:

1) Shoot in good light. Avoid shooting in low light, indoor or in dark places. Outdoor and in well-lit places, your iPod will take nice photos but when light gets low, its tiny sensor and tiny lens can't take in enough light in 1/50 seconds which is required to take nice photos of people or moving objects.
2) In low light or  indoors, if possible, turn on artificial light. If you are in a room, turn on lights or use flash lights. If there is a flash on iPod, use it.
3) If you are shooting stationary items or very slow moving objects, put your iPod on some steady surface (instead of holding in hand) and that can eliminate blur in your photos.
4) Also, you can enhance photos with Picasa or similar software to some extent. There are many such software out there.
5) Not sure what kind of manual controls, iPod offers. If my iPhone5 is any clue, you can't do any thing to control iso, aperture or shutter speed. So except about tips, there isn't much you can do with your iPod.

You might like my blog where I write about such stuff.
http://photography-with-any-camera.blogspot.com/