Manual exposure control with iPhone?

[manaheim]

Compare the camera in the iPhone now to flagship DSLR's 10 years ago:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/nikon/313684-10-years-ago-2003-a.html

Camera phones now have the resolution and the imaging capabilities that were not even available on the highest end flagship camera models! It's all relative. Comparing the tiny camera that comes on these phones to a huge DSLR isn't a fair comparison. Just because the camera phone is inferior to the DSLR, doesn't automatically make the camera in the phone "crappy".

I personally have my phone with me EVERYWHERE. But my DSLR isn't with me everywhere. "Grabbing a real camera" isn't always an option.

The iPhone is a very capable shooter and can produce crisp, high-quality 8MP images.

Here's a well-known video where the iPhone is used as the primary camera for a professional shoot.

YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOoGjtSy7xY

So you're saying that today's phones are better than the DSLRS of 10 years ago? That's poignant. Why don't you also point out how today's motor scooters are faster, safer and more reliable than a Model T. It's about as useful as a comparison.

10 years ago the comparison of like technologies was obviously digital to film, and film crushed digital for quality. You could compare yesteryears DSLRS to camera phones from the same time... That would be more appropriate, but the "big camera" is obviously going to win.

If you want to argue that a phone is a good camera when you have no other choice, I'd support you. If you want to argue that decent pictures CAN be taken with a phone, I'll support you.

If you want to argue that a phone camera is a good camera, I'll point and laugh.

There may come a day when scientists figure out a way to make it not so, but right now you're limited by physical qualities and business practicalities that make it impossible to make a phone a "good camera".

I suppose I'm being unfair in saying this and taking "when compared to a real camera" as an underlying given, but then I'm not trying to compare them to Model Ts either, am I?

 

[ploth]

Has anyone here tried ProCamera? It alludes to manual control but can't verify before purchasing.

The Apple sdk must allow at least some manual control as KIT CAM has an exposure slider (-2 to
+2) for exposure and a wb slider. I love it for sunrise / sunset when picking a point for exposure is useless (too dark and too light).

But I would love more control.

 

[Light Guru]

The Apple sdk must allow at least some manual control as KIT CAM has an exposure slider (-2 to
+2) for exposure and a wb slider. I love it for sunrise / sunset when picking a point for exposure is useless (too dark and too light).

But I would love more control.

The camera element itself has a fixed aperture so the only the only control options would be shutter speed and ISO.

 

[jallyjames]

Pleasant read and good tips. Another helpful one is that if you attach the headphones you can use the volume+ button on the cable as a remote shutter release...