Huawei P9 vs Entry Level DSLR

[Guest]

I am currently using a galaxy j5, and just got into my architecture course which had me needing to take photos pretty frequently, and my j5's shots are pretty bad in bad lighting conditions, or in direct sunlight.

I'm interested in getting a p9 firstly as an upgrade to my current phone, but as a main camera too. However i have been thinking of getting a similarly priced dslr (excluding extra lenses and additions). It would also be great if one can be recommended to me too.

How much better in image and video taking will the dslr be? is there a noticible difference in quality? (this is not a photography course, i just need a clear image to use in my assignments). Will it be worth getting a dslr over a the p9 which also is an upgrade as a phone for me.

 

[kanewolf]

An entry level DSLR camera has a larger sensor than an phone. A larger sensor means more sensitivity to light. A DLSR camera also has optical zoom which most cell phones don't have. A DSLR also has control of the lens aperture. That can change the amount of depth that is in focus at the same time.

Your phone might be acceptable and your technique might be bad. Are you using a tripod when taking pictures (especially in bad light). Are you using the different metering modes your phone has? Have you tried with HDR off and HDR on?

A hardware upgrade may help, but using good technique with the hardware you have can make amazing changes.

 

[Guest]

I dont have a tripod, and using a tripod will be next to impossible in a busy street. And there is no hdr option on my phone. I cant actually hold a camera steady for a longer period of time, so perhaps that is also a factor.

How would you recommend me to improve my technique. The most important thing is to capture photos quickly, since i need as much as possible, but right now, only about half of what i capture is acceptable, while the rest are usually either unfocused or evident that i moved too fast. I think i will have to improve y technique too, but most of the useful ones i found are for people using dslrs. would these techniques work for a smartphone too?

 

[kanewolf]

I don't have any suggestions to improve your technique other than practice. But it sounds like you are rushing your pictures. If you are standing in the middle of a street, you will probably not get good picture quality, because you will be rushing to not be hit by a car.

 

[Guest]

Ha ha yeah. btw quick question will stuff like eis or ois improve my panoramic photos compared to a camera/phone without because currently my j5 shoots really wonky panoramic photos.

If using auto settings, without the need to focus, would a smartphone be better than a dslr in these kind of situations?

 

[kanewolf]

I have an Galaxy S5 and the panoramics I have shot with it have been OK. But, I will go back to technique. Holding the phone level, moving slowly, etc. I tend to try to rotate at my waist for panoramic pictures. With my DSLR, I take a series of still pictures and blend them in photoshop for a panoramic. Using manual exposure is helpful to get a constant exposure across many pictures.

 

[Guest]

I have an Galaxy S5 and the panoramics I have shot with it have been OK. But, I will go back to technique. Holding the phone level, moving slowly, etc. I tend to try to rotate at my waist for panoramic pictures. With my DSLR, I take a series of still pictures and blend them in photoshop for a panoramic. Using manual exposure is helpful to get a constant exposure across many pictures.

Ok, thanks for all your help.
I think i'll go with a p9 since its really cheap in my country right now (cheaper than what i bought my j5 for), and will probably try to improve my technique.