Charlie Spencer Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 (edited) Assume the only thing I know about smart phone cameras is how to open the application itself and to push the button to take a photo. Okay, you don't need to assume; those are facts. What I know about using a phone's camera can be spray-painted on the head of a pin with plenty of room left for the dancing angels to mock my incompetence. That's just for general photos; my attempts at photographing birds look like Pollack and Picasso on a bender. So what tips, techniques, links, how-tos, or other basic info would you offer to a birder who doesn't have his 'real' camera with him and is restricted to a device he doesn't fully grok? Thanks. EDIT: I'm using an iPhone SE with iOS 12, if that makes any difference, although I hope this topic will include general tips that will be of use to others regardless of their devices. Edited September 27, 2018 by Charlie Spencer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerMaeve Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Mike_56 said: You sure about good photo taken with smartphone ? If answer yes -possible only in blue moon (my opinion). The newer iPhones can take amazing photos! @Charlie Spencer, I suggest trying to digiscope. Because iPhones tend to lose quality as you zoom. You can even get amount to hook you phone up to the eye piece. Taken with a iPhone 6 Clover sunset by MerMaeve, on Flickr Edited September 28, 2018 by MerMaeve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted September 28, 2018 Author Share Posted September 28, 2018 No, I'm not sure. That's why I'm asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted September 28, 2018 Author Share Posted September 28, 2018 (edited) 6 minutes ago, MerMaeve said: The newer iPhones can take amazing photos! @Charlie Spencer, I suggest trying to digiscope. Because iPhones tend to lose quality as you zoom. You can even get amount to hook you phone up to the eye piece. Yeah, that requires buying a spotting scope. Assuming I blew that kind of change, having a scope along implies I'm explicitly birding. If that's the case, I'll have a 'real' camera too and won't need to use the phone. I'm looking for suggestions for those situations when I'm not explicitly birding or toting around all the attendant gear, for when the phone is all I have. I acknowledge that the tool may be insufficient; that's what I'm trying to determine. I'm basically looking for the ability to get an identifiable photo, not to create great art. Edited September 28, 2018 by Charlie Spencer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted September 28, 2018 Author Share Posted September 28, 2018 Thanks. I didn't know there were lenses for phones. As you said, they may not guarantee good pictures, but for $15 they're worth a try. I use a fanny pack instead of a wallet, and it looks like one of these lenses might fit in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossyhorn Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 I've heard that the lenses made by moment are pretty good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stitch58 Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 Will you be carrying binoculars? I've never used one myself but there are many digiscoping adapters made for binoculars & I imagine you would at least be able to get usable ID shots. Here's what I found with a Google search, https://www.google.de/searchq=digiscoping+adapters+for+binoculars&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiHrdi50uHdAhXpmOAKHYAvAr4QsxgIKg&biw=1517&bih=737 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aveschapinas Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 I have friends here who put their phone up to the binoculars to get photos; I haven't had much luck with it personally, but others get pretty good photos, certainly OK for ID purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted October 1, 2018 Author Share Posted October 1, 2018 On 9/29/2018 at 10:16 PM, stitch58 said: Will you be carrying binoculars? I've never used one myself but there are many digiscoping adapters made for binoculars & I imagine you would at least be able to get usable ID shots. Here's what I found with a Google search, https://www.google.de/searchq=digiscoping+adapters+for+binoculars&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiHrdi50uHdAhXpmOAKHYAvAr4QsxgIKg&biw=1517&bih=737 If I have my binos, I likely have a 'real' camera too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stitch58 Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 1 hour ago, Charlie Spencer said: If I have my binos, I likely have a 'real' camera too. Sorry, didn't know if you had binoculars or not, that's why I asked. For what it's worth, I know many birders that have binoculars but no camera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestranger Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 On 9/27/2018 at 1:59 PM, Charlie Spencer said: Assume the only thing I know about smart phone cameras is how to open the application itself and to push the button to take a photo. Okay, you don't need to assume; those are facts. What I know about using a phone's camera can be spray-painted on the head of a pin with plenty of room left for the dancing angels to mock my incompetence. That's just for general photos; my attempts at photographing birds look like Pollack and Picasso on a bender. So what tips, techniques, links, how-tos, or other basic info would you offer to a birder who doesn't have his 'real' camera with him and is restricted to a device he doesn't fully grok? Thanks. EDIT: I'm using an iPhone SE with iOS 12, if that makes any difference, although I hope this topic will include general tips that will be of use to others regardless of their devices. I suggest getting close enough to fill most of the frame with the bird, which isn't easy to do with a cell phone camera. If the bird you're trying to photograph is just a tiny dot on the screen, you're not likely to get a worthwhile photo, even for ID purposes. I seldom use my cell phone as a camera so I can't offer advise on how to set it up beyond it's default settings. If you're discouraged with your phone camera, you may want to consider a pocket camera that you can carry with you all the time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestranger Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Mike_56 said: How get close to the bird with a cellphone without disturbing bird ? Not easily, Mike_56. On 10/1/2018 at 5:53 PM, lonestranger said: which isn't easy to do with a cell phone camera. Edited October 2, 2018 by lonestranger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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