Recently, I set out to photograph an abandoned church with nothing but my iPhone 8. Sure, I had my full Fujifilm kit in the car. But I thought it’d be fun to try this one with the simplest gear I had available, a phone camera and nothing else.
iPhone 8 Photography Review
If you’re stumbling on this iPhone 8 camera review and have no clue who I am, please take a peek at this page to get to know me. But if you want the short version, I am an outdoor photographer and field tester from Central Kentucky.
And with that said, it probably poses the big question: Why is a professional photographer reviewing an iPhone Camera?!
It’s Simple
To answer the question of “why would a pro photographer use an iPhone camera“…I answer “because it’s simple”. As much as I love my Fujifilm camera gear, from time to time it’s nice to use something that is pocket sized and more than capable of beautifully capturing certain types of pictures…
Now, before I dive too far in on that last statement, I want to say that the iPhone will absolutely NOT be replacing my Pro-Fuji Gear.
However, the iPhone 8’s camera is without a doubt doing a lot of my behind the scenes shooting for Instagram story pictures and some of my other social networking photos. It’s really incredible in that capacity.
Less is sometimes more.
As I mentioned above, sometimes it’s nice not having to drag my work camera around with me. Just like the day I shot these images of the abandoned church.
I didn’t want to run the risk of falling and breaking a $900 lens, or worse – Breaking my camera’s screen, any filters I may have been using, etc.
This place was sketchy and the phrase ‘less is more’ definitely rang true for me as I approached it. The iPhone 8 was a perfect candidate as I skipped and hopped through rubble to find a composition for this series of photographs. I wasn’t worrying about protecting an expensive camera/lens…I simply explored and had fun creating images.
iPhone 8 Camera : Why I like using it
I’ve already touched on this a bit. But it really does boil down to simplicity for me. With a professional camera, you can get so caught up in all of the settings, various lenses, focal lengths, filters, accessories, and all of what comes with the profession as a photographer.
And yes, all of those things definitely have their purpose and I need that kind of flexibility on serious shoots. But it’s nice to bring things back to a simpler level from time to time and just whip out my iPhone.
It reminds me of why I started photography
I can still remember when I first started dabbling in photography. I used a little point & shoot Kodak camera. It was super simple and required no thinking from me. Then I progressed to using a Samsung phone many years later when I picked photography up again.
Now, in 2017 we have the amazing capabilities of the iPhone 8 resting in our pockets. It is, in my opinion, the best phone camera that has ever released. And it’s a total throwback to why I fell in love with photography.
iPhone 8 Image Quality
I think I’ve raved enough about why I have a personal connection to the iPhone camera and why I love its simplicity. So, let’s chat image quality!
(Talk about what I’m shooting – It’s not the best for people if they’re moving quickly)
I have to say, the iPhone 8’s image quality is fantastic and honestly, mind-blowing for a camera phone. It still doesn’t hold a candle to my pro equipment, but it shouldn’t considering I have thousands of dollars invested into all of that gear.
If I am putting professional camera gear aside (and pretending I have never seen images out of a pro-camera), I can definitely say the iPhone 8’s camera/image quality is a 10 out of a 10.
in & out of a studio, it performs beautifully
I have used the iPhone 8 in my photography studio for product shots/behind the scenes stuff. And clearly, as you can see here, I have used it outdoors as well. I have found that if you shoot in good light, this camera really shines & performs as well as some entry-level DSLR/Mirrorless cameras on the market today. (yeah, I said it)
iPhone 8 Easy of Use
The iPhone 8 Camera is without a doubt the easiest camera (and phone) to use in my opinion. It’s very easy and clear to operate. And it does a lot of the heavy lifting for you, in regards to the camera.
However, there are honestly a lot more capabilities in its simple interface that many people don’t take advantage of. And I will be hitting on that in some upcoming iPhone 8 Tips & Tricks articles soon!
Battery Life
I honestly don’t get super techy with my reviews, nor do I ever plan to. But I will say I was very impressed with the battery life of the iPhone 8. I shot with it for close to an hour (alternating between “photo”, “video” and “slow mo”), used it for phone calls, text messages, Spotify and then 2 to 3 hours of post-processing in Adobe Lightroom. At the end of all of this, it was at around 20%. I was happy with that.
Apps & Accessories to take it further?
The iPhone 8 is truly a great piece of hardware on its own. However, it can be taken SO much further with the use of external lenses, editing apps and additional photography equipment. And sure, while this kind of goes against my concept of simplicity, sometimes it fits.
Stay tuned because, I am going to be doing some other articles that break down some of the must have iPhone 8 Accessories for Photography!
iPhone 8 Camera Limitations
Clearly, there are going to be some limitations to the iPhone’s camera. It’s ability to process both highlights & shadows properly are not going to be as good as a Mirrorless or DSLR camera. But, that’s why you’re paying the big bucks for those types of cameras (plus filters to further enhance the balance of your image).
It is also a bit limited out of the box in terms of focal length (ie: how wide/zoomed it can go). Sure, you can pinch and zoom, but this is never a good idea. If you really desire to go wider or closer in on your subject, you’re going to need additional lenses. I am personally giving the “Moment Lenses” a shot right now to see how useful they are. I will report back soon with my thoughts!
Do I think a person could use the iPhone 8 to get into photography?
Absolutely I do. I talk with a lot of people who are looking to get into photography and they always want to know what camera to buy. And that’s great if they have the budget for a nice camera. But if you’re looking to get into photography and have no budget for a mirrorless or DSLR, start with your iPhone (or Android). You can learn the basics of photography on an iPhone, just as much as you can on a “real camera”. (ie: composition, framing, rule of 3rds, dialing in your style, etc)
New iPhone 8 Articles Coming Soon!
Check back with me really soon for more iPhone 8 content! And give me a follow over on Instagram and Facebook to stay in the loop with what I’m doing!
