Phone camera for printing A4

[Asha]

I often come across scenes whilst cycling but my cheapo/ very basic mobile fone offerrs photos that would struggle to print at postcard size let alone A4 which is what I wish to print at.

The market of mobile / smartfones is huge and I really don't know where to start when searching for one that offers a decent built in camera….Tbh I attempted to have a look in a couple of shops recently and was totally overwhelmed and indeed a tad confused by it all ( An age thing perhaps! )
So here I am asking you lot for advice.

Just to add that carrying a standard small compact or similar, either in my pocket or in a small rucksack isn't an option….It has to be a phone ( smaller the better) or nothing at all.

I appreciate that quality doesn't usually come cheap, however paying out £500 or more is simply not going to happen.

Ideally a budget in the region of £200

I could go to £300 but there would have to be a considerable difference in image quality for me to warrant another hundred quid.

Is there anything on the market within my budget that would give me decent A4 sized prints ?

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Cheap ones will be utter crap. Much more expensive ones may be passable in very controlled circumstances. Probably you are looking at latest iphone or similar.

 

[Harlequin565]

Everyone's definition of "decent" is different.

I use an iPhone 6s which delivers me 300ppi @ A4 (rear camera). I've printed to A4, and it's just simply not up to the job of a decent DSLR or even 35mm. I've yet to see a phone camera that is though, so that's not much help.

It's Apple. It's £200-£300. It's a phone. It's also a handy lightmeter. I rarely get decent pictures with it because I'm using it in a) the dark or b) whilst out running/walking/cycling, so I'm usually out of breath and thus my hands aren't steady when shooting. It's great for scouting locations though.
Not much help, but it gets the advice ball rolling. Suspect there's an Android device that's better for the money, but I know nowt about them.

 

[Asha]

iPhone 6s which delivers me 300ppi @ A4 (rear camera). I've printed to A4,

Hi Ian,

Would it be possible to post a pic or two taken with the 6s.

As you say, each of us differing definitions of "decent".

I don't expect to get results like what I could get from my Fuji XE1 ...I'm not so unrealistic, however if I can get "acceptable" ( to me) A4 prints then It will allow me to capture some scenes that are otherwise nigh impossible as I don't have a car and the areas I visit whilst cycling are difficult or impossible to access by public transport.

 

[Asha]

Cheap ones will be utter crap.

Yeah, I pretty much figured that out for myself before posting the thread,

Much more expensive ones may be passable

Probably you are looking at latest iphone or similar.

Possibly MUCH more expensive will prove to be the only feasable solution but if that means a 700 quid price tag , then even if I had an income to support that expenditure, I wouldn't entertain it for a phone regardless of camera performance ( or for the phone performance come to that!)

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Yeah, I pretty much figured that out for myself before posting the thread,




Possibly MUCH more expensive will prove to be the only feasable solution but if that means a 700 quid price tag , then even if I had an income to support that expenditure, I wouldn't entertain it for a phone regardless of camera performance ( or for the phone performance come to that!)

Well cycling has many harsh downsides. When I did I had no problem taking reasonable DSLR kit with me including tripod so no reason why you couldn't.

 

[Harlequin565]

Would it be possible to post a pic or two taken with the 6s.

Some of these are private, so let me know if they don't work. Also, it's a 6+ and not a 6s. I get confused by them all. Apparently the 6s is better than this.

Ricky Warwick in the dark: https://flic.kr/p/2deBszB : Shows pretty awful image quality but considering the lack of light it came out "ok". A4 print went in the bin.
Full size, taken in good light of a magazine that a friend won a comp in. This is what it can do in decent light and with steady hands. https://www.flickr.com/gp/harlequin565/ZS4X2A
Daytime again. Was an "I'm stuck on the motorway" photo, so not really worthy of art. https://flic.kr/p/26YV6bk
Probably the only one I've printed in a while. Strange light and a rainbow. THis was a handheld pano using the pano function in the camera: https://flic.kr/p/22uSwpS
Full Size, Black Star Riders again last year. Better lighting, but you can zoom right in and see the artifacts. Absolutely fine for internet but I'd probably call an A4 print "ok" rather than "decent". https://flic.kr/p/GsE8JK
Full size, shot of my leg after my op (bandaged!). Shows how it performs inside so again, you can zoom in to see detail. I took a bunch of these when I was off my pins and made a collage. I think they were printed to 4"x4" and they looked super. That's a bit smaller than A4 though! https://flic.kr/p/JcUZVA

 

[sirch]

I was going to suggest something like a refurbished Galaxy S6, I've no idea what it prints like at A4 but it's 16 MPixels so theoretically would print similar to any other 16MP camera but I came across this which might help:

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/...ography-under-or-around--pound-300-2018-30249

 

[viewfromthenorth]

I’m an apple user but have never been massively impressed with the cameras. I used a Samsung S7 for a few days and was much more impressed with the camera on that and printed some at A4 and A3 from it. The A3’s were passable and the A4’s looked very good. They did need some post processing though as I thought the files were quite flat straight off the camera.

 

[Asha]

Well cycling has many harsh downsides. When I did I had no problem taking reasonable DSLR kit with me including tripod so no reason why you couldn't.

Well I'm pleased to hear that carrying kit posed you no problems whilst cycling.
It appears that perhaps your cycling was completely different to the cycling that I do…..With only small pockets available to carry certain neccesaties means that carrying anything larger than a mobile phone is a non starter ( I tried with a compact camera without success!)

As for

no reason why you couldn't.

Yes there is a very good reason, because your method is not suitable for my situation.

In all honesty I find your attitude somewhat unpleasant insofar as trying to dictate what I SHOULD be able to do.


In brief, my original post stated the following,

The market of mobile / smartfones is huge

I could go to £300

Is there anything on the market within my budget that would give me decent A4 sized prints ?

so if you have knowledge of a suitable phone then by all means offer a mark/ model/ link.

Otherwise don't waste my time in having to read anymore of your futile replies.

 

[Asha]

Some of these are private, so let me know if they don't work. Also, it's a 6+ and not a 6s. I get confused by them all. Apparently the 6s is better than this.

Ricky Warwick in the dark: https://flic.kr/p/2deBszB : Shows pretty awful image quality but considering the lack of light it came out "ok". A4 print went in the bin.
Full size, taken in good light of a magazine that a friend won a comp in. This is what it can do in decent light and with steady hands. https://www.flickr.com/gp/harlequin565/ZS4X2A
Daytime again. Was an "I'm stuck on the motorway" photo, so not really worthy of art. https://flic.kr/p/26YV6bk
Probably the only one I've printed in a while. Strange light and a rainbow. THis was a handheld pano using the pano function in the camera: https://flic.kr/p/22uSwpS
Full Size, Black Star Riders again last year. Better lighting, but you can zoom right in and see the artifacts. Absolutely fine for internet but I'd probably call an A4 print "ok" rather than "decent". https://flic.kr/p/GsE8JK
Full size, shot of my leg after my op (bandaged!). Shows how it performs inside so again, you can zoom in to see detail. I took a bunch of these when I was off my pins and made a collage. I think they were printed to 4"x4" and they looked super. That's a bit smaller than A4 though! https://flic.kr/p/JcUZVA

Thank you Ian, very much appreciated you taking time to link all those.

Tbh I'm quite impressed by the quality of those but hey, I have never had anything but a bog standard mobile phone.

They certainly give me a good idea as to how the 6+ performs.

 

[Asha]

I was going to suggest something like a refurbished Galaxy S6, I've no idea what it prints like at A4 but it's 16 MPixels so theoretically would print similar to any other 16MP camera but I came across this which might help:

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/...ography-under-or-around--pound-300-2018-30249

Thanks Chris, that's very helpful.
I'll read more the right ups more thoroughly in my own time

 

[Bobsyeruncle]

I've got a Samsung galaxy s7 and the camera is decent.
Has a full manual mode as well.
Never printed anything though, but I think it would be decent.

 

[Asha]

galaxy s7

full manual mode

Goes off googling S7......

 

[Bobsyeruncle]

Goes off googling S7......

sample....this guy got a large canvas done and has it on his wall....

Cathkin Braes by robert shearer, on Flickr

 

[sphexx]

I often come across scenes whilst cycling but my cheapo/ very basic mobile fone offerrs photos that would struggle to print at postcard size let alone A4 which is what I wish to print at.

The market of mobile / smartfones is huge and I really don't know where to start when searching for one that offers a decent built in camera….Tbh I attempted to have a look in a couple of shops recently and was totally overwhelmed and indeed a tad confused by it all ( An age thing perhaps! )
So here I am asking you lot for advice.

Just to add that carrying a standard small compact or similar, either in my pocket or in a small rucksack isn't an option….It has to be a phone ( smaller the better) or nothing at all.

I appreciate that quality doesn't usually come cheap, however paying out £500 or more is simply not going to happen.

Ideally a budget in the region of £200

I could go to £300 but there would have to be a considerable difference in image quality for me to warrant another hundred quid.

Is there anything on the market within my budget that would give me decent A4 sized prints ?

There are plenty of sample photos with phone cameras that you could download and test print — dpreview phone review galleries and no doubt on Flickr.

 

[Asha]

sample....this guy got a large canvas done and has it on his wall....

Cathkin Braes by robert shearer, on Flickr

WOW!

 

[Asha]

There are plenty of sample photos with phone cameras that you could download and test print — dpreview phone review galleries and no doubt on Flickr.

What a brill idea ....I would never have thought of doing that !

Excellent!

Thanks

 

[sphexx]

What a brill idea ....I would never have thought of doing that !

Excellent!

Thanks

Also consider buying ‘refurbished’ phones — I’ve bought several from giffgaff with no problems.

 

[gad-westy]

I’ve had iPhones for the last few years and the cameras usually lag behind. I think the latest x models are okay but the iPhone 7 I have is pretty poor. My wife’s work phone is a Sony Experia thing (quite cheap I think) and the camera is miles better than the iPhone. Maybe worth a look, I suspect they’re well within budget.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Otherwise don't waste my time in having to read anymore of your futile replies.

I will be thinking about you zooming past a bunch of cyclists in my DERV next time. Good luck.

 

[Fraser Euan White]

Asha, the Google Pixel Phone's camera got a very good DXO mark - the best for a mobile phone. Now they are on Generation 3 you possibly would get a gen 1 cheap? I have a gen 1 and I love it.

Loads for around £150:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GRADE-A-...h=item566c132ce6:g:mtMAAOSwy-5bpk0j:rk:4:pf:0

........and DXO Mark:

https://www.dxomark.com/pixel-smartphone-camera-review-at-the-top/

 

[HoppyUK]

This thread was posted a couple of years ago, showing an iPhone 6s directly compared to a Nikon D800 (link in first post). That was the first time I'd really seen that the writing was on the wall, and phone-cam tech has got a lot better since then

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/iphone-6s-vs-nikon-d800.605640/

 

[Major Eazy]

I often come across scenes whilst cycling but my cheapo/ very basic mobile fone offerrs photos that would struggle to print at postcard size let alone A4 which is what I wish to print at.

The market of mobile / smartfones is huge and I really don't know where to start when searching for one that offers a decent built in camera….Tbh I attempted to have a look in a couple of shops recently and was totally overwhelmed and indeed a tad confused by it all ( An age thing perhaps! )
So here I am asking you lot for advice.

Just to add that carrying a standard small compact or similar, either in my pocket or in a small rucksack isn't an option….It has to be a phone ( smaller the better) or nothing at all.

I appreciate that quality doesn't usually come cheap, however paying out £500 or more is simply not going to happen.

Ideally a budget in the region of £200

I could go to £300 but there would have to be a considerable difference in image quality for me to warrant another hundred quid.

Is there anything on the market within my budget that would give me decent A4 sized prints ?

You just need to find any smartphone with a camera at a minimum of 5MP. (Cheap/basic phones usually vary from VGA or 800x600 and up to around 4MP or thereabouts.)

It is not a question of which smartphone (ie: iPhone or Galaxy) can print up to A4 because it is really a case of which sensor size is needed.

Preferably if possible, try a phone with about 6MP or 8MP camera (the higher you can go, the better).

It is possible to buy a second hand smartphone with a 8MP camera for up to about £300. I bought a second hand iPhone 7 which have a 12MP camera for about £350.

Just focus on the image sensor size, look for smartphones with more than 5MP, if possible and if within your budget, go for smartphones with 8MP.

There is no need to go for the "Plus" sized models like iPhone n Plus or a Samsung Galaxy n Plus (where n is model number, ie: iPhone 7 Plus etc) because those are bit too big for what you have in mind, but the smaller ones (without the "Plus") can still have a good enough image sensor size.

 

[dcash29]

If you find a smartphone with a 5mp sensor at 25mm2 in size, there's no reason why you cant print a perfectly good A3 print

 

[Giblets]

A friend of mine has an Android phone which she says takes 32MP with the rear camera. She has taken some stunning shots and had them printed at A3 size. Not too sure of the model but could find out if required.

 

[chris malcolm]

In the early days of mobile phones, when the cheap model I had was well known to produce totally rubbish photographs, I experimented with getting the best photos I could from it. The first thing I discovered was how important it was to very carefully clean the little glass plate in front of the lens with good lens cleaning moist tissues, such as those sold by chemists etc. for cleaning specs. Because the sensor and lens is so small compared to a camera tiny bits of dirt and grease affect image quality much more than the same dirt on a camera lens. And cameras have lens caps to help keep their lenses clean...

The next problem was phone shake! I find it very hard to hold a phone steady while stabbing the screen to take the photograph! Taking the best firm grip I could manage, and then resting my hand or forearm against something solid made a good difference.

The next important point was to avoid dim light. Even slightly dim light had a much worse effect on image quality than when using a proper camera. Then there was post processing. Extracting the image from the phone and passing it through a cheap free photograph editor (I think mine was Picasa in those days) and pressing the "fix this photo" button always improved it quite a bit.

Using these little known esoteric photography tricks I was able to use my cheap phone with a rubbish camera to produce quite fair A4 prints which were often better than the prints my rich friends with expensive iphones were able to produce.

 

[gad-westy]

If you find a smartphone with a 5mp sensor at 25mm2 in size, there's no reason why you cant print a perfectly good A3 print

The lenses can often resolve nowhere near that sort of resolution. So while the spec sheet says x mp the actual usable output can be far lower. Images can look good on screen because the jpeg engines are configured for that sort of output and sharpening is cranked right up. But when you display them large they can look awful. It’s really only in the last 2-3 years that some phone cameras are breaking away from that but it’s still not the norm.

 

[TCR4x4]

My huawei mate 20 x takes 40mp photos, but I’m not sure if I’d fancy printing them very big. The problem is the processing. In good light it’s ok, but in dim light, they process the crap out of them and it turns into a smudgy mess when zoomed in. I’m not talking nighttime, but just normal British winter overcast day times.
I still think the google pixel phones taken the crown for overall image quality.

 

[droj]

I use an iPhone 6s

There is or was an iPhone SE that could well have the same camera and could squeak into budget.

With phones generally, you might ask why, if such tiny lenses & sensors have the photographic power that advertising might suggest, then why does anyone bother with full-frame or even aps-c?

It's not that A4 is a problem for a phone, though, is it? It's about what you demand from the results.

 

[ancient_mariner]

I would have suggested an iPhone SE, not least because the phone itself is quite small. And generally I'd agree with droj.

The thing about image quality is that under the best circumstances a phone cam with take a generally acceptable picture, as demonstrated in that thread comparing the iPhone 6 and D800. However if you ask a phone to cope under difficult circumstances (low light, extreme dynamic range, back-lit etc) the results will generally be much less acceptable.

 

[Asha]

could find out if required.

If you could then it would give me another option to consider….Thanks!

 

[woof woof]

A while ago someone gave me a picture of some cats taken with a phone. Looking at the exif there are no phone details and it says "Instagram" so I assume it was uploaded to that and downloaded again. The picture is 1,100 square and 378kb but when cropped to fill an A4 and printed the cat person was very happy and it's now framed and on the wall. At close viewing to geeks like us it's awful with little real detail but when viewed normally no non geek who looks at it is going to care about things like that.

I haven't printed any pictures from my own crappy and old smartphone but I have printed A4 pictures from my Medion compact which is the second worst camera I've ever owned and easily beaten by any smart phone from the last few years, the worst being a keyring camera years ago, and the Medion shot actually shocked me because it looked so good printed and viewed normally.

So, my point is that crappy devices can make nice prints as long as we process them for best effect and view them normally. Even lower light pictures can look nice too, in my experience.

 

[medwaygreen]

This may be of some use to you Asha.

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/...ography-under-or-around--pound-300-2018-30249

 

[Photopaque]

As stated previously buy a first generation Google pixel or pixel XL. You can add in the portrait mode that was added on the pixel 2 and it's just been updated with the Google nightsite mode. You can get these for under £175 and they smoke any other camera and all from a single lens.
You will also get unlimited full rez backup.

 

[Asha]

Following on from all the ind help from you guys, I eventually took a plunge on an IPhone 6S which I received today.

It may or may not give me some A4 prints that I'm satisfied with but for the moment it will suffice.

Besides, for me it's a seriously technical piece of gear that may take some adjusting to but so far I have figured how to get the GPS working, hece I didn't get lost on the way home from the village
Anyway here's a thread that I may well be posting in quite regularly….
https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/t...-mobile-pics-here.170974/page-56#post-8491759