Posted by Howard Cihak on April 26, 2015 at 5:55 PM
My contract for my iPhone 4 is running out soon, and it's time for an upgrade. I don't use the cellphone much to take photos, but I use it a lot for the apps like The Photographer's Ephemiris.
I'd like to hear some opinions on which phones others think are the best and why. Of course, an accurate compass is essential.
Posted by Monika Chace on April 26, 2015 at 8:09 PM
Howard, I like there larger real estate of my iPad, particularly for TPE or SkySafari or Gaia GPS. I carry a regular, non-electronic compass (no batteries to worry about). I have an iPhone 4s, the contract for which will be up this summer & am considering a 6Plus for the bigger screen to use those apps. I use the apps much more than doing things like making phone calls or taking pictures.
Posted by Paul DeCesare on April 26, 2015 at 8:23 PM
Best Phone for PhotoApp Tools?
The one you have with you!
I've owned every iPhone model since the 3G. There is no question, the iPhone 6 Plus is the best Apple has turned out for both battery life and cell phone imagery. I was JUST looking at some iPhone 4 shots last night and noting how bad they are in comparison. As far as Android, it's Canon vs Nikon, you already have your apps, why switch, it makes no sense. The iPhone 6 Plus seems big at first but now I can't understand how I used anything smaller. Our over-40 eyes and the big screen are best mates, lol. Stop by best buy and have a look, you can always go for the smaller iPhone 6 (non-plus but still bigger than your 4), but the battery life on the plus is awesome, and the huge screen with Star Walk and Photographer's Ephemeris is best in class. IMHO.
Posted by Grant Collier on April 28, 2015 at 11:17 AM
I'd stick with the iPhone and recommend the app PhotoPills. It's like TPE on steroids. Practically the only app you need for all things photography and it's only available on iTunes.
Posted by Howard Cihak on April 29, 2015 at 7:37 AM
Thanks, everyone. I appreciate the suggestions and insights. What I'm gathering is that there isn't any cell phone that has a really reliable compass,. Or did I get that wrong?
Hi Howard - no you didn't get that wrong. I had 10 phones and tablets laid out the other evening for testing and they all gave different readings (even when properly calibrated and spaced out). If you really need accurate alignments you need to use a high quality field compass such as the Suunto Tandem (that's what film location scouts swear by, I'm reliably informed) to check them in the field. You can't really rely on any phone compass reading, I've found.
(FWIW, anything that requires a relative measurement of degrees bearing can be accurate, as the phone can use its gyroscope to measure the relative angular movement, and that performs very well.)
Discussion
5 repliesI'd like to hear some opinions on which phones others think are the best and why. Of course, an accurate compass is essential.
The one you have with you!
I've owned every iPhone model since the 3G. There is no question, the iPhone 6 Plus is the best Apple has turned out for both battery life and cell phone imagery. I was JUST looking at some iPhone 4 shots last night and noting how bad they are in comparison. As far as Android, it's Canon vs Nikon, you already have your apps, why switch, it makes no sense. The iPhone 6 Plus seems big at first but now I can't understand how I used anything smaller. Our over-40 eyes and the big screen are best mates, lol. Stop by best buy and have a look, you can always go for the smaller iPhone 6 (non-plus but still bigger than your 4), but the battery life on the plus is awesome, and the huge screen with Star Walk and Photographer's Ephemeris is best in class. IMHO.
(FWIW, anything that requires a relative measurement of degrees bearing can be accurate, as the phone can use its gyroscope to measure the relative angular movement, and that performs very well.)