Were point and shoot cameras as good as we remember them?

FIGHT FOR BLOOD!!!

There’s an interesting fixation on dedicated cameras which seems to exist at the bookends of photography. While I try to highlight how good our smartphone cameras have gotten, we see groups of influencers playing with old point and shoot cameras. At the other end of the spectrum, no matter how good a phone sensor might be, we often hear from photographers that you can’t beat a “proper” zoom lens.

 

I really didn’t want to spend money on an old point and shoot, but while cleaning out a box of old gear, I found my old Samsung Galaxy Camera. The battery had turned into a spicy pillow, but prying it out, I was able to track down a replacement and get the camera working again.
Continue reading “Were point and shoot cameras as good as we remember them?”

OnePlus 12 vs Pixel 8 Pro: Premium Price Tags

Pixel 8 Pro vs OnePlus 12!

It’s a battle fought in premium territory.

Google is nudging up the price of the Pixel just as OnePlus is making more of a play to undercut other expensive phones. It’s a close fight on paper, but which would be the right fit for your needs? Continue reading “OnePlus 12 vs Pixel 8 Pro: Premium Price Tags”

Phone cameras rock, but we need better audio…

A little walk-and-talk vlog to chat about phone audio, and what we need to make it better.

We really don’t need much. If we connect external audio sources, we should be able to hear what those audio devices capture… Continue reading “Phone cameras rock, but we need better audio…”

Xiaomi 14 and an Omnivision Camera Sensor? Putting Sony on Notice!

Who would have thought we’d see an OMNIVISION camera sensor perform this well on a premium phone?

I’m kinda shocked. This company has come out of nowhere, delivering some fantastic solutions for phones recently. Xiaomi’s partnership with this sensor manufacturer is delivering capabilities I wouldn’t have expected.

We expect expensive phones to get better every year, and these kinds of feature improvements help us push cameras in more challenging conditions.

Let’s dig a little deeper into the sensor tech! Continue reading “Xiaomi 14 and an Omnivision Camera Sensor? Putting Sony on Notice!”

Vivo V30 Pro Review: Every Camera Got Better!

Vivo V30 Pro review!

The “fashionable” Vivo mid-ranger phone gets in interesting upgrade. It’s not much more powerful than last year’s V series. If the chip inside hasn’t changed, then what got better? EVERYTHING else!

Let’s take a look! Continue reading “Vivo V30 Pro Review: Every Camera Got Better!”

Xiaomi 14: The Better Smaller Premium Phone!

Xiaomi 14 is here!

The smaller phone from Xiaomi this year is a big  upgrade year over year. Top tier performance, good battery life, fast  charging, and cameras that EMBARRASS Samsung and Apple.

Let’s take a look at a little might mouse of a phone! Continue reading “Xiaomi 14: The Better Smaller Premium Phone!”

Galaxy S24 Ultra: How PetaPixel (and Other Photographers) Keep Getting Android Cameras Wrong…

So help me I’m doing a reaction video. The end is nigh.

Following Samsung’s Unpacked event, the guys at PetaPixel had a lot of thoughts to share about the S24 Ultra. During a recent podcast, they asked:

“Is AI camera tech enough to warrant a new phone model, since there wasn’t any change in the hardware?”

Which is a pretty complicated topic to dig into. While the gents had a lot to say about Samsung (and Samsung’s competition), I felt they also missed some key points.

So here we are. I’m responding to a podcast.

I AM SO SORRY. Continue reading “Galaxy S24 Ultra: How PetaPixel (and Other Photographers) Keep Getting Android Cameras Wrong…”

OnePlus 12R Review: Return of the Flagship Killer

OnePlus 12R Review!

We don’t get as much mid-ranger competition in the USA. It’s a SPECIAL year for OnePlus. Apple and Samsung are vulnerable at mid-pack prices, and OnePlus is looking to put some pressure on.

The 12R’s strongest competitor also comes from OnePlus… Continue reading “OnePlus 12R Review: Return of the Flagship Killer”