Using a phone to shoot professional works is not new, but most cases involve situations where the photographer has almost complete control. But how can a phone stand up to the same test if the photographer has little or no control over the light and environment?
For some weird reason, I’ve always wanted to challenge myself by filming an entire wedding on my cell phone. I’ve been close a few times, but the plan always seems to fail. So when I have in hand Sony Xperia Pro-I, I know I have to make it happen. Not only is this phone packed with one of the best cell phone cameras on the market, but it also has some standout features that I feel will make wedding photography possible. Much better than previous camera phones.
For starters, this phone has the same 1-inch sensor that Sony’s high-end point-and-shoot cameras have. This 1-inch sensor is paired with a 24mm lens. The cool thing about this lens is that it’s the only mobile phone lens made with actual glass. So between the larger sensor and the glass lens, you have a very viable setup.
The phone also has two additional cameras that use a more traditional combination of sensors and lenses on the back. So what you get is a normal cell phone style camera in the 16mm and 50mm range, then a better lens and sensor combination for the 24mm range.
While the 1-inch sensor is the main attraction when it comes to this phone, there are several other features that set this phone apart. The phone has a dedicated Bionz-X image processor, real-time focus tracking, eye-detection autofocus for both people and animals, it can even shoot at 20fps. Even so, when you shoot at 20fps, you can only get JPEG for file output. If you want to shoot raw, you can only do that in single shot mode, which is a bit disappointing.
The phone also has a physical shutter button with the familiar half-press for focus similar to what you’d expect in any dedicated camera. And if you’ve shot a Sony, the camera app feels like home, with a very similar layout and menu setup. You can shoot in auto, program, shutter priority, manual, and even memory recall modes. And while all of these modes are great, one feature that I missed is the ability to set a minimum shutter speed when shooting at auto ISO. it’s one of the main ways I shoot with my professional camera, so the transition to phone would be easier if this feature was included.
So with some other technical aspects, how does it work out in a real wedding?
The one thing I didn’t want was that this brief experiment turned me into capturing the ideal moments in ideal lighting conditions throughout the wedding. So instead of simply adding my phone to my camera bag, I wanted it to be the only camera I used throughout the day, from the wedding preparations, to the end of the night. Since I’ve faced tough situations, I wouldn’t have had my better camera to go back to. Obviously I can’t expect a client to pay me to do this test at their wedding. I contacted some friends, and Zee Anna Photography gracious enough to let me shoot a second time with them throughout the day, and I made sure they and the couple fully understood exactly what I was doing.
The first thing I would like to bring up is that I am completely surprised that I do not receive strange looks from guests and there is no question why I am shooting on my phone. And I will say that it is very clear that I am a working photographer and not just a guest shooting on my phone. I’ve got my camera bag and Go pro mounted on the shoulder, and I always shoot a lot. So this just goes to show that you don’t need big lenses and an updated body simply to show how customers will perceive you, at least in the world of wedding receptions.
As for the actual shooting aspect, we start the day with wedding preparations and this is the part of the day where I usually experiment with additional lighting. I ended up using my Stella Pro Reflex S in continuous mode and experimented with turning this off and on during makeup, but I ended up turning the light off after a bit. As a second shooter working with a lead photographer and a video team, I didn’t want everyone else working on my lighting choices. So once things started moving around the room, I used natural light for the rest of the day, except for the front desk, we’re going inside for a bit.
From here, the ceremony goes on quite normally. I did what most second-person shooters do and wandered around the ceremony trying to find interesting lighting or composition while trying to stay away, although this was one of the more difficult times to shoot. . The screen on this phone is really bright and usable in full sunlight, but when you try to tilt the phone or shoot at a difficult angle, it can be difficult to see reflections from the glossy screen. But really, this is the same as when using the flip screen on my a9, although the screen on my a9 is less glossy, so it shows less reflections.
For portrait time, I usually use some kind of flash. I really like adding my lighting to accentuate a scene, add drama, or even completely transform a scene. But while preparing for this wedding, I discovered that I couldn’t use the flash like I thought it would. I was planning on linking with the Flashpoint M1 portable flash unit, which would then allow me to pair with some of my larger lights. Unfortunately, while I can connect to the trigger and activate the lights using the test button inside the app, the app doesn’t actually support phones yet, so I can’t open the camera from the app. . For this reason I had the idea of carrying around a strong ND filter, hoping to achieve a shutter speed slow enough that the flash could be fired manually, but like most times of the day wedding, things run a bit late, so I don’t have time. to test this. So I simply shoot where I can and direct when the opportunity arises.
From here, when the portraits are over, the sun goes down further and things get a little more challenging. While I usually rely on the higher ISO capabilities of the Sony a9 or do some sort of off-camera lighting, I just stick with what I have instead. Even so, since I’m shooting on my phone, I did my best to keep the ISO as low as possible. This was pretty easy to do throughout the day, although as soon as the reception started I had to increase my ISO. The highest I need to achieve is ISO 640. But there are times when I usually choose to use a higher ISO, but I just choose a slower shutter speed than I usually choose and simply overshoot a bit to make sure tell. I have a sharp image.
For the first dance, here I wanted to make sure I had some sort of useable light. So I checked with the lead photographer and the video team to see if I could put a single light on the dance floor, but neither of them cared, so I could use the same one. The setup that I use for all of my first dances and it’s a light placed behind the couple. This gives me a nice border light for the couple and some good reflections to fill in the face. And again, for this situation, I used StellaPro Reflex WILL. For this setup, I’ve set the light to 2,000 lumens, which is 1/3 of the power when working with the lamp’s battery.
Now, when the lighting is even lower for dance parties, things get even more difficult. For a short while I was able to use the video group lighting setup, but when that was turned off I had to wait for the DJ lights to line up with something. But since these DJ lights are constantly moving, it’s difficult to get everything really in place. Most of the time, when the light is good, not much will happen, or there will be a lot happening and the light will be directed towards the ceiling or something.
However, at the end of the day, I can create a slideshow in the same style that I create for all of our couples. It displays the key moments of the day, and I’m pretty proud of the images I’ve been able to include. I don’t feel like I have to look for images to fill in or leave out certain things because I can’t capture them well, other than the fact that I will usually include some groomed outfits, but he It was in another location, and I never had access. I would normally add a few front desk pictures as well, but I’m still pleased with what I got under the circumstances. So for me, I think this little test worked out.
Now, I would never suggest any of you go into the professional camera business and start shooting full time on your phone. Although in a difficult situation, I think someone can get through this. But for the most part, this is just a demonstration of what makes a great everyday pocket camera. The camera has features like full manual control, AF tracking, better sensors, and better glasses. And these are things that you can usually only find in a dedicated camera, so add in the fact that it comes with a phone included, and that’s a big win in my book. Because if I can capture professional and deliverable wedding images on this phone, then sure, it’s enough to document everyday life.
