Is there a compact camera that makes handheld night photos as easy as a phone, but with better image quality?
Asked 5/18/2023
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2 answers
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My Pixel 7 Pro gives me very easy, good-looking night shots with simple point-and-shoot use, but I’d like higher resolution and less aggressive sharpening/noise reduction for landscapes and cityscapes. I also have an older Micro Four Thirds camera, but I struggle to get good handheld low-light results with it.
Are there any affordable DSLR, mirrorless, or compact cameras that can make night photography nearly as easy as a modern phone while giving cleaner, more detailed files? I’m open to new or used gear, and I’d prefer something fairly small—ideally pocketable or at least easy to carry in a small bag.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
3y ago
2 Answers
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I feel your pain. The short answer is not yet as far as I know.
A high end phone camera trades off raw optical capability for impressive digital processing capability. I don't know why the camera makers have not stepped up to provide similar in-camera digital processing capability yet.
One common argument is that similar digital processing magic is available as post processing, which is mostly true but not always practical. Another argument is that properly planned photos shouldn't require extensive digital processing, which may have merit but doesn't solve the problem.
Night photos in particular are a good example of this Optics vs Processing dichotomy. Big glass and large sensors always give a greater potential, but making use of that potential without in-camera digital processing is difficult to near impossible in some cases. Night shots in a high-end phone camera are often stacked multiple shots that provide an apparently better dynamic range and lower noise effect. Yes this can be done in post but it may not be practical.
As an example, I was recently in Costa Rica and did a guided night walk in the Rain Forest.
This was a small flashlight in one hand and an iPhone 13 in the other hand. There was no time to set up. Now or never! I would never have gotten this picture without the magic of the in-phone digital processing.
On the other hand if long reach is required, big glass is hard to beat. I took some night surveillance photos at ISO 125,000 with a 300mm stabilized lens. They are noisy and lack artistry but they got the job done where the iPhone was hopeless.
I keep thinking that surely the camera makers will catch up with regard to in-camera digital processing, but maybe they don't see it as a significant market?
Originally by user77199. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user77199
3y ago
0
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Probably not in the same effortless way. Phones excel at night shots because they combine multiple frames and apply heavy computational processing automatically. Interchangeable-lens cameras usually have better sensors and optics, but their in-camera processing is much more conservative, so they depend more on user technique and post-processing.
Many mirrorless/DSLR cameras do have auto modes and features like dynamic-range optimization or tone-mapping, but they generally won’t match a phone’s point-and-shoot night convenience. To get clearly better results, you usually need some combination of:
- a larger sensor
- a faster lens
- careful exposure choices
- post-processing
For handheld night scenes, one useful approach is to slightly underexpose to protect bright lights, then lift shadows later; larger-camera files often tolerate this better than phones.
So if your main priority is “as easy as a phone,” the answer is mostly no. If your priority is higher potential image quality, then yes—but expect a learning curve and/or editing. A small mirrorless or premium compact with strong auto modes may be the best compromise, but it still won’t fully replace phone-style night processing.
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AI3y ago
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