Using iphone as camera

Thanks for the replies! Ken, I am planning NOT to use the iphone in any other ways besides in a wi-fi zone and taking pictures. So I will be, 1) switching the setting to "Air-Plane Mode" 2) Turning off the "3G" 3) Turning on the "Wi-fi" As far as the picture quality is concerned, I am mostly satisfied with the casual pictures I take at home with the phone and I think I would feel no different there, no? I have AT&T but I am not planning on using it as a phone unless there's an emergency. Bryan, it is a relief to hear you see people taking pictures with it all the time. It's just that I have heard/seen many people talking about how it's becoming popular to steal iphones in europe. I will be carrying a diaper bag as our day-pack, and it has some pockets. In the meantime, the pants I will be bringing have no zipped pockets. So I was planning to put the phone into the bag.
What do you think?? Thanks!

The benefit of a normal camera is the wrist strap; a little layer of security. Still, I take normal precautions no matter what kind of camera I am using (sometimes I just take my iPod with me if I know I just want a quick outdoor shot in bright light): if I need to get a stranger to take a picture of me, I am careful in who I ask; even though I might be concentrating on the photo I am taking, I try also to be aware of my surroundings. Just be cautious and you'll be fine.

Andy, First of all, the obvious question. Will you be using your iPhones for phone, text or data use while in Europe? Which iPhone version are you using and which network are you with? As you may know, you'll have to be extremely careful to avoid data roaming charges. It is certainly possible to use iPhones to take pictures and video, as long as you're not overly concerned with the quality. In my experience, they're sufficient for "snapshots" but the quality is not as good as even a P&S Camera. Having seen the photo sensor used in iPhones, I can guarantee they will never rival the photos taken with my 7D. You might find it interesting to have a look at This Blog, which was published by the developer of the Camera+ app for the iPhone. She's a professional photographer, but made a round-the-world trip using only the iPhone 4S. Regarding your questions..... 1.) Theft is certainly a possibility. One tactic you might use it that when one of you is taking a photo, the other "stands watch". 2.) Carrying the phones shouldn't be a problem, as long as they're in a somewhat "secure location", perhaps in an inside pocket. If you make it difficult for pickpockets to access, you shouldn't have any problems (but of course, no guarantees - the pickpockets in Europe are VERY proficient at their "craft"). Although it will make it a bit cumbersome to get spontaneous photos, I'd probably leave the phone lock activated. I tend to use the iPhone for quick snapshots if I don't have another Camera, but I find it difficult to get clear shots of some subjects and situations. Even though I'll likely have an iPhone on my next trip, my P&S and DSLR will be used primarily. Happy travels!

iPhones and other smartphones are not a novelty over here. I don't see why it would be any more of a target than a regular camera. I see people using their iPads to take photos all the time here in Rome. I wouldn't worry about it. (Now, whether you'll get really great photos with a phone camera is another question. I know that Apple has greatly improved its phone camera, but still, I personally would want to use a regular digital camera with all the usual options on it.)

I think if you are happy with your photos at home with the iphone you will probably be happy on your travels. Sometimes the ease of using a tool means we will be more effective with it. I am a professional photographer and sometimes that equipment is just a pain. Last year on a river cruise in Prague I decided to take only my iphone and was really happy with the images I got. Yes, I might have gotten something more with my 'real camera', but sometimes the freedom from the equipment can spur the creativity in a way you might not expect. I have printed one of them in 20x24 and it looks great. There are numerous apps that you can use to play with your photos, as well as some kind of device to turn your iphone into a fisheye lens...very fun! Now, if they would only have telephoto or zoom!
Also, FYI... with AT&T you can get 50 outgoing texts for $10 while you are in Europe, and all incoming texts are free. You just need to call and add it for while you are away. (just don't forget to turn off that data)

Everyone in Europe - and I do mean everyone seems to be carrying a smartphone. iPhones are everywhere. Nobody is going to run past you and snatch it out of you hand as you're taking a shot of your wife. Just treat it like any other item you wouldn't want stolen: keep it secure during those times/places that demand extra care (subways, crowds, etc.). Hang on to it, or be sure it's put away someplace secure, but there's no need to be excessively paranoid. Be aware of your surroundings, as you always should when traveling. Picture quality can be quite good, but as others have pointed out, it's no match for a quality camera. We just got back a few weeks ago from a trip where we used out iPhone 4s cameras extensively. Some of the iPhone photos are very good. Some of them are not. I've concluded that if the conditions are good, the iPhone will usually take surprisingly good photos. If the conditions are at all challenging, it will usually take terrible photos (while my old and heavy DSLR took good pictures even when in challenging conditions). It's true that the small, light iPhone is very handy and I used it a lot more than I expected. One thing not yet mentioned: be careful you don't run out of storage space on your phone. It'll hold lots of photos, but if you're shooting video it could quickly fill up - then you're stuck. Before you leave, unload everything you can to free up space (music, videos, etc.). As you go along, monitor how quickly you're filling it - you don't want to run out of space on Day 2 of a 3 week trip because you're shooting 20-minute videos left and right. There are ways to unload photos/video off your phone, but they are probably not going to be quick/easy/convenient for you once you're on the road. Conventional cameras provide more/better/easier options for offloading stuff. Hope that helps.

I took pictures with my 4s, and was satisfied with the quality - it has more pixels than my (old) point and shoot! I would recommend an app that will allow you to zoom. I have Camera Genius, and I like it.

On my recent trip I carried my regular camera, but often also took pictures with my phone. No one paid any attention to either one, and I saw plenty of people doing the same.

What I find slightly humorous (and kind of silly looking) is people using their iPads as cameras. It just looks odd to see people holding one up and waving it around. Great little gizmos, just very different from what we're used to seeing as a camera.

I don't see anything crazy about it, but watch your battery. Point and shoots last all day and then some for me, but phones tend to give up the ghost sooner than I would like.

Andy, I just got back from a similar trip and used my iphone exclusively for photos. The quality was fine for a non-professional outcome, and it didn't attract any undue attention. BTW, the iphone apps Rome 2Go, Paris 2Go (Ulmon GmbH) and Paris Metro (Presselite) were VERY helpful in navigating and planning. They all work offline without need for data plan access.

Had a point and shoot camera plus iPhone 4s on me, but ended up mainly using the iPhone as the photographer did in that article. Got some great, spontaneous shots. Have the App she used too. Much less hassles, can take shots without anyone being aware, and first sign of wifi you can immediately send to someone. My kids enjoyed receiving photos right away. Go for it. You won't be sorry. No one cares that you have an iPhone. Saw tons of them and other smart phones. Ummm..the iPad I didn't use for photo taking. Too big and I observed that mainly much older adults were doing this.

I used my iPhone 4 to take many photos during my recent three week trip in Eastern Europe. I used a traditional camera as well. The iPhone photos were used exclusively on my travel blog and the quality of most photos (with the exception of some low light situations) was good to excellent. I saw a very large portion of tourists taking photos with camera phones (and iPads). Don't keep the camera in an accessible spot (like your pants pocket) and you will be fine.

I think the photos from my i-phone come out pretty good. I like it for the quickness and ease you have, plus because it isn't as many pixels, I can upload the photos onto FB, etc. faster. Face it, everyone is carrying cameras and phones to take photos with all the time and everywhere. It is a hobby for many people, and they certainly aren't all tourists. Gone are the days when carrying a camera made people stick out like sore thumbs. Today, many people fancy themselves as photographers and are entering their photos in contests, special groups on flicker and just having fun with photo-shop. If you want a good shot, with unusual situations, weather, rainbows and so on, you have to have a camera with you all the time. Don't feel like carrying that constantly? Then an i-phone works wonders.

I had both my iphone and a point & shoot on my last trip to France, London, Belgium. It was so easy to upload my pics to FB each night using my iphone. Also, it was easier to carry and use quickly than my camera. I used a photo from each to make an 11 X 14 canvas when I got home. The iphone pic was a little grainy, but still looked good. Never was I concerned about someone stealing my phone. In fact, I even let someone take of picture of me using my camera.

If you bring your iphone, I would suggest that you put it in an Otter Box for a few reasons. First of all, if you it, it will probably survive. If you it in a little water, it will most likely survive. If you put it in your pocket, the rubber coating will make it slightly more difficult for a thief to pull out, especially if you wear tight pants. If you are not sure what an otter box is, click on this link.... http://www.otterbox.com/apple-iphone-4s-cases/apple-iphone-4s-cases,default,sc.html

This is weird, my post would not let me use the word "Drop". I meant if you drop your phone on ground or in a little water, it will survive. I even went back to edit, and it still would not type the word drop. Weird..

I recently returned from a trip to Austria and I used my ipod for videos and regular small P&S camera for pictures. It was all fine but after a few days a message on my ipod stated that there is not enough space in icloud to back up the content of my ipod. So, if I wanted my videos saved/backed up in icloud, I needed to buy more storage from them or get rid of some stuff on the device. I ended up buying storage from them. It was convenient though to use an ipod for videos and nobody around me cared.

Recently returned from 2 weeks in Italy and Austria. My iphone was used all the time not only to make a few calls and text, but to connect to the internet via wi fi, to skype, to take pictures and some video clips. It certainly did not draw any attention since half the people I saw had them also. I simply kept it in a buttoned front shirt pocket in its otter box for extra protection.
However we also brought along a very tiny credit card sized Canon camera that took great HD video clips with a 32 gig chip.

Just a suggesstion- you might want to consider getting a Mophie battery "shell" for your phones. My husband and I have them on our iphones and they REALLY extend the battery, plus they add a layer of protection should you it. You charge the phone and mophie together and they charge really fast. You could also get one or more of the 'instant charge' battery packs to top up during the day if needed.
I also agree that you need to think about the storage capacity. As to ease of 'carrying' and safety- Hubby has a belt clip case (one that has the phone sideways rather than up and down) for his phone. It has a very strong velcro closure (at least I think it's velcro- might be magnet). Its very comfortable for him (the ones where the phone 'hangs down' are not) and he feels it is very safe as it is right under his right hand all time. I keep mine in my pocket. You might also consider taking a small point-and-shoot camera in case you want a slightly higher quality picture, and for some interior shots where lighting might be an issue (iphones do have more of a problem with glare and simplar issues than p&s cameras).