WORK WITH SMALL SENSORS

Shooting with a smartphone or compact camera doesn't have to limit the potential of your images

- Peter Fenech

There was a time, not so long ago, when the thought of using a smartphone for professionallevel imagery would not have been taken seriously. While smaller sensors can introduce certain practical challenges, these devices are more than capable in the modern age of advanced cameraphone technology of working as a backup to an interchangeable-lens camera, or as a perfect portable alternative. The latest iPhones and Android-equipped models are loaded with photography features, so learning how to get the best from your phone is advantageous.

If there is any photographic condition that will challenge digital cameras, it's low light. For the shot seen here, it was difficult to set up a tripod without blocking the public walkways and attracting unwanted attention from building security. Using a large camera setup was therefore impractical, so using my phone was the only option. With poor light intensity and a dominance of blue and red, the lighting was the worst possible for the image signal-noise ratio. Let's examine how we can increase image quality from any device.

Words & images by: Peter Fenech

Difficulty level: Intermediate

Time taken: 1.5 hours

What you'll need

• RAW-equipped smartphone

• Pro camera app

• RAW processing software

Image format JPEG > Shooting steps fun photo prefix

1 Select RAW mode Most of the latest high-end cameraphone models allow the use of the RAW format. Just as in larger cameras, this opens up greater control at the editing stage, which is essential with images from a small sensor. Set the highest file quality so that you are using all the pixels available.