Phone vs Digital Camera: Which One Should You Use for Social Media?

Let’s be honest. A couple of years ago, we would have said a camera is ALWAYS BETTER than using your phone – but the truth is that cell phones have come a long way and in some cases can look even better than a camera for social media purposes. 

So in today’s day and age, how do you know which one to use for your McAllen advertising? Does it matter? Are photos or videos better? 

We are breaking down the pros and cons of shooting with your cell phone for your social media strategy. 

Pros

  • Accessibility – Cell phones are with us everywhere we go. If something is happening right in front of us, it’s easier to pull out our cell phone than carrying a camera all the time. 
  • User Friendly – No need to adjust settings or grab extra lighting. Taking pictures on your cell phone is super user friendly! It can be done in just a couple of steps. Even the latest models have night time adjustment so you can take pictures with a dim light. 
  • Quick Editing – There is a reason there is an uptick on mobile editing software. Everyone is on the go and instead of editing on your desktop you can edit and upload photos or videos, from your phone. 

Cons

  • Lower Print Quality – You can take an amazing photo with your cell phone. If you are looking to post pictures online or on social media, this should be fine. Printing is another story!

We’ve printed hundreds of McAllen advertising items for our clients and digital cameras will 9/10 always outdo cell phone cameras for printing. This has to do with DPI vs PPI, which is another blog coming. In short terms, cell phones are not set up for printing as opposed to professional cameras.  

  • Limited Lens – The great thing about digital cameras is you can adjust your perspectives with lenses. If you wanted a closer shot you can either zoom or change out your lens. With cell phones, you are going to physically move for a closer shot (cell phones can zoom but most of the time this compromises quality). 
  • Action Shots – Cell phones are limited in quality professional settings because of this, action shots lack compared to digital cameras. When taking an action shot, you can set up a burst of shots on your cell phone but you can also take a burst of photos with specialized settings on your digital camera. 

What Do I Use?  

For social media and quick turnaround, cell phones will always be near and dear to our hearts. Not only is it super convenient but it is great to use for a quick shot. 

For McAllen advertising printing purposes, website graphics, video – a digital camera is best. Photos from a digital camera allow me to zoom, alter and crop seamlessly, unfortunately the same cannot be said from a cell phone photo. 

What is Your Go-To Device for Photography or Video? 

Share with us on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

More Than Social Media

We don’t just know the specs of working with phones and cameras. We know how to get photos that match a client’s brand. 

We take the time to:

  • Understand your brand (we can also help you create one). 
  • Navigate and strategize different avenues to propel your business forward.
  • Create visuals that bring in potential customers.

Hire Our McAllen Advertising Team

From email marketing to website development, check out our full list of services here! 

We are the experts in all things digital marketing. If your business is ready to get creative or is needing assistance in website development or email marketing, get in contact with us here!