Annie Leibovitz: iPhone is the 'snapshot camera of today'
updated 08:30 pm EST, Wed November 16, 2011
Pro photog Leibovitz picks iPhone for pocket cam
Pro photographer Annie Leibovitz in a talk with NBC's Rock Center argued that the iPhone was the best pocketable camera. Calling it the "snapshot camera of today," she touted Apple's phone because it wasn't just a camera but also a general-purpose device. It made photography available to everyone, even if she was still becoming familiar.
"It's a pencil, it's a pen, it's a notebook," she said. I can't tell you how many times I see people show me their children. It's the wallet with the family pictures in it. It is so accessible and easy."
Her arguments are partly borne out by online rankings. The iPhone 4 tops Flickr, outpacing any dedicated camera, in part through the ease of uploading shots. Apple has also been shifting more and more of its emphasis to image quality, making its output increasingly good enough for some kinds of point-and-shoot photography.
Leibovitz herself has been a long-time Apple fan, having had a prominent spot in Apple's 2002 promo video for the iMac G4, where she discussed iPhoto. Her arguments still carry weight as she's well-known for her portrait photography, most of all for her lead work on Rolling Stone in the 1970s but continuing through to recent years, such as a special 2008 shoot for Disney that included David Beckham, Olivia Wilde, and other celebrities recreating famous moments from Disney movies. [via AppleInsider]
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2004
NO it's not...
I'm sorry, it's not a very good camera at all. My 4 year old Canon point and shoot still beats the c*** out of the iPhone camera in every way. As a multifunction device - sure. But using the iPhone as a camera (even the 4S, which I have) is quite difficult - there are no natural holding places, and zooming requires a second hand. It's just an awkward experience. And the image quality really isn't there at all.