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iPhone 4S vs. Canon 5D Mark II: comparing the cameras

iPhone 4S vs. Canon 5D Mark II: comparing the cameras

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4S 5D Rig
4S 5D Rig

The iPhone 4S has one of the best cameras we've ever used on a smartphone, but how does it measure up to a DSLR like the Canon 5D Mark II? Vimeo user Robino Films decided to find out, rigging the two cameras next to each other and shooting identical side-by-side footage in a variety of situations. The results, as you can see in the video below (watch it full-screen to see it best), show that the iPhone's footage is warmer than the 5D and it doesn't handle low-light detail as well. Its fast-motion capture in good light, on the other hand, is quite good, though the 5D was still noticeably smoother. Overall the bump to 8-megapixel resolution and the addition of image stabilization and a bright f/2.4 lens make for footage as good as any phone we've seen, though it's not yet in the league of the 5D.