An iPhone 12 CAMERA Odyssey

 

For the record (Astrid's and mine!) and lest we forget how it happened!

It started last year when Astrid was reminded, more than once, that her G3 Nokia pre-paid mobile phone would soon become extinct...as in "for the museum."  Maybe not as bad as that but pretty close.  Besides, as cancelled trips (Croatia and England) will hopefully finally happen this year, the use of apps we'll receive (Croatia) will make the experience better on a smartphone...making an iPhone logical for us, to synchronize with our iPads.

That's the back story.

So, once Astrid decided exactly what she wanted, after all her research, she made an appointment with the Apple store in Amsterdam to buy a RED iPhone 12.

Our favorite parking spot is at the museum square in Amsterdam, at the Rijksmuseum.

Each season their shallow pond is decorated beautifully (like with tulips in Spring, remember?).

On November 23, the day we went, the ice-skating rink was open, 

which we had to pass on our way to the Apple store a couple blocks away.

Talk about Apple customer service!  He spent almost an hour with Astrid,

setting everything up, rejecting/accepting everything she immediately wanted.

Afterwards, we celebrated with lunch at Wagamama, our favorite restaurant a block away.

Outside the restaurant is the courtyard with chessboard set, enjoying a lively game that day.

In the background is the Hard Rock Cafe where we ate our Thanksgiving meal in 2019.

This really is hallowed space for us in Amsterdam.

With a new iPhone in hand, now with a provider subscription, Astrid began her education in all things 21st century, related to the smart-phone program.  That meant also learning about the iPhone 12 camera....

Which is now where the CAMERA part of this post comes in, especially as it relates to moi!  It started with the garden centers we visited back in December.

When I saw how SHARP Astrid's above, close-up images were of the model villages, 

my jaw dropped to the floor.  

My images like this from my PowerShot sx70 hs camera came nowhere close!

Move forward now to Christmas Eve, when Astrid and I ordered a take-out Christmas 4-course meal from a favorite nearby restaurant (because the Netherlands was in COVID lockdown), and WE (think Astrid!) were the chefs of the meal, following all the instructions of what was provided:

All these images are from Astrid's iPhone, better than the ones I took from my camera.

In low light, her iPhone camera was the winner.

The next day, Christmas, we were with Jeroen (and girlfriend Marissa) and Hailey, along with Astrid's ex Jaap.  That was MY first chance to use Astrid's iPhone to capture the important moments:  

Oma Astrid and Hailey, at 3 years and 3 months.

Opa Jaap and Oma Astrid with Hailey.

Papa Jeroen and Hailey (in her Christmas dress).

Papa Jeroen, Marissa and Hailey.

Again, my jaw dropped to the floor, 

especially since in some of the images there was a lot of moment.

[Btw, I took most of the photos but Astrid made the collages.]

So, by this point, my head was swimming with ideas about getting my own iPhone 12/13, JUST FOR THE CAMERA (and no provider)!

But first, let me practice some more, I said to myself.

All the iPhone images above this collage were NOT tweaked in PhotoShop.

But in this collage, with Astrid's Amaryllis from Christmas, all images were tweaked in PS...

...as was this one.

The jury is still out for me, as to if I want an iPhone basically for the camera, as well as it's usefulness with wi-fi connections (like I already have with my iPad).  It's size is also a plus.

It would NOT eliminate my camera, however, because there's no way the iPhone can give me the incredible 1365 mm zoom I have with the PowerShot, which is its sweet spot for me.

So, stay tuned, while the wheels continue to turn....