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Taking a photo today is as simple as tapping a few buttons on your smartphone. Smartphone cameras have become so good that we’ve started questioning the existence of dedicated cameras. However, I still use my DSLR in 2025, and for good reason.
1Optical Viewfinder Advantage
One of the biggest advantages of using a DSLR over a smartphone is the optical viewfinder. While your smartphone shows what you’re capturing with plenty of information, and sometimes even filters or post-processing applied to the image, the optical viewfinder on a DSLR shows the image as the lens sees it. It’s instant and the truest representation of the image you’re about to capture.
While having overlays on the image or getting an idea of how the image will turn out with your given ISO and other camera settings applied is certainly a good thing, it can introduce lag in the image. That momentary lag can cost you the picture if you’re shooting a fast-moving subject or sports. There are plenty ofshots where a DSLR will outshine any smartphone.
There are other benefits to shooting via the viewfinder as well. As you’re holding the camera with both hands, the camera body has a lot of support, which often results in more stable shots. Additionally, when looking through the viewfinder, you can focus all of your attention on the subject and frame of your image.
An optimal viewfinder can be so good you might want to keep your DSLR around evenafter upgrading to a mirrorless camera.
2Extensive Lens Compatibility
Regardless of whether you have a decade-old entry-level DSLR or a top-of-the-line Canon 1DX, there are hundreds of first and third-party lenses you’re able to choose from to change the look of your photos. With smartphones, you’re pretty much limited to the lens the manufacturer decides to put on the phone.
Switching lenses on a DSLR or even a mirrorless camera can completely change how your photos turn out. We’ve covered some of thebest DSLR lensesin the past in case you’re interested in some new glass for your camera.
Want to photograph animals or the night sky? Plenty of telephoto lenses with wide apertures will serve you well. If you need a good all-purpose lens, check out the numerous prime lenses available for DSLR cameras across brands. And if first-party lenses from Canon and Nikon are too expensive for you, you can always choose a cheaper, third-party alternative.
I used a Yongnuo 50mm prime lens for my Canon 200D for three years before breaking it during a shoot. The lens cost me around $55, nearly half of the $113 price tag of the official Canon lens. The Yongnuo wasn’t as sharp as the Canon lens, and it had pretty slow autofocus, but it was still an accessible option that taught me how to handle shallow depth of field and work with a prime lens in the three years it lasted.
3Wider Third Party Accessory Support
Options for enhancing your DSLR extend beyond lenses. As with any long-established tech, you’ll find plenty of third-party cases, skins, lenses, ND and UV filters, batteries, chargers, and more.
you may find mounting mechanisms, tripods, gorilla pods, and even fully automatic gimbles across budgets, making good photography or filmmaking gear accessible for everyone. Even if you’ve got a requirement as niche as your lens fogging up in cold conditions, you can get lens warmers to counter the problem.
And the accessories aren’t limited to your camera either. You’ll find hundreds of different strap options depending on how you like to carry your camera, as well as backpacks and lens packs you can use to carry your gear around.
4Durability
Despite new screen technologies, materials, and water and dust resistance ratings, smartphones aren’t the most durable devices around. DSLRS are designed to handle the wear and tear that a professional might incur when using the camera to its full potential. Their build quality is usually top-notch for the price as well, making them a better fit for demanding conditions.
Durability also includes how well a camera serves the photographer when under intense use. Whether you’re photographing sports or night-sky time-lapses, your DSLR will always fare better, especially if you consider battery life and storage. You might not feel comfortable leaving your phone outside overnight to capture a sky timelapse, but your DSLR is already designed to handle that kind of shooting.
To be clear, DSLRs can still break, and dropping or bumping your camera can damage its internal mechanisms, but the impact would have to be significant for the camera to break. Daily wear and tear, as well as extreme temperatures, are generally fine.
5Cost-Effective Performance
If you’re just interested in photography, buying a budget phone and then a DSLR can be a better investment as compared to buying a flagship $1,000 smartphone. If you’re comparing a smartphone to a DSLR, you’re going to have to spend a lot just to come close to the quality photos a DSLR can produce. We’ve already done a roundup of thebest budget DSLRsif you need help picking one.
you’re able to find good DSLRs that, when paired with the right lens, can produce phenomenal photos for around the $500 mark. Even most entry-level DSLRs will produce better photos as compared to a high-end smartphone, especially if you’ve got plenty of light to work with.
You canmake smartphone photos look DSLR-likewith some editing techniques, but there’s only so much you may do with editing software.
If you’re working with video, the margin between a smartphone and DSLR grows even wider. Most budget and even mid-range smartphones can struggle with video. On DSLRs however, you can quickly put on a lens of your choice, maybe add a UV or ND filter or polarizer, and you’ll get near cinematic footage right out the door.
6I Haven’t Outgrown My DSLR Yet
Another reason I haven’t given up my DSLR yet is simply because I haven’t outgrown it yet. Playing around with camera settings, lights, different lenses, and shooting techniques can produce completely different results. If you were to pick any DSLR today, it’ll last you years of active shooting and improvement before you feel like you’re hitting the limits of your equipment.
I’ve been using my Canon 200D (Rebel SL2) almost every day since I bought it in 2019, and I’m still discovering new things about it. And while I’ve been carrying it lesssince I got into Pixel phones, it still has a permanent place in my backpack if I go on a trip or would otherwise need to take good photos.
Smartphones are great all-in-one tools and a necessity at this point. However, when it comes to photography, only top-of-the-line smartphones can match professional gear. you’re able to get good photos from cheaper smartphones as well. Still, if you’re serious about your photography or filmmaking, a DSLR will produce better images and videos for a significantly lower cost. All while giving you endless options, from lenses to filters.
