An inexpensive solution for good quality wide angle pics...?

[cj66]

I am at the point where;
1) My phone could be replaced (S7edge)
2) I have no compact camera or SLR
3) My bridge camera has no wide angle option/accessory, of worth, available.

My main photographic missing feature is a decent quality wide angle, which would be for predominately interior shots.
This is not something I want to throw much cash at as photography has wained in my interests, being more of a requirement these days.

I own two other phones, both with wide angle but the quality/resolution on WA is massively reduced from normal shooting and less than required.
(Oppo A5 2020 & Sam.G A53 5g)

Therefore, I can either buy a new phone that has said facility in much better res. than my existing phones, without going to top-of-the-line madness.
OR
Procure a new compact that is capable of the same.

Preference would lean to a phone as it kills two birds....

What have you guys used or recently obtained that would achieve this at low/lowish cost?

 

[Tony Lockhart]

Use a phone and take panoramic photos?

 

[cj66]

That was my first thought and on the horizontal plane you can get good results. Unfortunately there is no vertical benefit, in the same shot, so too limited. The more shots you use in portrait mode the less convincing the end result becomes.

 

[Tony Lockhart]

That was my first thought and on the horizontal plane you can get good results. Unfortunately there is no vertical benefit, in the same shot, so too limited.

My ageing iPhone 12 Pro, using the widest lens, gains plenty of vertical for panoramic. I bet newer phones from all manufacturers are far better.

 

[Hazelberry]

My ageing iPhone 12 Pro, using the widest lens, gains plenty of vertical for panoramic. I bet newer phones from all manufacturers are far better.

The wide lens on my iPhone 11 equates to 13mm FF. I think it’s really good for what it is. I was disappointed to find it too slow to capture the recent auroras, but.

 

[Fatmarley]

My Google Pixel 6a has a wide angle lens option - coupled with "Night Sight", It takes a load of photos in a short space of time and stitches them to together for better low light shots.

 

[cj66]

The case so far...

No to iPhones.
I've been unable to find a true compact camera that could sway me away from the lazy new phone option ( has development on these halted? ).

Two phones stand out thus far, Samsung A54-5G & RedMi Note 13pro+.

Others that came close so far; Pixel 7a for its smaller form and purer Android but much smaller on board memory Ram & Rom and battery capacity. Oneplus Nord3 looked good at first but fell a little short across the board in comparison.

Does anyone have real world experience of the A54-5g and Note 13pro+ ????

 

[dan m]

Whichever phone you go with, a good phone clamp and lightweight or table top tripod will let you pan smoothly and make stitching images easier should you need to go really wide.

 

[boon]

My ageing iPhone 12 Pro, using the widest lens, gains plenty of vertical for panoramic. I bet newer phones from all manufacturers are far better.

A vertical panoramic taken with a humble iPhone XR

https://flic.kr/p/2hoc7vq

Edit: this is the chapel at Eltham Palace, taken from the Mezz floor, (gallery) hand held.

 

[topoxforddoc]

Getting top-class interior shots can be tricky, as converging verticals and lens distortion can be quite noticeable. The technical high end way minimising this is my using a tilt-shift lens. However, these are expensive and only available in some mounts.
Correcting verticals and distortion can be done in software eg Lightroom, which is a much more cost-effective solution for those with less modest means and without OCD tendencies.