Mobile phone camera for tight aisles

Hello, I'm looking at new mobile phones. I do a lot of shops and merchandising that require straight-on photos of (usually) 4-foot wide shelf sections in grocery/c-store/big box stores that include from top shelf to bottom shelf. Often the aisle width is very limited and it's difficult to capture all that is required.
I somewhat remember there was a discussion here of a type of camera or camera feature that can make these situations easier to capture.
Does this ring a bell for anyone? Or does anyone have a recommendation? Thank you.

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Do NOT get a Samsung A03s! Every camera setting on it is unnaturaly zoomed in and there is no way to zoom out. Not even a little. It's horrible!

My Samsung Galaxy S21+ has a wide-angle setting that works extremely well. It has 3 lenses and switches from one to another as you go from wide-angle to extreme zoom. Since the S22 is now out, the S21+ has dropped in price if you can find it. Another option is to be a refurbished one with a warranty. Of course, the S22+ is even better.

I suggest that you also consider the Google Pixel 5a with 5G. It has a superb camera, but you would need to check the wide-angle specs. It is "only" $450 direct from the Google Store. This is the capsule summary review from Wirecutter: "The best version of Android, with guaranteed updates through August 2024 (plus a fantastic camera), make the Pixel 5a 5G better than phones that cost several times as much."

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

I have a Pixel 3a and it has a really nice camera. They have been pushing the 6a to me trying to get me to upgrade. That phone now is under $450 as they are coming out with the 7 in October but the camera on the 6 and 6a is even better than the one on my great camera. I have night vision. But the 6 and 7a camera also allows you to erase a person or whatever you do not want in the background. As I live in a big city, this feature would be great for those mystery shop jobs where they want you to take a photo with no one in the photo. There is rarely a time I can get a shot of a store front or whatever with no one walking by. So with the 6 or 6a you can just erase that pesky person in your photo. I asked how it works and they said they just rebuild the background where the person was to match what is around them.

I use my iPhone, I think it's an 11. I sometimes have to take 100+ photos in grocery stores (every single area in the store, I kid you not), and have never had one turned down.

I currently have an LG V60 thinq. LG quit making phones, so I've been doing a few phone shops to see what is available that isn't a Samsung. So far both me and my son are pretty well sold on the Google Pixel 6 Pro.

I did a bunch of searching and comparing online, and found that there is a Samsung I might consider, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, it's everything I want, except the name brand. But it's old enough now that the price is comparable to the Pixels. I may get one, get a fresh battery put in it and use that until the Samsung Flip and Fold phones prove themselves (hahaha)..

I'm not sure the camera on the new Samsung Fold phone can be beat. But the memory isn't expandable, and they want far too much money for them.

For the record: there are no Apple products in my home. And there never will be.

I have an S10. Most of the photo taking options include 1x, 2x and .5x. The .5 works pretty well though it cam be weird getting the photos balanced properly.

I think I know who you do these for. They're....sticklers.

My Samsung Note 20 Ultra Plus can not only zoom in like other phones, but it can also zoom out. This is especially useful when I need to take an overall photo of a gas station and don't want to walk into the middle of the street to snap the photo. It is also very helpful when I get too close to the menuboard in the drive-thru and can zoom out to get the photo. I've also used the zoom out feature to take straight-on photos of product in narrow C-store aisles. I use it to get photos of the entire restrooms except for the client that specifically prohibits using this feature.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/14/2022 03:31AM by AZwolfman.

I can zoom out with my Samsung S10e so that it expands the object to capture even in a close space. It does distort the view a bit, but it works for shops. I use it a lot in small spaces like restrooms.

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The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

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I have an LG V40 and was upset that LG quit making phones. I love the 1 touch zoom or the wide angle.

No Samsung for me either, when the time comes, either a Pixel XL or a One Plus. Maybe a Motorola!

@87Supra wrote:

I have an LG V40 and was upset that LG quit making phones. I love the 1 touch zoom or the wide angle.

No Samsung for me either, when the time comes, either a Pixel XL or a One Plus. Maybe a Motorola!

Razr made me wary of Motorola phones. But then again, LG had some astonishingly bad phones in the way back machine too. And I am very happy with the last 3 LGs I've had, they finally started making good phones, and then just quit. Like i said, I'll probably end up with a Pixel 6 Pro. Maybe I should look a little harder at Motorola? Probably not...

Thanks for all your input. I purchased a Google Pixel 6a; it arrived yesterday. Hoping for easier image-captures in tight aisles, along with longer battery life, and sharper images overall.
Now my weekend task, move the data and apps from the old device to the new...

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Mobile phone camera for tight aisles

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