Taylor Swift Fan Found a Clever Way to Bypass Eras Tour Camera Rules
Taylor Swift’s Eras tour has been an absolute smash hit, with attendance at each show averaging more than 72,000 fans. With nearly 70 shows on the docket throughout North America and ticket prices averaging nearly $500, ticket sales alone could eclipse $2 billion per CNN. Unsurprisingly, many fans want to take high-quality photos and videos at the shows.
However, strict rules have made that challenging, especially given that most spectators will have distant sightlines in sold-out stadiums. Concert rules typically prohibit fans from bringing “professional” cameras, often defined as any camera with interchangeable lenses. Further, there are restrictions on the length of an all-in-one camera’s built-in lens.
Most smartphones are not well-suited to long-distance telephoto photography, but some feature reasonably powerful zooms, instigating another chapter in the classic Apple versus Samsung smartphone debate.
When an iPhone 14 Pro Max owner touted their phone’s ability to zoom in on Swift on stage, some commenters replied that they went out and bought new iPhones because of the TikTok video.
@pinotpls Wait for me to zoom out lmao tbh this should be an ad for @apple ???? #fyp #iphone14promax #taylorswift #erastour #phillyerastour #phillyerastournight2 ♬ original sound – courtney
“The way my jaw dropped. Apple better run you a check because this is the best advertisement I’ve seen,” one TikTok user said.
Others responded that Samsung’s 100x Space Zoom is significantly better. “The way you’re all impressed by this is baffling. Someone give them Samsung’s 100x zoom which is standard on every brand except the one and only Apple,” one user complained.
TikTok user johnlicoski even purchased a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra precisely because of its zooming feature to capture souvenirs at a Taylor Swift concert.
@johnlicoski literally bought an S23 ultra knowing I'd want the zoom for this show. worth it. #TaylorSwift #erastour #foxboroughtstheerastour #foxboro ♬ original sound – johnlicoski
Now there is a new popular camera to record Taylor Swift on stage that bests smartphones in terms of versatility and image quality: a Sony RX10 Mark IV.
As reported by The Verge, TikTok user audiobydominic took a Sony RX10 IV to a Swift show to capture high-quality video with a powerful zoom lens. However, Dominic did not capture video — he used the RX10 IV’s 24 frames-per-second burst mode to recreate video through rapidly shot still frames.
@audiobydominic Replying to @Wonderful Slimez hope this is helpful! #taylorswift #erastour #losangeles #taylornation #photographer #rx10 #cinematography ♬ Aesthetic – Tollan Kim
Dominic knew he would be far away during the night concert, so he would need to crop in, and he was concerned that the dim lighting conditions would limit the RX10 IV’s video quality. Shooting 20-megapixel photos at 24 fps enabled him to get higher quality results that still work for sharing as a video.
He also explains that the RX10 IV, a bridge camera, is smaller than a DSLR, has a built-in lens with extensive zoom, and is typically allowed into concerts.
Thanks to its 24-600mm equivalent optical zoom, impressive Type 1 Exmor RS CMOS stacked image sensor, and swift autofocus performance, the $1,700 Sony RX10 Mark IV is an extremely versatile camera. It also includes Optical SteadyShot stabilization to ensure photographers and concertgoers capture sharp photos in low light.
@audiobydominic Hope the TikTok compression doesn’t mess with the quality too much 🙏🏻 #taylorswift #erastour #losangeles #taylornation #photographer ♬ Cruel Summer – Taylor Swift
Dominic also captured some footage with his smartphone and shows in the comparison video above just how much better the results from the Sony RX10 IV are. The quality difference is astounding and helps demonstrate the value of a dedicated camera in many situations.
As PetaPixel explained this week, there are plenty of reasons to use a “real” camera instead of a smartphone, whether people are diehard “Swifties” or just photography enthusiasts.
Image credits: Portions of header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
