How do I take pictures that aren't blurry or grainy?

[TechnoGeek]

Phone cameras use tiny sensors. This means they collect a lot less light than a mirrorless camera with an APSC or full frame size sensor, and photography is literally nothing but painting with light.

Because virtually all phones also have tiny lenses and 99% of them happen to have a fixed aperture (meaning the lens can't open and close to adapt to light), and phone flashes are glorified tiny LED bulbs that aren't even in the same galaxy (pun intended) as proper speed lights that real cameras take in the hot shoe, this means there are only 2 things phones can do to change exposure:

1. Increase ISO value, which adds grain and noise.

2. Reduce shutter speed, which causes blur.

And most phones use a far inferior sensor for macro too if that's what you're attempting. I would say your best bet would be to use a macro attachment like the apexel lens, or shoot in manual mode (forcing the camera to keep a fast enough shutter speed and an iso value of no more than 640), or both.. preferably both. You'll also need an external light source.

 

[Arachnopotamus Rex]

This thread has been very enlightening, thanks to everyone for all the help!

Also, knowing that an analog camera + microscope is the way to go, does anyone know what the best camera and microscope on the market for this are?

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

Also, knowing that an analog camera + microscope is the way to go, does anyone know what the best camera and microscope on the market for this are?

This really depends on how much you have to spend. You can get yourself a research grade microscope for 10s of thousands of dollars, a "college level" (as microscope manufacturers call it) for several hundred up to about a thousand, a used research grade microscope for the ones of thousands, or a cheap piece of junk for a few hundred or less.