burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Often, it’s not what we have that counts, but what we do with it.

Smartphones are very capable. But an advanced camera, in the hands of a trained, educated, experienced photographer with a sense of timing/moment, perspective, composition, color, and contrast can still blow the phone away.

It’s just easier for the average person to rely on automation. The automation in smartphones is arguably FAR more advanced than that in dSLRs and MILCs.

ggab Loc: ?

Just throwing my $.02 in here.
The majority of the folks that I see on the hog are 50+ in age, myself included.
I hate cell phone cameras, even good ones.

My kids, 27 to 35 love their cell phone cameras.
I print my images, they post on facebook etc.

I pay attention to the detail of the image and the story it tells, they pay attention to the general image and the experience.

I agree, our world is changing. It is always changing.
In fact it changes soo much that what was once old is new again in many regards.

Photec

I taught college photography from the mid 70s until I retired in 2011. My Intro class was clearly listed in the syllabus Introduction to Photography, and stated “getting beyond snap shots”, and was required prior to taking other classes leading to an AA Degree in Photography. All students were required to bring their cameras to the first class for approval, and the camera must be able to adjust focus, shutter speed, aperture, and ASA/ISO. In 2002 we closed the “Wet Lab” and converted all courses to Digital, that is when I noticed many students were showing up with cell phones instead of point & shoot film cameras and I had to inform them that they could not possibly take the course with a phone, and why. All assignment photos had a specific lesson and all camera shots had to be meticulously recorded and attached to their Contact Sheets for film, then in digital students were required to shoot in RAW and turn in a thumb drive with their full RAW files. Digital proved to be much better than film for getting the assignments understood by the students when they saw all of the images on a large screen to see how depth of field, motion, etc. was easily controllable and what did or did not work. Cell phones, like the Kodak Instamatic, do not have the capability to teach Photography. They can only teach snap shooting!

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

How current is your knowledge of smart phones and how much is personal experience or just extrapolation of other opinions?

So many of the nay sayers on phone cameras no experience with late or current top phone models.

thelazya Loc: Wendell, MN

Most cell phone cameras are still 12 mp, it's the software that is getting better, not the cameras. They still can't do low light, moving targets

ggab Loc: ?

I use a Pixel 3, which has a very good, if not the best phone camera out there.
Can't use it for sports action, distance although it has a digital zoom, low light without a lot of noise although it claims a f/1.8, Birding etc.

My daughter went to a Luke Bryan concert the other day and took some pictures with her iPhone. She loved them. She was satisfied with them and her friends "liked" them on FB.

To me, they were very underexposed and noisy. Not at all acceptable. She is 37, I am 63. She wants quick and easy, I am willing to experiment and work for a better product.

They satisfied her, not me. To me, Phone camera's are the very updated polaroid of our time. Another example of what was once old, is now new again.

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

I have to wonder what's being denigrated here, cellphone cameras or the people who use them? There have been numerous threads regarding this, and the direction is always the same. The fact of the matter is, cellphone cameras are here to stay, and they're getting better and better, more and more sophisticated. But as good as they are, and as good as they may become, I don't believe the cellphone camera was intended to replace the dedicated camera. Each has it's one intended purpose. So I don't understand the angst that goes on. Do "real" camera users feel threatened by cellphone cameras, or is there just some misunderstanding regarding the purpose for these cameras?

There are dedicated photographers, amateur, professional, hobbyist, or casual who love their cameras, many of who strive to produce artful photos. There are photographers who merely like to take pictures to preserve a moment. There are those who take the time to craft a photograph, from set up to post processing, to produce a beautiful picture, and there are those who, as they are snidely referred to as "snapshooters," who just want to grab a scene or event. For some reason these people seem to be regarded as lesser beings, not worthy of notability. I understand that those who are more accomplished photographers are proud of what they do, but that doesn't mean that others should be disrespected, by saying that they "don't care," are "lazy," and such, and are content with "the average" or "substandard," and prefer to use cellphone cameras. One thing that I think some folks forget is that a cellphone camera in the hands of a skilled photographer can take far better images than the most sophisticated camera in the hands of someone that doesn't know what they are doing. It's not the camera in many cases, it's the photographer. And face it, most of the folks, I'd presume, who just have a cellphone for a camera really aren't interested in selling their photos, entering contests, and the like, but merely like to share their photos with friends and family. I can see that the cellphone can be an important instrument for preserving family history. When a lot of us grew up, family photo albums were the big thing. I was always interested in looking at photos of long gone relatives. It gave a sense of history and how life was "back then.". Cellphones are easy to use and the pictures can all be preserved for future reference.

I say, let's not continue to bash each other, but continue to support each other and encourage each other. There will always be those who will move up from a cellphone camera to a dedicated camera, but if that were me, and all I read was that cellphone cameras and their users are somehow inferior in nature, I might not want to associate myself with what appears to be arrogance and elitism. And before anyone flames this, I use both a cellphone camera and a dedicated camera, each for a different purpose. I happen to think my iPhone 8 Plus take pretty good images for quick grabs, by the way, but I use my dedicated cameras when I need the controlability.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

traderjohn Loc: New York City

The world is changing at a rate faster than in the past. Our least concern should be a camera.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

WHAT!!!!???? Cumbersome?????

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

As long as there are people who have a passion to become involved in the photographic process... using a dedicated camera or using a film camera, a "Smart Phone" is no match for a high-end dedicated camera in the hands of a person who knows what he/she is doing and that's never going to change, a professional photographer isn't going to start shooting exclusively with a "Smart Phone".

It all comes down to this...if you want pictures that are just "Good Enough" then go ahead, keep shooting with your "Smart Phone". I don't always carry my camera with me and there are times I'm glad had my smart phone available, To me, that's what smart phones are good for. Yes, smart phones are always getting better, and so are dedicated cameras, for people who know to use them. To the original poster...if you teach photography, you should know this.

Jschneir Loc: Santa Monica, CA

The low light images my students bring in to class are as good or better than those taken with high end cameras. Try it and you will be amazed.

Jerry

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

I seriously doubt that. Low light photo's from a smart phone might be good enough as for as smart phones go but they will never be good enough to beat out a high end camera.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Yes, changing, but in a way not really. 30 years ago, many of the students would have showed up with inexpensive p&s pocket cameras, or perhaps even disposable cameras. Those were the cameras most people owned back then. Nowadays, most people use smartphones for their photography needs.

hassighedgehog Loc: Corona, CA

same for me. Need a viewfinder. Holding at arms length is (for me) a blurry shot.