SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

And of those 9 people with cellphones, before cellphone cameras, 3 of them might have had P&S cameras, the other 6 wouldn’t have taken photos and you might have had a DSLR. Technically you could say more people than ever have cameras because almost every cellphone is a camera. Basically you can break it down into three groups. First there’s your basic snap shooter. These people bought P&S cameras. These sales are dead. Unless you’re buying something like an Olympus TG-6 for ruggedness and waterproofing there is no reason to buy a P&S camera. This was by far the largest segment of camera sales and they no longer exist. The sales I mean, the group is actually much larger because so many people are taking cellphone pics that never would have bought a camera. The next segment are the “lite” hobbyists. These are the people that always wanted a “real” camera so they bought one whatever entry model APS-C DSLR kit from a big box store and then would break it out and use it 4-5 times a year on holidays and family functions. This section has shrunk. Some have gone to cellphones and some have gone mirrorless but those entry level mirrorless kits are twice as much as DSLR kits. Then there’s the serious amateurs and professionals. Some aspects of professional photography have shrunk or disappeared but some are growing, most related to content creation. The demand for internet content is huge, and yes, some people are creating content and doing vlogs on cellphones, but more and more those vloggers want to improve their product and have more control of the process so they’re going from cellphones to mirrorless cameras that are great at still photos and video.

Old Coot

if your second paragraph were indeed true then why is it taking so long to deliver MY new camera

Old Coot

Yep
Can't even find any good Tin Type material out there

Old Coot

Always better to be old than the alternative

Old Coot

Who are we to say they are spending way too much time on their phones. None of mine nor your business.
just hope they are not distracted and have an accident

Drbobcameraguy Loc: Eaton Ohio

Funny back in the day poor folks owned horses and rich folks owned horseless carriages. Now poor folks own horseless carriages and rich folks own horses. Lol. Got to go to TSC to get alfalfa cubes for my older horse. Lol. Not rich horse poor

Mickey Jetpur Loc: California

I guess when cellphones can take pics with a long lens and very sharp pictures and portraits, sharp sport events, that’s when a camera will become obsolete. Until then we can happily spend our money on expensive cameras and lenses!!

Burkley Loc: Park City

I think the point and shoot camera is near dead. But a sophisticated camera allows me, with no artistic talent, to create well beyond anything that a cell phone can do. I use my cell phone camera all the time. Sometimes I just don’t feel like carrying gear. But my nice gear allows me and others like me to create something beautiful. That desire won’t change.

In and Out is a great burger joint when on the road. I still like a nice place for Friday night.

Urnst Loc: Brownsville, Texas

cahale Loc: San Angelo, TX

Next to last sentence: With any luck at all, you won't be there again. Those of us not looking for a "selfie" backdrop would appreciate it.

smf85 Loc: Freeport, IL

For casual photography, e.g. snapshots, the cell phone is currently superior to a point n’ shoot camera. However there are physics limitations - Heisenberg uncertainty and the quantum mechanics of photon capture - that will prevent a cell phone camera from surpassing the dedicated camera using the same technology. A current cell phone camera can probably produce images superior to a first generation DSLR camera. It can’t outdo a current DSLR let alone a top mirrorless device.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

True, but technology has this rather annoying habit of constantly changing and improving. I have a 2Tb back-up drive that gets lost in my shirt pocket. Not long ago people would have laughed if you said that was possible. Photo technology is going to change. Cameras are going to change. Count on it. Maybe the cellphone camera, or something similar is the future. Maybe not. Whatever is coming next is going to be different then what we have now, and better besides. You can count on that also.

smf85 Loc: Freeport, IL

Now that I think of it a camera-cell device is certainly possible. Meaning a device with a standard sized lens and sensor coupled to a cell phone back. Takes pictures with the dedicated camera section then drops the image to a cell phone part. Maybe from the from the front it might look like a Nikon Z30 and from the back an Android or Apple phone.

outdoorcat

Sure, smartphones out sell cameras. It now is almost a necessity. Cameras on smartphones are primarily used for snapshots.
Smartphones do possess abilities to create artistic shots, but truly are short on what a dedicated camera can produce.
I can't imagine replacing my camera with a smartphone, although I do use it occasionally for snaps when my camera is not handy.

There are things that I just can't do with my smartphone that I can do with my camera.

smf85 Loc: Freeport, IL

I think we might see iCamera’s in the future - similar to a cell service connected tablet (iPad) only a camera. You would use it like a phone/tablet to take pictures or you could use a mfr. app to use it like a dedicated camera.

Or perhaps a fully integrated camera run off the phone and Bluetooth connected.

Lens costs wouldn’t change but a camera body without buttons would be significantly cheaper to produce. So much so that the phone body probably wouldn’t be more expensive than a non-phone body. Meaning you could see options in the future that were available as dedicated cameras or as camera phones.