Al Freeedman

My wife and I just returned from a 10 day cruise to the Islands; St. Thomas, St.Kitts etc. and I
noticed that those in their 30 to 50's were all using their cell phones to take pictures. Only a hand full
of older people were using DSLR or mirrorless cameras. In my humble opinion I think the future of photography
will be the cell phone. The quality has come a long way and good enough to print 4X6 for an album or stored in
ones computer. As long as there are professional's and serious photo buffs, there will always be a place and a market
for Mirrorless & DSLR's.

"Just my opinion, I could be wrong"

Captain Al

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

If you look at all the questions we get about what camera to bring on a trip, lots of the recommendations (and all of mine) suggest a small, light, compact camera. I bet many of the people you saw using cell phones have larger cameras that they use at home. I would never rely on a phone for serious pictures, but that's more because of my lack of skill with one.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Many people are driving little tiny "smart" cars, but I still drive a pickup.
Use what works for you, not what works for someone else.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Phew! This is about photography after all! Internet slang about a trip to the islands has other connotations.

Thought I was on the wrong site for a moment!

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Don't you need one for each foot with Smart cars?

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

And yet, you know the slang! Hmmm!

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

In my opinion your opinion is wrong.

Al Freeedman

Jerryl41,

I too took a small 10 year old Nikon Coolpix S60 P&S camera that fit into my breast pocket,
and did a good job. I also took an old Minox (about 30 years old) 35 GT film camera that I haven't used
in about 15 years. It was a good thing that I took film with me because no one sold film in the islands.

Captain Al

Al Freeedman

Mac,

Opinions are like ass holes, everyone has one, maybe in your case two.

Captain Al

insman1132 Loc: Southwest Florida

Well the phone camera phenom has certainly affected the Point & Shoot camera market. Now I see the phones are starting to shoot in RAW as well?? Generally, I would agree with your opinion, Capt. Al. There will always be enough of "us" to foster the serious Bridge and DSLR markets.

Al Freeedman

Mac,

On a serious note, had you been on the cruise we were on (and I'm glad you were not), you'd change your mind.
we belong to several clubs and all but one person has an old Canon film SLR. I'm the only one who has a modern DSLR.
So I stand by my opinion. I'm too old to be here to see that I'm right. Hopefully you'll be here.

Captain Al

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

What?
You give your opinion and when someone disagrees with you, you make a derogatory comment? What's the matter with you? Do you have mental problems? Are you suffering from delusions of grandeur? Do you think your opinions are so superior that no one should even consider disagreeing with you? Well guess what. You are wrong yet once again. If you are unable to deal with the reality that you will not always be agreed with you need to move to the forest and live by yourself because you're not ready for real life.

If you had bothered to use the "Search" function at the top of the page you would have found a large number of discussions on the very subject you raised. These discussions have many comments from a wide range of the membership, including myself. Don't be so lazy. Do some research.

Maybe you're not old enough to remember, but 10 or 15 years ago there were no smart phones. The general public was unaware that there was technology that would make smart phone a staple in out daily lives. Who knows what the future holds? Perhaps your imagination is so limited that you can not conceive the idea that things may change. It is entirely possible---even probable that 10 or 15 years from today new technology, that we are not aware of now, will make cell phones obsolete. What happens to cell phone cameras then?

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Why are you glad I was not on your cruise? Do people who do not agree with you frighten you so much you don't want them around?

I have been many places where cell phones and even iPads, etc. were being used, often times when they outnumber DSLRs and mirrorless. It only makes sense that they might replace point-and-shoot pocket cameras. But the functionality of cell phone cameras is so limited that they can not compare with DSLRs.

That's fine, stick with your opinion. I was not trying to change you mind, I was just expressing my opinion. You need to learn how to deal with the fact that not everyone will share your opinion.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Just before Thanksgiving I went out to San Diego Calif so I could serve as our daughter's relief driver as she drove back to Indiana for a new job. I had both my smart phone and my Pentax small-sensor Q7 with me, while she had only her smart phone. One thing both of us noticed was that our phones have a very significant shutter delay, because the phone's processor has to do alot of thinking to get focus and exposure right, especially when any motion is involved; in fact, when one of us was shooting from the car, our success rate was below 50% because of that delay. Smart phones will have to seriously reduce that delay, and provide a much better telephoto capability, before many of us would consider it as a viable candidate as primary camera. The smart phone has essentially eliminated the point-and-shoot market, however, so I wouldn't put any accomplishment out of their reach, since they have such prodigious computing power available to them.

Al Freeedman

Mac,

You take all the fun out of the art of the banter. I've been waiting for a long time to use that remark. don't take things so seriously, lighten up.
In the late 50's a little known camera company from Japan introduced a twin lens 2-1/4 reflex with interchangeable lenses. Rollei of Germany went around saying that the new camera
was just a fad and would never make it.I was one of the first to buy one. Guess who isn't making cameras any longer. In any event, I'm still of the opinion that the photo industry
will in a short time suffer a shake up. It is possible that you all will be shooting with a Kea or Hyundai DSLR.@ $99.00 Maybe a completely new technology, who knows.