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

I think you are correct about a shake up, but not necessarily in the way that you are projecting the outcome.

People that take snapshots will follow the smart phone route. Those people are not (yet) photographers. Photographers have different standards, and the economics of making a smartphone equal the standards of a professional level camera don't add up. P&S digital cameras are largely the walking dead, but 'serious' cameras, mirrorless or DSLR or hybrid in some form will live on while there are serious photographers on the planet. It is a higher bar.

johneccles Loc: Leyland UK

I have just returned from an 8 day cruise to the islands (The Canaries) and Agadir (Morocco), I used my main camera an Olympus M43 most of the time but I also used my smartphone quite regularly.
Smartphones have their place for photography, their big drawback is using then in bright light when it can be difficult to view the screen.
The main use for my LG phone though is the photgraphs are sent from my Olympus camera to the phone as I take them where they are stored for PP later.

pecohen Loc: Central Maine

I have an old Coolpix S9100 that I sometimes travel with when a larger camera is inconvenient or I'm particularly lazy. It takes decent pictures, but the results are noticeably better with my A6000. But that old Coolpix produces better results than I've seen from any cellphone.

paulrph1 Loc: Washington, Utah

[quote=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"

I have learned over the years that if the masses are for it, I run the other way but that is just me. It has cost me in some aspects like convenience, ease, and some other options but it has never hurt me. You see I am a quality guy through and through and will not yield to the other. The easy button is not even in my dictionary. When I go on a shoot I always take more equipment than I need just in case. Where others like compromise and do not care if the miss something, I do not want to be there. As has been said before, "whatever floats your boat". But I do not want to show up at a gun fight with a knife.

Mark W Loc: Camden, Maine

Amen to that.

wapiti Loc: round rock, texas

DeanS Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina

I notice you are "in hiding." I wonder why!

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

I own an iPhone 6S Plus, a Canon G16, a Lumix FZ200 and a Nikon D7200, so I take pictures with the whole gamut of cameras. By far, the DSLR produces the best quality images. The FZ200, with its 1/2.3" sensor takes fair images, but they degrade when enlarged. I don't use that camera very much anymore, and despite the 600mm (eq.) zoom range, I find I don't have much use for that anyway. The G16 takes very good images, for a compact camera, providing they aren't larger than 8x10. The iPhone seems to take decent images, but are best viewed in the phone or computer. I use the phone to grab a quick shot of something, but nothing serious. The point being that, cell phone cameras are gradually improving and evolving, but aren't "there" yet. They allow precious little control of the camera. Yes, there are apps that allow some degree of control, but they're cumbersome, at best, and just don't give you what you get on an actual camera. Are cell phone cameras the way of the future? Who knows? For social media shots, yeah, but, IMO, not for much more. Are the P&S compacts on the way out? Possibly, but not necessarily, because there will always be those who want an actual camera and not a phone camera with its shutter & focus lag and extremely limited zoom range. I think the bigger question is will mirrorless eventually take over from the DSLR as the top dog. But I think we've had numerous discussions about that before.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Interesting. I see just the opposite in my location. All teenagers I see own smartphones, Samsung, iPhones especially. And they don't have jobs, so parents are buying them for their kids. Adults own a DSLR and a smartphone, like me. The only difference is I don't take endless selfies as the teenagers do. Which is OK. I take my pocket camera with me when I don't want to be burdened down with my DSLR.

charles tabb Loc: Richmond VA.

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My wife & I were in the islands back in march. When we went to St Thomas we went to visit a friend who has a home on the third highest peak on the island.
Unfortunately that day it was badly overcast.
We each carry Sony a99's.

BTW: I am in my 70's and my wife is in he 60's.

Last Sept. we took them thru 4 countries in Europe.

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

Maybe he's in the Greek islands?

lsimpkins Loc: SE Pennsylvania

Frank 2012 Loc: Olathe, Kansas

I think you have a good opinion, but also need to cover all the future possibilities, like maybe eyeglasses/sunglasses that take pictures, wristwatches, rings on fingers, necklaces, lapel cameras. etc. Actually they probably already have these "Gizmos'.
Have a video camera wired to human eyesight transmitted (wifi) to a recorder in your pocket or a recorder 1 or 10 miles away turned on or off with a remote connected to the retina or optic nerve in the eye. All accomplished without invasive surgery to the human body. 007 might get one first then everyone will want one.

charles tabb Loc: Richmond VA.

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Send your letter to St. Thomas, Geek Islands.
I think it will bounce.

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

"Beware of Geeks bearing GIFs?"