All this argument and banter about cellphones vs. cameras is trivial and borderline silly! There is a time and place and a level of usefulness for each.

Come on y'all snobs face up to it. Having a camera and an editing device the size of an old-fashioned cigarette case (remember those) has gotta be cool. It may never rel place a sophisticated DSLR, mirrorless camer, or a medium format digital camer but none of the latter will fit in your pocket ready for instant employment- never will your desktop computer, monitor, and or laptop.

I do commercial photography for a living and use some heavy-duty gear but I am not gonna schlep any of that headwear to the supermarket, on an evening walk with my lovely wife, or to a family birthday party. If I see something I wanna shoot, out comes the cellphone, and being able to EDIT the images right on the device is very convenient and loads of fun. It's OK to be a professional, an amateur, and a snapshooter all rolled up in one. It's not a case of multiple personality disorder.

Some folks are so wrapped up in their high-end gear and some kind of perfectionism about their photography that they stopped having. Some folks ask me why I am still working after 13 years after the "normal" retirement age. I tell you that I am having too much fun!

If you have a smartphone of any brand with a camera, just download Snapseed, ToolWiz Photo, and a few other FREE apps and have some fun! Unless you really want or need to, don't bother with paid or premium apps or features- the free ones are quite surprising.

By the way- many kids get started with these apps and get into basic photo-editing, special effects, textures layers, etc, and then go on to more advanced equipment and software.


Attached: Granddaughter at holiday time and visit to an "antique" theme park. On the fireplace shot- when we stopped for lunch, I added the fire and smoke and adjusted the levels. Some apps even "frame" the images! FUN!!! Both are Galaxy phone shots.