jtm1943

I have an ancient cell phone with a broken camera, mostly for emergencies and reading, news, weather, sports, and Facebook. This year - 0 pictures, 4 phone calls, 6 messages - otherwise - poof. Take real camera most places.
John

whatdat Loc: Del Valle, Tx.

Unless it’s extremely hot, I always carry a camera in the car. Doesn’t mean I have to use it; but, it’s there if I want to take a picture of something.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

but a new smart phone costs so little per month these days - and for that small additional cost you get a working camera
and in some cases would have no reason to lug your ‘real camera’.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

It still sort of depends where you are going and what you are doing. I've taken two significant trips over the past year or so as experiments. Both were to important destinations with significant opportunities for photographs. Each time, I took two cameras, one DX and one FX. Each camera had one lens, a 24-120mm f/4. Each day, I selected one camera to carry. The choice was mostly random, but I did override the random selection two times. (Things would have been fine if I hadn't done that, as it turned out.)

I learned three important things:

First...I don't need any new cameras of any technology or format.

Second...one camera and one well-selected lens with which you are comfortable and competent is plenty. And yes, there are exceptions to this rule.

Third...it mostly doesn't matter whether you are using a full or crop frame camera most of the time. Please consult the list of exceptions to this rule if you are going someplace like the Grand Canyon or Carlsbad Caverns.

I am fortunate to own, understand, and use a suitable agglomeration of photography stuff. It is neither life-sustaining nor life-saving equipment that has to be close by at all times. One camera with a medium-smallish lens can go most places without creating any sort of scene.

RonDavis Loc: Chicago, IL

Good question…..and my answer is….. It depends on the situation:
*If I’m running routine errands, 50% of the time I'll take a reliable/older pocket camera (in addition to my cell phone) for those unexpected (street) opportunity shots. (I’m not as comfortable with the ergonomics my cell phone as I am with the pocket camera). Most of the time (on errands)…there’s nothing “shootable” and the pocket camera doesn’t see any action….I’m not disappointed.
*If I’m going on a self-planned photo shoot of a subject or event……the camera kit is with me for the duration.
*If I’m attending a special event or social activity…I like to have a camera available if I see something worth shooting. I’ve regretted not having a camera on these occasions, and I'm happier when I do have one.
*If and when I’m on a domestic travel/vacation, I have a camera with me, about 70% of the time.
*If and when I’m on a foreign travel/vacation…..I’ve learned to have a camera with me 95-98% of the time. For me, there’s nothing as disappointing as the regretful feeling that I didn’t compose and take enough pictures of these memorable moments! I shoot with a purpose...my observations and fading memories are supplemented with my photo.

User ID

Alarming but not surprizing. In this thread are a few very definite cases and they are actually proud of it, posting about it repeatedly.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

People over 70 for centuries some how survived without a cell phone with them.
When it is our time it is our time.
But that is a choice all make.
I am just amazed at how much life people miss while trying to capture the moment.
Live life while it is there and capture a photo here or there is fine.
We all love to use cameras or we would not be on this site I presume.
But there can be too much of anything that will interfere with the nuances of life like the song of a bird, a cricket chirping or the wind in the grass that we miss due to fighting to get the perfect snapshot of a vacation.

User ID

A (real) camera accompanys me out the door perhaps one time in ten. But in such instances it stays in the car nine times out of ten.

The above does NOT include my phone.The above is about "inclination to possibly consider entering into photograhic mode". My phone has nothing to do with that.

To me, the phone camera is like a little sketch pad thaz always on me. Its NOT for recording my "life and times". (6-Pack of examples from "sketch pad" shown below.)

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rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

You are missing the point. There is ZERO connection between ‘being connected’ and the ‘nuances of life’. You asked if I had a cell phone - there is also zero connection between that and anything else. They are all separate questions.

revhen Loc: By the beautiful Hudson

My wife says she doesn't remember what happened on a trip, especially of foreign tours, until she sees the pictures I've taken. Tours for her are just too rushed to remember things.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

That's why tours suck.

Martys Loc: Lubec, Maine

I usually have a camera when out and about,....some of my best images are unexpected ones captured because I'm always looking for unique subjects.

whatdat Loc: Del Valle, Tx.

👍👍👍

whatdat Loc: Del Valle, Tx.

Great color in your photos.

histrydude Loc: West Lafayette, IN

I have a little trick from keeping myself from falling into that trap. I am a professional archivist and for my personal photos, I have a very elaborate workflow for processing my photos from selecting and rejecting, editing, over-the-top metadata creation, arching master images, indexing access images, adding them to my website for instant access anywhere, and backup. You get the point. When I am tempted to take a photo (or video), I remind myself that I will need to process it later and is it really worth it? It makes me think of living in the moment, but also the time I will need to process my photos later...and time at my computer and away from my family. It helps, but that being said, I am several months and sets behind 😕