I like my HDR camera on my phone which takes some very good photos and I use it for a lot of things - but I also like to have a stand along camera for long distance photos and macro close up.

My phone is was I use for everyday picture taking. You know..

'Wow! That is neat, I need to show it to so-and-so.'

I use my stand alone digital camera for Yorkie puppy pictures to be used on my website and other important pictures like family events, etc.

Phone almost always.

The digital camera only gets broken out on vacation and still only at times I know I won't carrying it all night long. Specific sight-seeing tours or something like that. Even though it's a small point-and-shoot, I'm not carrying it in my pocket all night.....likely intoxicated.

I never bothered to learn how to take photos with my phone. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that 99% of cell phone pictures seem to be a bunch of drunks at a bar making duck faces.

I didn't notice the option for using your cell phone as a camera. I haven't touched a single camera in a long time to take pictures.

coolbiker wrote:I didn't notice the option for using your cell phone as a camera. I haven't touched a single camera in a long time to take pictures.

You are looking for "Never: the day of the single-use device is over"; a cell phone is an example of a multi-use device (phone, camera, music player, etc).

I'm not ashamed to admit that my phone (Nokia 2610) doesn't even have a camera. When they finally make a smartphone this small, I'll consider replacing it.

It's all about the zoom these days. I don't want my phone to bulk up with a zoom lens, and I haven't yet come to terms with carrying separate snap-on lenses, so I'll have a separate camera when I'm at ball games, out in nature, or other places where I can't necessarily be right next to whatever I'm trying to get a pic of.

Camera phones are nice for quick capricious moments but the quality is lacking. When I know I'm going to an "event" then I'll bring a P&S for better photos - resolution, zoom, lighting, etc. When I really want to shoot, then it's my DSLR.

I also put together a family yearbook as Christmas gifts and the camera photos generally suck in comparison but it's better than nothing.

first2summit wrote:Camera phones are nice for quick capricious moments but the quality is lacking. When I know I'm going to an "event" then I'll bring a P&S for better photos - resolution, zoom, lighting, etc. When I really want to shoot, then it's my DSLR.

I also put together a family yearbook as Christmas gifts and the camera photos generally suck in comparison but it's better than nothing.

Agreed. Camera phones can't handle indoor shots without flash most of the time. They end up super grainy and/or blurry.

But on the other end of the spectrum, there are the spec whores who end up buying the newest dSLR yet haven't produced a decent picture ever. They can talk all about the specs they want, but the more you're talking, the less you're doing.

A camera is only a tool... dSLR's just make it easier. If you don't have the eye for it, it doesn't matter if you have a $10 camera, or a $10,000 camera.

conculcate wrote:I'm not ashamed to admit that my phone (Nokia 2610) doesn't even have a camera. When they finally make a smartphone this small, I'll consider replacing it.

My phone doesn't have a camera either. I actually can't figure out why I'd want a smart phone, and I certainly don't want to pay for the monthly plan that one requires.

Also even the best smart phone cameras are only about as good as a fairly cheap dedicated camera.

I'm not very good at taking pictures to begin with, as my picture-taking is very function oriented. (Is what I want to show in frame and in focus? Ok, good enough! *click*)
When I'm going to an event where I know I will want pictures later, i bring my S/O and *his* dedicated camera. ;)

I use my phone camera for work stuff. When I travel, i carry a stand alone camera for better quality pics.

RWoodward wrote:I never bothered to learn how to take photos with my phone. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that 99% of cell phone pictures seem to be a bunch of drunks at a bar making duck faces.

Priceless. LOL