phone camera or pocket camera?

[LaurieW]

I have a NikonD40 with telephoto lens that use a lot, but when I want to pack something smaller I have been using a coolpix. That now has dirt inside the camera that shows up as a spot when I zoom. So I want a small pocket photo taker. My phone is just a low tech phone- yucky camera and my tablet is not a great photo taker either. I am thinking of replacing phone and pocket camera with a smart phone- either a samsung galaxy 3 or iphone5. I can upgrade the phone for a little more than I would pay for a pocket camera but then only have one gadget instead of two.

My question for you guys- do you use pocket camera or phone camera and what do you recommend?

 

[LSlycord]

I now use my phone. I love my phone. I'm on an iPhone 4s and love having it with me at all times to snap a quick photo. And I've had great success with blowing up an Instagram photo from the phone to a 12x12 canvas. One of my very favorite photos! My pocket cameras (yes plural) now just sit in the cupboard. Maybe I should sell them. Or give them away.

 

[Bush Girl]

Maybe I should sell them. Or give them away.

Give them to the kids???


I'm afraid I'm pretty anti my phone's camera. Sure, I have a smart phone and the photos look great on it's brightly lit, very small screen, but really are pretty poor when I get them off and try doing something with them. Furthermore, I've managed to buy the one phone that won't talk to my Mac and seems to be having a bit of a paddy talking to my husband's PC, so the photos are stuck on it never to be used.

I'm a DSLR girl through & through, and whilst I sometimes use my kids little point & clicks (I think one of them is a Coolpix), they really don't cut my mustard. Course, I now need to buy a new handbag as my heavy DSLRs have broken the strap!

 

[clarabear]

I like using my phone. I have an iPhone 4S and want to get the next upgrade. The photos don't do well in poor light but the photos are great for Instagram and Facebook. Occasionally I use them for scrapping.

As far as getting my photos to my computer...a lot if times I'll just email them from my phone instead of trying to upload them to my computer.

 

[MrsPeel]

because of my condition, I have a compact camera...I have a NikonD 40, nothing to brag about but takes excellent pcis with minimum fuss, but is extremely heavy and can't be hidden in the car's door's pcoket when leaving the car...

 

[charlize]

Actually it depends on what is the reason behind you snapping pictures.
If you just want to make sure the moment don't pass away ... camera phone does that beautifully, I love my iPhone 5 ...
Unfortunately all phone camera is tricking you. It seems great when you look at them in the camera but when you download them into computer and need to do something with it, either it's blurry, too many noise, bad quality when you zoom in, etc etc. But if you're fine with that, so it'll be no problem at all.

I have an SLR camera, my Canon 550D and though it's not as good as the highest level, but I love it because it fits in my tiny hands and the quality is OH SO GOOD - with no "tricky" part LOL ... I can download them - put some tones here and there, and the pictures turn out beautifully!!

So ... back at you ... which reason do you feel it's best for your condition?

 

[faerywings]

ITA Winnie.
I guess you could say I have 4 cameras that I use. My DSLR (an older Rebel xti) , my pocket (Casio exilim) my phone camera, or my ipod touch.

My phone takes really good pics, ones that I have scrapped with, but as I have complained about (over and over) it is a Windows OS phone which means I can't connect to instagram or anything else that Android/iOS people can do.
My ipod is an ancient ipod touch and takes really bad pics but does connect with Instagram as long as I am connected to some wifi.

What I would love is to have one small device that does it ALL!

 

[VickiStegall]

I use my iPhone for everyday and spur of the moment. If it's an "event" then I use my big Canon eos5d (the one I inherited from Carla Gibson )

I lost my little point and shoot - much sadness about that.

 

[charlize]

Chris: LOL ... I would love that too ... one small things that fit my hand and does it all ...
I believe they're now developing pocket camera with changeable lenses *I keep forgetting the name* ... olympus and sony have them right now ... but the price is OH SO HIGH *LOL* ... so I think I'd temporary stick with my iPhone 5 and Canon 550D.
What phone camera do you have??

V: see ... same reason here ... I use my 550D for bigger events too, but for daily snapshot I use my iPhone 5 as well.

 

[EdelineMarta]

I had my Nikon D7000 before but then since my baby was born, I dont use the camera much so I sold my Nikon and now I bought a pocket one, Lumix LX7 and it takes fabulous photos too .. and the great thing I bought the case and just carry them anywhere.

But I took photos too from my iphone, mostly

 

[trista]

I am a multi camera gal too.
I use the nikon d5100 nearly everyday. I am still learning to take it off of auto.

We have a lil fuji that has been good to me for several years, It's one step down from a DSLR, but the flash just quit working so I let the kids use it for mostly outside shots.

I also have a nikon coolpix and love it for quick trips to the park and other spontaneous things b/c it fits perfectly into my pocket and I can get some pretty decent photos and video too.

Lately I take photos and video with the phone. I have iphone but am due an upgrade and thinking of moving to windows phone or a galaxy note... not sure what i'll choose but using my phone is the most practical for daily use in that I always have it and I love that I can share instantly. Adding to that... DH is on the capturing life bandwagon now so he is constantly taking photos and video and now that we can send them to our dropbox - it is super easy to get access to them for archiving and scrapbooking.


ETA: Chris It's good to know that the windows phone does not use instagram... that may be a deal breaker.

 

[meagan43]

If you ask my husband, he would say that I am a camera-addict! I always have my phone on me with photo capabilities, but I prefer not to use it. I always keep my Canon Power Shot SD4000 IS. It is a great camera for a p&s. It can fit in my back pocket - or more often in my purse. It has a ton of features that make it almost as good as my baby; my Nikon D3000 digi SLR.
I have gone head to head with my 2 cameras. My daughter and I both took pictures of the same thing and the Canon many times took just as great pics as the bigger camera (even with a 10 yo camerawoman). The only thing you really miss is the changeable lens option. The Canon is smaller than my phone, but a bit fatter. It is about the size of last generation flip phone.
You just never know when a great moment will need to be captured, so I don't want to rely on a phone for it. Plus, a phone will time out sometimes while you are waiting for the moment and you will use up your battery faster. My husband tried to just use his phone for pics on a trip to Disneyland and he ended up with less pics and a dead battery before the day was out.