Boomhauer

My Sony RX100 bit the dust back in May. I bought it new just a tad over 4 years ago. Irritated that a $750 camera stops working soo soon and the repair cost ($350) is more than a used working Sony RX100.

So now I am on the lookout for a camera; which brings me to this query: do any of you use a dedicated camera for just general purpose picture taking or are Smartphone pictures soo good that the difference is negligible?

Guindalf

I've yet to find a camera that takes better pictures than my DSLR. However, if I don't have it with me, I get crappy results!

I use my iPhone 6S for most of my casual picture taking but I do have a dedicated Canon P&S for vacations. That said, on my last one, a cruise back in May, I took most of my pics with the phone.

scrubbedexpat091

I just use the phone now. I am not a professional or hobby photographer and just take snap shots so phone works fine for that purpose.

johnwoo

The conventional wisdom is, that it's not the camera that takes great pictures, it's the person behind the camera.
Some of the pictures I've seen taken with an iPhone are really very good.

username.exe

For point and shoot the cameras on most smartphones are more than acceptable these days.

If you need more than point and shoot, there really aren't any phones out there that can replicate the results of a dslr, especially with a quality lens on it.

I use an (older) Canon DSLR and I love my wide angle lens. It's just a pain to remember to bring it with me and carry it about. Nikon dslr's are great, too.

Former Lancastrian

Dependent on the circumstances and budget if its something you really want a picture of then a smallish digital camera would be my choice. A quick snap of something not too important then cell phone.
True you have an extra piece to carry if using the camera. Which gets lost more frequently smart phone or camera? If that paranoid then take pictures with both just in case you lose one or if really unlucky you lose both

Boomhauer

I should mention I am not considering a DSLR camera, only a point-n-shoot / compact camera with or without a full-frame sensor. So something like a Sony RX1 or FujiFilm X100 series.

Camera needs to be compact and about the same dimensions as an Iphone 6 but it can be thicker.

Earlier in the year when I took pics of industrial equipment with my Sony RX100 and with sister's Iphone 6 , the former definitely looked better. But this is in large part because I am a photography noob and the RX100 takes great pics in auto settings .

Nutmegger

I have a little Nikon Coolpix P2, quite elderly now, but it takes great pictures. I make an annual calendar of dog photos, and when I tried to include some taken on my iPhone last year, they were bounced because they just didn't have adequate quality to blow up, as opposed to the pristine Nikon shots. So while the iPhone is great for spur of the moment pictures, when I am planning to take shots that I hope to enjoy for a long time, I use the Nikon.

johnwoo

You might want to check the dpreview web site to give you some info on whichever camera you are interested in.

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews?category=compacts

Boomhauer

One of the reasons I bought the Sony RX100 4 years back was after reading DPReview. Right now I am leaning towards a used RX1 but a bit anxious of buying on Ebay so will see how much a dealer sells them for.

kimilseung

I use a DSLR and a phone. I have been pleasantly surprised at the quality of the phones (Nexus 5x, 12.3 megapixels) pictures. With an app I can set settings manually (which to be honest is just the ISO/shutter speed balance), and save RAW, but, it is a fixed aperture, so limited control over depth of field.
For day to day use, photography not as a hobby, I think a modern phone is fine.

johnwoo

you're talking closer to $3K then!

username.exe

I have the 5x - great phone! (Until the new Google Pixel phones are released in October). The Google Photos app has been a game changer for me over the last couple of years - auto upload and fantastic search functions means snap - and forget.

Boomhauer

On Ebay I see them sold for $1200 . Mind you this is used , not new. They were about $3400 new.

johnwoo

Personally I'd buy a Nikon D500 or D750 for that money, but I'm sort of stuck with Nikon because I have a lot of Nikon lenses going back to the 70's. Which still work well with today's Nikon DSLR's. My older 2011 Nikon DSLR is worth very little today, but the same or equivalent lenses would cost a lot to replace.