Which Do You Use Most Often to Take Pictures, a Digital Camera or Your Smartphone?
Which Do You Use Most Often to Take Pictures, a Digital Camera or Your Smartphone?
Posted 02/10/2011 at 8:00am
| by Paul Lilly
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Just a few short years ago, we wouldn't even discussing smartphones versus digital cameras in the photography field. And in terms of professional photography, we still aren't. But for any Johnny-come-lately looking to snap a photo and upload it to Facebook, most modern smartphones suffice. It's because of this that smartphones have started to close the gap with digital cameras as the top device for taking pictures, but how far is the divide?
According to The NPD Group, digital cameras still rank as the device with the largest percentage of all photos taken at 51 percent. However, smartphones don't trail by much, checking in at 42 percent.
"Mobile phones have allowed more people to capture spontaneous images and videos on the go; with increasingly better quality and the immediate gratification of instant sharing, the imaging industry benefits with more widespread enjoyment of photos and videos," said Liz Cutting, executive director and senior imaging analyst at NPD. "But the future for dedicated cameras is bright, as their dual purpose of still and video capture opens the eyes of consumers to multimedia memories, Imaging marketers should capitalize on the need for better and more creative editing, sharing, archival, and printing."
Age plays a role in this discussion as well. Teenagers 13-17 years old use their mobile phones to snap pics 54 percent of the time versus using a digital camera 36 percent of the time. Moms, on the other hand, use their phones to take pictures 40 percent of the time and their digital cameras 55 percent of the time.
What do you use more often to take pictures with, your mobile phone, digital camera, or some other device?
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stige
February 10, 2011 at 11:44am
My kids to things too spontaneously for me to alway get to the camera, even my pocketrocket Canon.
90/10 in favor of Cell phone pics.
arch20002013
February 10, 2011 at 11:22am
I use my phone for my camera needs. Its the Nokia N8 with the 12mp camera and takes very good pictures. I have not really delt with high end cameras, but do not see a need to buy a midgrade one while my phone does the job. I dont take many pictures anyway, so my phone suits my needs.
Ghok
February 10, 2011 at 11:03am
I use my phone for spontaneous photos, my camera for anything that I want a good copy of. I'd say it's about 50/50.
Homer2029
February 10, 2011 at 10:12am
As a person who has sold cameras for a living for a number of years I can tell you that if I want a good picture I take it on a dedicated camera. If I want something quick to text or email to my wife I use my phone. No matter how good smartphones get at taking pictures, they'll never replace a dedicated camera. Photography isn't just about megapixel resolution, the quality of the optics in the lens make all the difference in the world.
Mighty BOB!
February 10, 2011 at 9:33am
Hmm, did the survey take into account that some people don't have both devices? I'd be more interested in knowing, of the people who do have both, what the percentages are, but I can't find it in the link.
legacy2013
February 10, 2011 at 9:08am
Honestly its going to depend on what I'm taking a picture of. If I just want a quick photo, I'm gonna take out my iPhone and snap a picture. If I want a really ncie picture though, I'll bring along my 14MP camera. Resolution differences are huge obviously
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