Stand alone camera or cell phone with camera

Let me start with I am not a camera buff nor a techie at 75 years old:o. I now have a Sony digital that is too large to put in my pocket and I have to wear it in a pouch on my belt.

I see a lot of people with small digital cameras that fit right in the pants pocket.

My question is - should I buy one of those cameras or upgrade my cell phone to one of the smart phone type things and use that as my camera? Which would more be suitable for cruise vacation pictures? My current cell phone is an old one with a flip top.

Let me start with I am not a camera buff nor a techie at 75 years old:o. I now have a Sony digital that is too large to put in my pocket and I have to wear it in a pouch on my belt.

 

I see a lot of people with small digital cameras that fit right in the pants pocket.

 

My question is - should I buy one of those cameras or upgrade my cell phone to one of the smart phone type things and use that as my camera? Which would more be suitable for cruise vacation pictures? My current cell phone is an old one with a flip top.

While many smartphones now have excellent cameras built in, even a moderate point & shooters like Sony's slim DSC-T700 offer better resolution, optical zoom and more control over the photo taking process. A good P&S set on auto will serve you well and allow you to grab some excellent vacation photos.

Even though I have a Droid Razr Maxx with an excellent 8mp camera, I am never without my old Sony HX5V.

Dave

While many smartphones now have excellent cameras built in, even a moderate point & shooters like Sony's slim DSC-T700 offer better resolution, optical zoom and more control over the photo taking process. A good P&S set on auto will serve you well and allow you to grab some excellent vacation photos.

 

Even though I have a Droid Razr Maxx with an excellent 8mp camera, I am never without my old Sony HX5V.

 

Dave

Thanks for your response. I checked out the Sony DSC-T700 and it appears to be the right size and reasonable in cost. I will definitely take it into consideration.

I have a general dislike for smartphone cameras as they are too much of a compromise in my view.

While they have made some technical achievements over the years, cameras have as well, and it's convenience, not capability that has increased the popularity of smartphone cameras.

The one thing smartphone cameras lack are good lenses. And their sensors will always be a tradeoff between small and smaller. While some sensors in smartphones have been made larger, it is at the expensive of a good lens as larger sensors always require larger lenses, and smartphones can only go so far before they are no longer pocket devices.

In conclusion, I don't care if my smartphone has a camera, and I don't care if my camera had a phone. I use a phone for a phone, and a camera for a camera.

I have a general dislike for smartphone cameras as they are too much of a compromise in my view.

 

In conclusion, I don't care if my smartphone has a camera, and I don't care if my camera had a phone. I use a phone for a phone, and a camera for a camera.

Makes sense to me. Thanks a lot for your responses. A new digital camera is the way to go:).

Using a cell phone outside of the US on a cruise ship may cost you around $8/minute every time that you turn it on. Each turn on causes the phone to update its location and correct time.

Each minute that you use it for calling could be that same $8/minute.

Definitely, contact your cell phone carrier to ask about out-of-country charges.

Using a cell phone outside of the US on a cruise ship may cost you around $8/minute every time that you turn it on. Each turn on causes the phone to update its location and correct time.

 

Each minute that you use it for calling could be that same $8/minute.

 

Definitely, contact your cell phone carrier to ask about out-of-country charges.

Camera still works in airplane mode. No roaming, no data.

Dave

Cellphone: You are paying a contract, and once you upgrade to a smartphone, you will pay more.............

I invest in a camera that you will be happy with, compact or worlds smallest compact with highest zoom..............:)

All great advice - thanks you all so much. I have decided to buy the new camera.

I love my NIKON Coolpix S8000, small, 10x zoom, 14mp (2010).....a fellow cruiser made a great suggestion....loop the cord through a rubber wrist band (you know the kind, representing charities/cancer, etc.).....that way I was not nervous about someone bumping it 'overboard' while taking pictures on the sail away leaving port! Remember an extension cord, charger, etc.

I see that you went with the point and shoot. In your situation, I think that is an ideal purchase. Here are my thoughts just in case there are others in your situation.

For a primary camera, I would go with a dedicated point and shoot. There are just too many situations that a cell phone camera is just not ideal. However, if you are using it as a secondary camera, a cell phone will do the job. I like to have my iphone handy when I am taking pics with my DSLR, especially when I have a longer lens attached. Cell phones also have the advantage of taking pics and quickly sharing them with others, via text or sharing online.

With the popularity of cell phones, the point and shoot market has been forced to be more competitive in price and features (Im seeing a lot more 'rugged' cameras out there).

to snap a shot and a call comes in, who wins the snap or the call? The call, it over rides the snap, understanding airplane mode. Now on a better note. Face time, sharing the moment on the spot.

the same can go for wit ha camera with wifi, sharing them within seconds...

I keep a major cam, and a back up cam if cellphone or other. :)

Importance of a cellphone camera, always clean the lens for the best shots. it had no lens cap. ;)

Using a cell phone outside of the US on a cruise ship may cost you around $8/minute every time that you turn it on. Each turn on causes the phone to update its location and correct time.

 

Each minute that you use it for calling could be that same $8/minute.

 

Definitely, contact your cell phone carrier to ask about out-of-country charges.

When traveling out of the country with a smart phone, be sure to turn off the data connection. It will eat up megabites of data automatically, and it's expensive!

I also agree with the others above about getting a slim digital camera over using the camera in a smart phone. You can buy thin digital cameras with 12x optical zoom lenses for less than $150 (I'm thinking of the Olympus VR-370). Cell phones have digital zoom. To zoom in, they enlarge the pixels in the center of the sensor. Soon that 8mp camera is shooting 1mp of resolution. Also, with a digita camera, you get a real flash. Cell phone turn on a small LED lamp to try and light up the subject. Cell phones are not the same quality as digital cameras.

each and every day deals go on a Sony HX20V costs $125.00 to $140. Heck that is a bargain for a excellent cam.. :)

All cameras even DSLR are compromises and what compromise you choose comes down to what you are looking for.

Need a camera that is with you all the time and isn't bulky. Willing to accept poor low light performance and likely never going to do more than share on facebook, web or your phone, then a smartphone is great choice.

Feel like you need to ability to zoom, take better low light pictures, want to have more setting to play with, then a P&S that fits your need is worth a look.

These days I've not bought a P&S in many years. The P&S will be history like rotary phones. Take the Nokia or new iPhone they have the power of huge volumes, the best silicon technology, lots of custom software behind them, that today's iPhone5s or Nokia will take better pictures than two generation old 300 dollar P&S. Plus you get 4G/LTE, panoramic stich software, ability to upload your pictures to the cloud, web surfing, GPS, and every app you could ever need for 199 bucks. Of course it won't take your kodak moment and be able to enlarge it to A2 size or anything.

If you look around seems lots of people are happy with B-days and other once in a lifetime captured on a smartphone, vesus carrying two gadgets or 5 or 6 like me :D Only you can decide... frankly if you look on many peoples FB and or flickr pictures you'll be amazed at the moments and quality captured on a smartphone!

Being brought up on a Brownie Hawkeye, I still like to look through a view finder as a DLSR, that being said, I am

leaning toward my PS Olympus tg 2 tough camera. Also after all the marketing is over , the displays of phones, tablets, p&s do not show well in bright sunlight,

my 2 cents worth!

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tab

I use my cell phone camera for close up stuff it works great for food pics and stuff like that. You can just set your phone for airplane mode.

I plan on taking my SLR and cell phone to take pictures. Having a small cell phone to take pictures at dinner seems more polite than a large camera.

people always want to see what the food actually looks like.

Further than about 6' and a cell phone picture quality goes way downhill.

All cameras even DSLR are compromises and what compromise you choose comes down to what you are looking for.

 

Need a camera that is with you all the time and isn't bulky. Willing to accept poor low light performance and likely never going to do more than share on facebook, web or your phone, then a smartphone is great choice.

 

Feel like you need to ability to zoom, take better low light pictures, want to have more setting to play with, then a P&S that fits your need is worth a look.

 

These days I've not bought a P&S in many years. The P&S will be history like rotary phones. Take the Nokia or new iPhone they have the power of huge volumes, the best silicon technology, lots of custom software behind them, that today's iPhone5s or Nokia will take better pictures than two generation old 300 dollar P&S. Plus you get 4G/LTE, panoramic stich software, ability to upload your pictures to the cloud, web surfing, GPS, and every app you could ever need for 199 bucks. Of course it won't take your kodak moment and be able to enlarge it to A2 size or anything.

 

If you look around seems lots of people are happy with B-days and other once in a lifetime captured on a smartphone, vesus carrying two gadgets or 5 or 6 like me :D Only you can decide... frankly if you look on many peoples FB and or flickr pictures you'll be amazed at the moments and quality captured on a smartphone!

I have to agree.

Two things I always say is that the picture you take is always better than the one you didn't and the best camera for all situations is two or three cameras! Smartphones have increasingly become one of those cameras.

Dave