Having a big expensive camera doesn’t really matter if you don’t use it. There are myriad reasons to not use a camera- too expensive, too bulky, too complicated, too noticeable, being afraid of losing or breaking it.

A fancy camera can’t take pictures on its own, so if you aren’t going to have it with you and to use it, what is the point? You’ll miss taking great photographs, for the simple reason of not having a camera with you.

Much better by far to have something smaller, that never leaves your side, and is simple to use, IF it is something that you actually will use.

Yes, the fancy SLRs can take better pictures, and you can get more creative with them, but they aren’t the end all and be all of cameras. Digital cameras of all types are constantly improving image and color quality.

Just yesterday I had this picture of a firefighter conducting a training excercise published in a local paper, and it was taken from my iPhone. The editor actually apologized for cropping it down some (it took up a quarter of a page when printed in the newspaper). High end digital cameras of ten years ago would be pushing it to be in a newspaper, and now the camera in my phone is high enough quality.

And how was I able to get this picture? It’s because I had my phone with me, because my fancy camera would have been in the way. A chance for a cool shot appeared, and I didn’t worry about which camera I had, but focused instead on composition, exposure, and focus.

A fun app for phones that separates the focal point from the exposure value is Pro Camera