In this day and age, smartphones have become increasingly common among the general population. With this kind of accessibility to photography all of the time, it wouldn’t be a difficult leap for this to inspire people to pursue DSLR (Digital Single-Lens Reflex) photography, either as a hobby or as a profession. Yet, DSLR photography seems to be declining. Many ponder, “why should I carry around this large and conspicuous piece of expensive equipment when I could just take pictures with my phone”?

Personally, I find myself on the fence when it comes to deciding if DSLRs are better or worse than smartphones. For me, it depends on the situation and it depends on the individual. Smartphones have recently come out with increasingly sophisticated cameras. Case in point, at Apple’s press conference last week, they announced that their new iPhone will have 4K video recording capabilities. Almost every smartphone has a camera whose megapixels rival that of most DSLRs on the market. Smartphones are much more user-friendly than a DSLR which, at a glance, may seem intimidating to the average person. The bottom line is that smartphones have made creativity more accessible to more individuals. Smartphones have become a creative outlet for the masses who are only interested in taking a creative shot but don’t want to have to learn about the settings of a camera. The same could be said for other photographing alternatives such as point-and-shoot cameras and interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs).

Situationally, bringing a DSLR is not always feasible to the average person and smartphones have been able to overcome this boundary. Sometimes when attempting to travel light, forgoing your DSLR for something lighter may be a better option. But, it boils down to asking yourself, will you be okay with forgoing a better image for the sake of traveling lighter? Bringing me back to my original point: it depends on the person.

So the question then remains: with all of the advancements and advantages of having a smartphone, point-and-shoot, or ILC, why then would anyone bother with a DSLR? To some, photography is not just a way for people to remember moments. To some, photography is a unique form of art that allows us to make something more of the physical world. Someone may look in a room and see just a room. A photographer may look in a room and see a whole world of possibilities. The camera is the photographers paint, brushes, and canvas all in one. Like any other artist, photographers need equipment that they are comfortable with, can manipulate easily, and can manipulate incrementally.

I would akin photography in many ways to video gaming. Both can be hobbies or professions. If someone is a casual video gamer, they probably have some game apps on their phones or might own a casual console such as the Nintendo Wii. A casual photographer if probably best suited by their high megapixel smartphone, a point-and-shoot, or an ILC. Now the more hardcore gamers might have several iterations of gaming consoles or may have even gone so far as to build their own computers specifically for gaming. Similarly, a hardcore photographer will most likely have a DSLR (or two) and be intimately familiar with each function that their camera is capable of. In the end, the opinion of the value of getting a DSLR varies depending on the level of commitment to the craft. For most, this probably rules out getting a DSLR because minute variations aren’t that important. For some, these seemingly minute variations are what make the difference between remembering a moment and capturing one.

What do you think? Have smartphones allowed for more creative people to express themselves? Have smartphones watered down photography with the selfie generation? Let us know what you think in the comments.

– Hazel

Photos © 2015 Hazel Arroyo

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