For me (if it was my thread you were interested in), it's the ability to shoot in raw and have full manual control over the exposure.
You can then talk about getting into buying a compact system with interchangable lenses (picking up a kit for say £500 second hand), allowing you to invest more should you enjoy the hobby and have specific needs.
Hi - yes, it was your thread, but I didn't want to derail it asking there. Thanks for the reply. I've got a Samsung Note8, which is due for replacement, and it's really impressed me - I wanted to capture some lightning, the other night, and discovered its exposure control was pretty decent! I love the look of some of the dedicated walkabout cameras - I've never looked into RAW, but I believe many new phones can shoot it.
I don't really have time for another hobby, so I'm in a very different situation to you (another reason I didn't want to derail your thread) but also, I was just wondering about the sheer tech of it all - actually just looking around and found this article:-
https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/uk/buying-guides/best-camera-phone
We're at a point now where the best camera phones often deliver better results than the "proper camera" that's in your kit bag! These pocket-sized powerhouses afford us the ability to take fantastic images and video in almost any shooting situation – and they don't require us to fiddle around with lenses or settings.
Which phone do you currently have and are you intended to upgrade it anytime soon?
I spent £379 on a camera a couple of years ago and it'll beat pretty much all smart phones in terms of outright image quality but it isn't convenient, it won't fit into a trouser pocket, you have to remember to carry it with you but it will be up and running within 2-3 seconds.
Are you willing to spend time editing pictures?
If you are publishing images on social media or viewing on a TV at home I'd just stick with a phone, if you are printing or require high quality images for professional use then I'd think about investing in a camera.
I've got an old Pentax K5 and a few decent lenses for it - and it's taken some lovely shots, but the fact I always have my phone, never have to think to remember it, and already have it (in my pocket) ready to access and shoot in a few seconds, generally makes it win out every time!
My wife's got a Huawei P20 Pro, and the camera on that seems even better than the Note8. If it weren't for the issue with access to google, I'd be mninded to go for one of its successors.
As it is, I've inadvertently been a loyal Samsungite for years now, and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G looks like a beast.
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