
Why People Still Use Old-Fashioned Cameras
June 4, 2025Technology ArticlePhotography used to be the kind of thing that was limited to those who knew what they were doing, taking pictures before locking themselves away in their dark room and developing the prints in a manner that seemed magical and mystical to the rest of us.
From the moment smartphones became a thing, however, the ability to take amazing-looking photographs is no longer the preserve of the professional.
As a result, it is fair to ask why it is that anyone would bother with a traditional camera in this day and age.
Smartphone Cameras Are Not As Good
It is all but impossible to talk about what today’s smartphone camera is able to do, on account of the fact that the technology changes on almost a daily basis. The capability of the smartphone camera has grown exponentially since the turn of the millennium, boasting huge capacities and images with a higher quality than ever.
With Artificial Intelligence now being everywhere you look in the tech world, it won’t be long before AI-assisted photography becomes the norm for anyone with the latest version of an Android or iPhone.
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The beauty of the smartphone is that it allows you to adjust countless different settings and see the result of your alterations immediately. You can change the exposure, the zoom, or the focus and know what your photo will look like when you click the button to take it. You can even use specific settings built-in to the phone to get the perfect look, such as the Portrait Mode available on an iPhone.
If you wish to get particularly technical, you can even opt to take the photo in RAW, editing it in more detail after the fact to your heart’s content.
Dedicated Cameras Will Always Be Better
The technology in a smartphone is impressive to the point of being ridiculous. The fact that they allow complete newbies to take incredible photos without having to make too much effort will almost certainly rankle professional photographers.
Yet at the same time, those in the know are more than aware of the fact that ‘old-fashioned’ cameras will always be better to take shots with than a smartphone camera.
Whilst the technology in phones has developed, so too has the tech that is used in standalone cameras and that makes a huge difference.
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One of the most important parts of any camera is the sensor that captures the light in order to make the picture. The bigger that sensor is, the better the photograph is likely to be. That is especially the case if you know how to control the amount of light hitting the sensor at any given moment, which is much more readily adjustable in a more traditional camera.
On top of that, cameras have lenses that can be changed and altered, with each lens being used offering an entirely different experience when it comes to the finished product.
Create Photos Worth Keeping
One of the biggest problems with the manner in which smartphone cameras have taken off is the manner in which photographs have become entirely forgettable. Look back to the last time that you went out and took your phone out to take a camera and remember how many pictures you took. For some people, that figure will be in the hundreds.
For many people, the days of lining up the perfect shot and ensuring that you have got all of the settings right are long gone, with photos instead being ubiquitous and forgettable.
One of the only ways to stop that from happening is to use a ‘traditional’ camera. We don’t even mean the digital versions of them, either.
Instead, we’re talking about the kind of camera in which you need to load a roll of film and have a finite number of pictures you can take. This is the only way to ensure that you’re able to become more disciplined with your photography choices, getting the right shot instead of hundreds of shots you’ll probably never look at again.
Pictures matter, so take the time to get the one that you’ll look at in the years to come.