Is Mobile Digital Imaging Going to Replace Conventional Photography?

This is a Sony Ericsson K750i photo.

The print above read as follows:

The following rules are to be observed at all times:

1. Limit all reading to short stories, poems and notices.
2. Absolutely no sharing of seats.
3. No loud philosophical thinking.
4. Cross-eyed guest and drunks with bad aim MUST BE-SEATED.
5. Be courteous. Give way to dire emergencies.
6. Don't write on the walls. We don't use stationery for toilet paper.
7. This is the best seat in the house; treat it with respect.
8. Even if you are in rush... please remember to flush.
9. Smile at the mirror... you are being observed.
10. Relax... this is probably the only place where you are probably sure of what you are doing.
    Notice: Obey all rules - permission to use this facility

Last December 2, I slept in my girlfriend's house. At the toilet, I saw that poster above nailed at the back of the door. Reading the lines, I thought it was cool. I wanted to share it with my brother Marex. As I wanted to do it quickly and wanted to show him the real picture, I took a photo of it using my Sony Ericsson K750i. I should send it to him via multimedia messaging (MMS).

The following day, December 3, a Sunday, I was in SM Megamall with my girlfriend. We were supposed to do photo shoot of the Sumulong strip which is overlooking Ortigas Center. It should be noted that last January, from this very vantage point, I had Ortigas Skyline photographed from sunset until the evening, and that was exactly what I wanted my girl to witness. We even planned to proceed to Cloud 9 night if there would be sufficient time. Unfortunately, everything didn't turn out well. It was gloomy the whole day and there seemed to an approaching rain. Just a few days before, the country was devastated with the super typhoon Reming. Because of the weather situation, we decided to cancel our Sumulong Strip Photoshoot. So I didn't bother to get my Canon SLR from our staff house in Mandaluyong City.

Because we couldn't go out, Maldita treated for us a Vietnamese cuisine at Lemon Grass in SM Megamall, Building A. It was also just timely because when we left from my girlfriend's house, it was already late and our breakfast was not on time. It was already late and we didn't have our lunch yet so we thought the Vietnamese food galore is no doubt a blessing.

Vietnamese food galore I photographed using my Sony Ericsson K750i.

We also had the kindness of Maldita to take me and my girl photograph using my mobile phone camera.

Writing a short essay about mobile digital imaging vs. conventional photography suddenly came to my mind when Maldita jokingly told me I didn't need my Canon SLR because of my mobile phone camera. And she followed it up with a question like, "Kuya, when is mobile phone camera to replace SLR and other form of cameras?"

Twelve years ago, mobile phones were rare and quite expensive. Rich businessmen carried them around in suitcases. I remember when I first arrive in Manila in 1995, the car I was driving, a limited edition of 1.6L black Toyota Corolla, had a car phone installed with Extelcom as the service provider. It was cool. And I was a cool guy back then. At present, mobiles are low-cost and everywhere. In the Philippines, mobile phones outnumber their land-line counterparts. Around the world, mobile phones are increasingly pervasive and this is especially true when it comes to developing areas. Didn't I think a few years back that mobile phones can also double as digital camera? Sure, I did. When it was realized, didn't I think mobile phone cameras would be able to replace high-end digital cameras? I didn't think it that way.

Lester Ledesma, known travel photojournalist, told us when we attended to one of his photography workshop last June, that while mobile phone cameras are communication tools, these gadgets will never replace conventional cameras. Instead, one will compliment to the other. Sometime in the future you will see a sports photographer that while in between shooting great action photos with his 16 megapixel digital SLR, would also fiddle his mobile phone camera to send instant photos in real time  to his remote contacts. Mobile phone cameras are perfect photographic communication appliances that people carry around with them everywhere. Sharing photos and stories with friends while on-the-go by sending those straight to their phones—what could be easier?

The following photos taken using mobile phone camera will give us insight about mobile phone camera photography over the standardized photography.

This pasta and salad was photographed using phonecam some few weeks back in SM Megamall and was sent as MMS to Maldita so she could be enticed to come to the party very early.

While I was taking Manila Bay sunset during my first date with my girl, I also quickly snapped this photo using my phonecam so I can send this to my brother Marex and tell him how beautiful the afternoon has been.

A phonecam snapshot of Tennessee before we got to board it for the Baywalk cruise.

A phonecam also comes very useful when you want to photograph something very important while there's no available camera around. This photo is the water processing facility of the Divine Bio Purified Water in Antipolo City.

Admittedly, I'm also using phonecam as alternative to SLR in some instances, like this one when I didn't want to alarm people of my taking of photos for this Sta. Barbara church in Iloilo.

Phonecams is simply versatile it can be used almost instantly to document events and anything that suddenly comes into my way. As a travel photography enthusiast, phonecam is very helpful when I can't bring out the camera from my bag because the environment won't allow me to do so. What more I can do when I wanted to take photo of my unique experience with a tricycle ride in Iloilo? The photos below were taken using Asus V66 while I was on board an overloaded and fast-moving tricycle heading to its destination.

While using SLR can be obtrusive, a phonecam can help you to be discreet in taking photos like these. The following photos were taken on a night time at Pechopak in Iloilo.

When you want to take photos with your SLR, what imaging device would you use right at that instance?

All in all, a mobile phone always comes in handy when you're not bringing with you your SLR. Take this for instance, My girl and Elvie wanted to be taken photo together and they demanded for my SLR that I did not carry around during that time. Arm with my Sony Ericsson K750i together with it's detachable flash, the MXE-60, I made them smile and took an acceptable shot. They hesitated to be taken photograph using phonecam and doubted I could make it better, until I showed them the 8"x10" print outs.

Conclusion: While conventional cameras and mobile phone cameras both take good photos at the present time, they both have specific functions and uses. Saying mobile phone cameras will replace that bigger cameras tucked in your waist is just an overstatement. Personally, I always believe they just do compliment with each other.