I don’t know about you, but does it seem like everyone have a DSLR camera? I definitely feel I’m in the minority because I don’t. And here’s why.

Size
Have you seen a DSLR camera? The lenses? I just can’t. I can’t! They’re bulky, heavy and I’m definitely not willing to carry that around often. Sure they look fancy and “professional” but I don’t want to lug it around with me.

Price
While prices for digital cameras have come down (but smartphones have gone up, huh??), DSLR cameras are still on the expensive side when compared to SLR cameras and point and shoot cameras. Not only do you need to buy the body of the camera but you need the lenses which can add up real fast.

Ease of use
I’ve taken a few pictures with a DSLR camera and while the photos they take can be be super amazing, have you ever looked at a menu? Oh my gosh it makes head hurt. They have SO MANY features which can be a great thing, but also really overwhelming. I have patience but not to learn the many many many features that come with a DSLR camera.

I won’t use it
It’s too big to carry around. I already carry enough stuff during the week going to work and having a bulky camera next to my multiple container lunches isn’t going to cut it. I probably wouldn’t use it very much.

So, what do I use and why?
I have a point and shoot camera I carry with me close to 90% of the time.

Size
It’s small, compact and I can sometimes stick it in my jacket pocket (depends what jacket I have) and head out the door. It’s also pretty light weight too. Plus, there’s no extra lenses to fiddle with either.

Price
There are definitely some point and shoot cameras you can drop some cash on, no lie. But they are a lot more affordable and available in a range of prices.

Ease of use
Point and shoot cameras are a lot less complicated than DSLR cameras. They’re great for beginners since the menus are a bit more user friendly. If you don’t want to shoot in manual mode (you should try it at least!), you can automate it to take a decent photo without much thinking.

I love using it
Since it’s small, compact and easy to use, I take a lot of photos with it. I can take it out, take a photo and put it away in my bag in less than 30 seconds. You can’t do that with a DSLR unless you have it out with you all the time and are OK with that.

Don’t forget your phone!
I do use my smartphone of course to take photos like 90% of people who own a smartphone. The camera technology has come a long way and so have apps to help people edit their photos. You can take some pretty great photos with a smartphone which acts as my second point and shoot camera. What? You didn’t know you already had a point and shoot camera on your smartphone?

The cool thing about photography is it isn’t so much about whether you have an expensive camera with all the bells and whistles, a low end point and shoot camera or you just have your smartphone. You can learn to take great photos with whatever “camera” you have. It’s not the gear you have, it’s how you use it.

What do you think? What do you use to take photos?