If you check the camera statistics on almost any photo sharing site these days, the top camera will inevitably be the iPhone 4S. People are taking more photos with their phones than any other type of camera.
In hindsight the trend makes perfect sense; people are more likely to use the camera they have with them and, for most people, that's the one in their phone. Even though the quality may not rival even the most basic point-and-shoot camera, the convenience factor covers a multitude of minor issues with the image quality.
The trend has made web sites like Instagram, which offers a selection of built-in effects to improve the quality of mobile phone pictures, an overnight sensation.
While the 8-megapixel camera in the iPhone 4S represents a major step forward for cell phone cameras, it's still anemic compared to even entry level point-and-shoot cameras. For some perspective consider that 8-megapixel is where digital cameras were nearly 10 years ago. Many professional photographers were still shooting film.
Another area where phone cameras suffer is the lens. There just isn't room in a cell phone for quality optics. What you can expect instead is a plastic, fixed focal length lens with a significant number of chromatic aberrations, particularly noticeable when the images are enlarged.
Since your lens is such a big part of photography the difference between even a cheap lens and the low end optics in cell phone cameras can be significant. Where it will be most apparent is in exposure latitude and highlights. Cell phone cameras have a tendency to blow out highlights, which you can see as kind of a washed out look to the face and lighter areas of the photo.
Another area where cell phone cameras fall down is exposure latitude and manual controls. For evenly lit scenes of average exposure, cell phone cameras can produce surprisingly good results. Unfortunately, very few scenes are lit that well. That means you have to live with the camera averaging exposure values, at least that was true until recently.
Today there are an explosion of applications for smart phone cameras that provide a wide range of picture controls from exposure and shutter speed to a bewildering array of special effects. Many of the vagaries of cell phone images can also be fixed in post-processing.
For better or worse it's likely the cell phone trend is here to stay. Never underestimate the power of convenience and cell phone cameras offer a compelling blend of photographic power and features.
Because the camera you're most likely to use in any situation, is the one you have with you.
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