Yesterday I had started to write a long rambling post about the cameras I’ve had in the past and their strengths and weaknesses but about half way through I realized it wasn’t the reason I was writing it. I recently read and article about how Panasonic’s m4/3 division was struggling financially and got me thinking about the direction cameras are headed. It has always been said the best camera is the one you have on you and that holds true no matter what. In today’s day and age our smartphone’s camera is not only good enough but excellent in anything but challenging shooting environments. My two current cameras are an Olympus EM-10 mk1 and my Canon S110 (a prosumer point and shoot). My iPhone 7 can in most situations match the images from my S110. The camera is 4 1/2 years old now and I still enjoy shooting with it (nice ergonomics and gives you access to everything you would need) but when my phone can match the images from it its hard to justify taking it everywhere with me anymore. I still favor my s110 because of the control it gives me – yes my iPhone can do the same with the right App but it feels off to use an onscreen scroll wheel w/o the definitive clicks that a real one has. The real trade off is control – my iPhone may be able to take excellent pictures but you have minimal control over any but content. I understand why camera manufactures are struggling – most people no longer need to carry a reasonably up to date point and shoot camera to get great pictures (yes a good photographer can take great pictures with any camera but they have experience your normal person does not) they can just use their phones. Point and shoot cameras have traditionally had the highest makeup/profit margin for the manufactures so now they’re are forced to lean on their DSLR and prosumer lines which are competing in an ever shrinking market. I am not moving from my m4/3 gear anytime soon but do wonder what the future holds for your amateur photographer.