What Camera Gear do they use?

Everything you need to know — from the genre's legitimacy as fine art, to the world's best practitioners, the best apps, printing your work, building an audience, and selling prints. by Jerome D. Mobile Photography as a Recognized Genre For the first decade of the smartphone era, a debate raged in photography circles: could images made with a phone ever be considered serious art? That debate is now settled.  Mobile photography is a fully recognized genre , with its own competitions, publications, galleries, and dedicated practitioners whose work hangs in the world's finest institutions. The tipping point came gradually, then suddenly. In 2010, when the iPhone 4 introduced a genuinely capable sensor, photographers began documenting the world with a pocket device in ways that felt immediate, intimate, and visually compelling. Communities formed on Flickr and Instagram. Competitions like the  iPhone Photography Awards ( IPPAWARDS )  — founded in 2007, making it one of the ol...

 Mobile photography has evolved dramatically over the last decade. No longer just a convenience, smartphones are now serious creative tools used by some of the most respected photographers in the world. On whatcameragear.com , we've profiled artists who use everything from Leica rangefinders to large format film — but many have also embraced mobile phones for their immediacy, stealth, and image quality. This article brings together insights from those photographers, along with key recent releases such as the Xiaomi 14 Ultra , iPhone 16 Pro Max , and Google Pixel 8 Pro , to help answer the question: What are the best phones for mobile photography today? Why Top Photographers Use Smartphones Before diving into models, here’s why mobile photography appeals even to seasoned professionals: Discreetness – Phones draw less attention than DSLRs or even mirrorless cameras. Always with you – You never miss a moment. Post-processing on the go – Snapseed, Lightroom Mobile, and VS...