Everyone has a phone, right? Great for quick pics. But people look at the photos and videos that really grab your attention online, the ones that look amazing and unique. A lot of the time, they’re not just taken with a phone. Your phone might take a decent selfie, but some people say it still can’t touch the power and creativity of a real camera.

For instance, a student at Osbourn named Yahir Alvarez, who’s a senior, said, ”Cameras are better at photographing and taking shots that can be good enough for views because phones use filters.” Students say that while phones can use filters to fake things like blurry backgrounds, photographers tend to say a camera gives you the actual glass and skill needed to take professional-looking shots that truly stand out.

A lot of students prefer a phone because of the filters. Filters can be used for faking a photo and making things look realistic without the effort of taking a real one. Students also use dark mode. Dark mode is used to make the picture look a little mysterious. Sometimes, a bright and sunny photo feels happy, but a dark photo can feel quiet, like a secret or a movie scene. Sometimes people tend to use it because dark mode makes the photo look cool in the dark, giving it a midnight sky atmosphere and aesthetic vibes. For instance, a freshman at Osbourn High School named Estrella Saenz said, ”Phones use night mode to fake it, but a regular camera is just naturally better in the dark, and it gives realistic features on it.”

Some people may use cameras due to the high quality of the camera system. Like some photographers at Osbourn High School, like when their cameras are steady and not always slipping, since the phone is still, like for instance the professional photographer at Osbourn High School, Elijah Lloyd, aka Philly, who is a senior, said. ”When you take a picture with a phone, you’re usually holding it out in front of you with two hands. When I use a camera, I press the camera against my forehead and tuck my elbows into my chest, allowing it to take visible photos.”

While its cool to have a camera or a phone people may get annoyed while taking pictures and they get notifications people say turn your phone on and put it on ”do not disturb”’ but it may not work to some people. Other people may prefer a camera because it doesn’t annoy them while taking a picture for instant a sophomore at Osbourn named Manuela Quao said, ”It is really upsetting and stressful when your phone says ‘storage full’ right when you’re trying to film something cool; you have to spend 10 minutes deleting old apps or photos.”

Some may get really anxious because they’re really trying to take a nice picture, and that’s in the way. People may prefer cameras because they are not that stressful with all those notifications, and it gives you silence so you can focus, like for instance a junior at Osbourn named Lidia Sanchez said, ”Apps give you notifications and bother you while cameras don’t have anything, and it will give you peace.”

People enjoy using cameras to take pictures because they are often in focus and give them the ability to have creativity. Phones often disrupt the moment with notifications and multitasking. 

What do you think is a better use? Phones or cameras? Tell us in the comments!