Volunteering to do some photography for a fitness / dance group led to meeting many theater, comedy, and dance performers. A year later I'm using a Canon RP and a 50mm/1.4 prime for one or two shows each month. It's great to catch great moments of a performer and even better when they're delighted with them.

"Is anyone still into hobby photography?"

Sadly no. Had a full blown color darkroom in my home in Florida back in the late '70s - early '80s. I favored 35mm and my Olympus OM system.

I have a Panasonic DCM-LX3 that I really like but since I don't leave the house much it stays on my desk. Quick and dirty stuff is handled by a smartphone.

I use my phone for 'snapshots', but pull out my Canon DSLR when I want to take better photos.
Especially when distance is so involved - a phone can't compete with a DSLR with a telephoto lens.

I'd been a hobbyist for some decades, accumulating 3 bags of gear of Nikon stuff.

Moved into a bit of B&W, touched a pair of wide-lens & tele Rolleis 2x2 for a while, tried to learn the art of 4x5 on a historic sheet film body (forgot the maker). Built a suitable home developer lab.

Finally took the cure, moved into early digital 35s, wore them out and discovered the ever newer smart phone cameras are sufficient for my current amusement.

I started with a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye as a kid in the early sixties. Got my first "adult" camera, a Minolta SR-T 101 in college. Finally moved into digital with a Nikon D80 years later. The D80 died, and I replaced it with a D700. I added a Fujifilm x100F a couple of years ago. So, yes, I still like full-sized cameras for my hobby photography. I use my cell phone's camera for little snapshots and as a pictorial notebook, but when I want to shoot for real, I want a real camera in my hands, not a feature on my cell phone.

Hobby photography is still a thing, but someone taking photos in public with a DLSR is often viewed as: a) a pro and so must pay some fee or have permission to shoot, or b) someone up to no good.

I have a couple of Nikon DSLR's, and a Sony HX99 point and shoot that get used occasionally during the winter. Warmer weather will see some more time with my camera's accompanying me.

I'm no photographer... I just take pictures. However I was I used to be much more serious then now.

The best camera is the one you have on you when the moment presents itself...

I went Cannon AE-1 to a Minolta Dimage 7i. to a Cannon 20D to a 40D to a 7D with some very nice lenses. Haven't pulled the 7D out in 5 years.

Just go out and shoot with a good phone to get back into the swing... you will soon know if you need a "real" camera... and have some fun in the process.

You will need something better than a phone for sports/action or birding etc...

Yes I am. My current interest is bird photography and cel phones won't work for that. They are ok for landscapes depending on what you want to do with the picture; but I still prefer a digital SLR. I think part of that preference, for me at least, is due to my age. I started with a brownie box camera, graduated to a Yashica SLR many years later and have kept up with the hobby on and off ever since. I did do black and white darkroom processing once buy now its its all digital with Lightroom and Photoshop. I suppose the younger you are the less you desire anything but a cel phone.

Every out-of-town place we go, we carry one or two cameras. Cell phones are great for capturing moments you wouldn't necessarily have a camera around for, but I prefer the creative control offered by a good mirrorless camera. Right now, my Leica Q2 goes with me, because it's relatively small and optically excellent.

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
I used to enjoy shooting with an SLR back in the 80s-90s, then moved into a DSLR. My primary interests were aviation and landscapes. Now that I'm retired, I wouldn't mind getting back into it. Is carrying around big cameras still a thing or have iPhones killed the hobby?

Sill a thing with me. My phone works for snapshots and that type of stuff. But it is no where near a replacement for my DSLR. It's not just picture quality but control of the image. There's so settings I can adjust on my DSLR to affect the image, that doesn't exist on the phone. Especially when doing things like trying to photograph the Northern Lights. There's also nothing like looking through a viewfinder rather than the screen of a phone.

I still enjoy photography, have a few Canon DSLRs and lenses. I try to have one within reach most of the time. The phone, IPhone 13Pro, is sure handy and I've actually printed a few photos from it. This morning, I needed a picture of a rifle for something, grabbed a DSLR when I could have used the phone. Then I needed pictures of a leaky gutter, used the phone and the contractor had it in minutes.

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
I used to enjoy shooting with an SLR back in the 80s-90s, then moved into a DSLR. My primary interests were aviation and landscapes. Now that I'm retired, I wouldn't mind getting back into it. Is carrying around big cameras still a thing or have iPhones killed the hobby?

I only use my iPhone for pics when necessary... and for stuff I don't care about the quality. When I want "real" pictures, I either carry my pair of Sony DSLRs, or my Bronica ETRSi medium-format film camera! For fun I often carry one of my 35mm film cameras loaded with Ilford B&W film; typically a Minolta X-570, or a vintage Yashica Electro GTN range-finder.

We need some of the pictures posted in the Gallery section.