Assessing Smartphone Camera Quality for Casual vs. Professional Photographers

Smartphone cameras are perhaps the most exciting and bitterly contested category in consumer tech today.   When most flagship smartphones offer high-quality industrial design, large screens, and blazing fast processors, it can be hard to make a device that stands out.

But the camera is one place where even smaller players can make a name for themselves and attract new buyers. Ultimately, as impressive as its camera is, it's hard to envision the Lumix CM1 having any kind of mass appeal. Instead, we feel it's an ideal camera for anyone who refuses to compromise on image quality, but also can't stomach carrying a dedicated camera around. For hardcore Instagrammers and professionals who want to post their work straight to social media, it might be an ideal choice—one that outperforms all other smartphones, but is still portable enough to travel with you everywhere. We assume that professional photographers will use Nikon or Canon quality stand-alone cameras for their work. However, share your comments on the camera quality on your smartphone ... for casual use? Send your comments to the Smartphone and Tablet Emporium.