Good Evening,
A question often asked to photographers is what is the best camera. A common response is "The one you have with you." This is a little misleading because it doesn't actually give any new information. If we only have a camera phone with us to catch a moment then it is the best camera. That doesn't mean that we should just take a phone with us to capture a special event like a wedding, birthday, party etc... especially if it is a planned event. It doesn't make sense. Yes great images can be made with cell phones. How many times do we see a great or even good photographer going out to a location with just a cell phone. What we are planning on doing with the image is also critical. Posting online or making small prints, it doesn't matter as much. Making large prints, the cell phone might not cut it.
This is more about knowing the limitations on equipment rather than bashing the idea of a highly portable and relatively inconspicuous camera. A cell phone has a smaller sensor (some as small as 4.54 x 3.42mm) compared to most other cameras but often the same amount of megapixels. Which means it has less space to fit all those pixels (think of each pixel as a bucket to capture light), meaning more noise in the image, less low light capabilities, and most likely less dynamic range (the HDR option can help). Full frame DSLRs have a 36 x 24mm sensor and regular DSLRs have 23.60 x 15.60mm. If there was the same amount of pixels on all three the the regular DSLR would have over 23 times the sensor surface and the full frame would have over 55 times.
Below we have relatively the same image taken with an LG G6 and a Sony a77. Trying to match the color was a pain.
Some might see it as good thing others might see it as bad. With a DSLR one can select the area that they want in focus, with a cell phone not so much, most everything is in focus. The difference can be seen in the images above.
Below are some crops of the images above. The differences in detail, transition from in and out of focus areas, and how they are rendered by the programs. The order goes LG then Sony through the slideshow.
Now some good things about cell phones. Pictures can be shared to social media, emailed, or texted right away. To get the most out of a DSLR processing of the image needs to be done. Selfies are so much easier with them too. Just like with everything there are good and bad things. So pick up the camera that you have then go out and shoot.
~Scott