Solved! Cameras: cell phone vs point and shoot

[Philip777]

ATTN: Mark Spoonauer, or camera and/or cell phone experts,
Thanks for your reviews and especially the lengths you go to to display side by side photo comparisons.
Question: Is it fair to say a good point and shoot camera is still a far better camera than even the best cell phones? In fact, could cell phones ever be as good considering the smaller size of of the sensor, lens, and lack of high optical zoom capability ("ever" may be too strong given the miracles tech accomplishes)? I note, for instance, how poor the iPhone 13 Max Pro did in your low light S21 comparison in the iPhone Max Pro review.

 

[USAFRet]

ATTN: Mark Spoonauer, or camera and/or cell phone experts,
Thanks for your reviews and especially the lengths you go to to display side by side photo comparisons.
Question: Is it fair to say a good point and shoot camera is still a far better camera than even the best cell phones? In fact, could cell phones ever be as good considering the smaller size of of the sensor, lens, and lack of high optical zoom capability ("ever" may be too strong given the miracles tech accomplishes)? I note, for instance, how poor the iPhone 13 Max Pro did in your low light S21 comparison in the iPhone Max Pro review.

It depends on the specific point and shoot or phone, and what it will be used for.
Some better, some worse, in both directions.

Also, the underlying software. Phone software will almost certainly be changed/updated/improved more than point and shoot cameras.

If actual image quality is a concern, move up to a DSLR or mirrorless.

And always...the best camera is the one you have with you. Currently and in the future, that is more and more likely to be the phone.