The Smart Phone Purchase and the Sony QX

Recently I've been rotated to a new  position at work, one that no longer requires a cell phone.  So I have to hand in my klunky old Blackberry Bold and look at purchasing a new phone.

Trying to find out a plan and phone that fits your needs on a set budget requires a Phd in Electronic Engineering, Marketing, Legal contact writing and Mathematics.  Yep, it really is that complicated to figure out how much you will be paying per phone, per contract, by provider.

I like the idea of the iPhone 5, or the Samsung Galaxy S4, as they are the most ubiquitous iOS and Android phones, and the latest and greatest, but they are only available on expensive plans which I don't need.  I also know I want a good camera as it will be with me all the time, and the best is the Nokia Lumia 1020 with its unbelievable 42 megapixel camera, but its not on sale in Canada yet, and neither is the cheaper 925.

Nikon D600 with Nikkor 28mm f1.8

So where to go from here?  At the moment I am leaning towards the Samsung Galaxy S3.  The camera is quite good, but clearly not as good as the Lumia, iPhone 5 or S4.  However, there may be a solution.....

Sony has just launched its new QX10 and QX100 cameras that are nothing more than a lens and a sensor.  They clip on to your cell and transmit wireless camera controls to the smartphone, and wirelessly send back the photos.  Very cool!  The cheaper QX10 has a small sensor and a super-zoom lens, while the QX100 is basically a body-less RX100 - my favorite compact camera.  For the cost savings of buying a S3 instead of an S4 or iPhone 5 I could get an attachable camera that has image quality close to that of a D-SLR!  Sounds like a winner!

But there is one problem.  Catching opportunistic images requires that you have your camera on you.  Would I take the QX100 with me all the time, like a phone?  Very unlikely.  Is there a time when I would take the QX100 and not take say the NEX 5n or X100.  Probably, as it is very small, but not as much as I would think.  Therefore, is it worth $500-$600?  In the usage light that I have described, it would make for a tougher purchase.

So, with all that, what will I do? Not sure yet.  Probably I'll get the S3 and not get a Sony QX camera, but you never know, Christmas is coming!

Nikon D600 with Nikkor 28mm f1.8