Here's a new type of thing I made, and looking for device advice

[Dagan]

Those are still pretty solid. Just maybe five years ago, only perhaps the tip top phone would do that well...if at all. They do have lenses you can connect to your phones, now, though. I had forgotten about those and went to peek at some. They look promising. Off the top of my head, I feel like it's maybe the better, easier way to go, especially when most folks already know and like their phones so well.

The other half of my brain is saying, "go buy one, and try it - you know you want to." Shut up, brain. I need to save money.

 

[Outdated]

It depends entirely on what sort of pictures you want to take and how far you want to explore the hobby. For most people the phone is more than suitable. Mildred's Fuji camera is a definite step up from the phone, they're good cameras for what they are.

But the lens is everything, and the more you get in to the hobby the more you wish you could afford better lenses.