Phones take remarkable photos, which raises a fair question: why carry a camera at all? I took an entry-level mirrorless camera on a two-week trip to find out where the difference still shows.

It shows in three places. In dim light, the larger sensor keeps detail where a phone smears it into mush. At a distance, a real zoom lens beats digital cropping every time. And in fast moments, a dedicated shutter button and quick focus catch what a phone misses.

The camera is small enough to fit in a jacket pocket with the lens retracted, and light enough that I carried it every day. The menus are friendly, and the automatic modes are good enough that I rarely left them.

The compact zoom that comes with it is the weak point: soft at the edges and slow in poor light. Keep the body, and add a small fixed lens when you can.