Long revered as the top smartphone camera while still playing second or third fiddle in the market, Google has managed a coup in luring legendary American portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz as an official user and backer.

Notably, it’s the first time Leibovitz has formally partnered with any make of camera (despite having previously intimated a strong hankering for the iPhone 4s as her “snapshot camera” of choice back in 2011). Google’s latest Pixel 3 (and Pixel 3 XL) currently sit near the top of the heap of increasingly high-quality smartphone cameras. Groundbreaking new features of the front and rear-facing cameras include being powered by artificial intelligence via Google’s cutting edge Pixel Visual Core chip. Highlight AI features include two new algorithmic shooting modes called Top Shot and Photobooth. Other features to note are Super Res Zoom and Night Sight.  

This release and marketing partnership further solidify the smartphone as an alternative to traditional imaging camera equipment. Google has also announced it has provided publishing giant Condé Nast with Pixel 3 phones, which its photographers have used to shoot seven of its magazine covers. While Apple continues to outflank Google in a very competitive market sector, with the Pixel 3, Google offers the strongest argument for leaving your DSLR at home. 

What are your thoughts? For what situations would you willfully ditch your “real” camera for a smartphone stand-in?