In UX there is a concept of 'don't make me think' - the camera corollary is 'don't make me carry'.
I've definitely carried "real" cameras much less in the ~2 decades since I've gotten a smartphone than the 2 decades prior. I still use a "real" camera when I'm aiming for the best results, but it doesn't make up the majority of my photos anymore, mainly because it is an extra hassle to have something else to carry.
Are there any worthwhile pocketable cameras these days? Seems like those CoolPix and similar cameras that were ubiquitous 20 years ago are a rare sight these days, and if people own an actual separate camera it's going to be something beefy. Has anyone applied the advances in computational photography from smartphones to a standalone camera with a somewhat larger sensor and lens, but still smaller than the Sigma BF and competitors?
I sold an X100V b/c it was too big for everyday carry and in no way sharp enough.
I have an old Lumix GF1 that fits in my palm and hangs on a spider clip from my belt or the waist of jeans: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/762513-REG/SPIDER_HOL...
Some of the very best photos of my family and travels were shot on that. Despite me thinking it was old and needed replacing.
not mine but a good example: https://www.flickr.com/photos/60555175@N07/6093043097
What is it the other half of the time? I've been thinking of picking up a GRIII for my trip to Japan this summer, but I'm open to other ideas.
I personally almost always find phone photos to be woefully inadequate for even light editing, mostly because they turn into a blurry mess as soon as you crop even a little bit or want to print/look on a large screen.
I recently found a pic from behind-the-scenes of an old favorite movie of mine. It was exactly the kind of photo I wanted, but woefully small. With minimal effort and Real-ESRGAN (and perhaps a touch of artificial film grain), I blew it up to a very crisp B&W poster I framed. I'm still looking for errors in it.
I'm really looking for something fairly portable specifically for touristy street photography stuff. Perhaps it's time to pick up an X100VI...
OT: for your old Mac mini with the non-selectable Bluetooth “add” button, maybe try Mouse Keys.