iPhone 3GS Dethrones Rebel XTi as Most Popular Camera on Flickr

Despite its minimal camera features, the iPhone has just surpassed
Canon’s Digital Rebel XTi as the most popular camera used by members
of image-sharing website Flickr.

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/08/iphone-flickr/

The L.A. Times‘ Mark Milian has been watching Flickr stats like a
hawk, but he says the spike in images uploaded by iPhone users is
unclear. We think it’s pretty obvious: Unlike most cameras, the iPhone
is internet-enabled, meaning shooters can share their pics just
seconds after taking them. Combine that factor with the new iPhone
3GS’ improved 3.0-megapixel camera (up from 2 megapixels), which
includes an auto-focus lens, and bam — rapid growth. (Alex Dejong, a
blind photographer, also praises the iPhone 3GS for its accessibility
and quick uploading process.)

YouTube saw similar results about a month ago. A day after the launch
of the iPhone 3GS, YouTube video uploads increased 400 percent,
according to YouTube officials Dwipal Desai and Mia Quagliarello. They
said the growth was likely tied to newer video-enabled phones on the
market (including the iPhone), improvement of the upload flow and a
new, streamlined process to share videos on social networks.

I can testify for my own “spike” in Flickr activity ever since
purchasing an iPhone 3GS. When I owned the original iPhone, I wasn’t
uploading many photos because I felt the 2-megapixel camera sucked
pretty hard. But ever since I upgraded to the iPhone 3GS, I’ve ditched
my 6-megapixel Fujifilm Finepix F30. Why? The F30’s image quality is
still slightly better, but the convenience of uploading straight to
the internet supersedes that, and the photos taken with the iPhone 3GS
look good enough.