Easy Basic Photography
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Digital Single Lens Reflex Cameras-(Digital SLR or DSLR)
The Digital Single Lens Reflex camera is the most versatile of the digital camera types. (also referred to as a
DSLR camera, SLR Digital, or Digital SLR camera.) The Digital SLR camera can be used as a fully automatic
camera, a full manual control camera, or it can be used with manual and automatic features combined.
The Digital Single Lens Reflex camera is the camera of choice for the more serious photographer as well as for
professional photographers. That is because the photographer has more choices as to what camera settings
are used when the picture is taken. More choices is equal to more control, and more control can assist in a
photographers ability to be creative.
Digital SLR cameras like the Nikon D3100 are larger than a compact camera. The larger size is mostly due to
the mirrors and prism system used in the Digital SLR optical viewfinder system.
The following are some of the main features that can be found in just about any Digital SLR camera.
Interchangeable Lenses: One of the major features that sets a Digital SLR cameras apart from compact
cameras is the fact that the lens on a Digital SLR camera can be changed to better fit the picture taking
situation. The lens on a typical compact camera cannot be changed or removed. (although in recent years,
compact cameras with interchangeable lenses have entered the market. However, the choice of lenses
available for them is not nearly as much as are available for a DSLR camera.)
A Digital SLR camera user might use a fixed focal length wide angle lens while taking landscape pictures, and
then switch to a fixed focal length telephoto lens to get a closer shot of a bird in a tree. Or maybe the DSLR
camera user might use a wide angle to telephoto zoom lens to take the pictures in both situations.
The key point here is that there are lens choices available when using a Digital SLR camera but the basic
compact camera user has no other choice than to use the lens that is attached to their camera.
The reason that having lens choices available is important to many photographers is that all lenses are not
created equally.
Most Digital SLR camera lenses are sharper and clearer than the lenses found on compact cameras, especially
the fixed focal length DSLR camera lenses. Also, many DSLR camera lenses have wider apertures than are
available on compact cameras. Lenses with wider aperture openings make it possible to take pictures in many
low light situations without using a flash. Please check the tutorials on Camera Lens Types or the Camera
Aperture for more on lenses and apertures.
Overall, the Digital SLR lenses will produce higher quality images than a compact camera lens.
Larger Image Sensor Size: The larger sensor in a Digital Single Lens Reflex camera will produce a better
quality image than the smaller sensor on a compact camera.
The image sensors in digital cameras capture the light coming through the camera lens when a picture is taken.
The pixels on a Digital SLR camera sensor are larger than the pixels found in a compact digital camera sensor.
The larger pixels are more sensitive to light and can record bright or shadow areas in a scene more accurately.
(better dynamic range)
A Digital Slr camera can also take better pictures in low light and there will be less "noise" in the image
compared to an image produced with a smaller sensor.
Automatic Mode: A Digital Slr camera can be used in the Automatic mode so that you won't have to set any of
the other controls to take pictures. You can just point and shoot.
However, the great thing about a Digital SLR is that you have the option to use the manual mode and to set any
control feature individually.
Full Manual Mode: To get the full benefit of using a Digital SLR in the manual mode, you will need to know a
little about camera exposure basics. That is, how the camera aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings are
related and used to obtain a picture that is properly exposed. It is not difficult to learn about the exposure
basics, and once you know it, you will have more control over the "look" of your images.
Program Mode: When you use the program mode, the camera's aperture setting and shutter speed is set for
you. It is pretty similar to using the Automatic mode since you don't have to worry too much about the exposure
settings. However, when you use the program mode, you are able to control other settings like Exposure
Compensation, White Balance, Flash, and ISO. This is a good mode to help wean yourself away from the
Automatic Mode and to begin to learn how to use some camera settings manually.
Aperture Priority: This mode helps you to control the Depth of Field in a picture. Controlling the Depth of Field
allows you to determine how much of the image, including backgrounds and foregrounds, will be in or out of
focus. The aperture priority mode also lets you control the amount of light entering the camera during an
exposure. Once you choose the aperture setting in this mode, the camera will automatically set the shutter
speed for you.
Shutter Speed Priority: Using the shutter speed priority mode allows you to choose the shutter speed you
want to use and the camera will set the aperture to obtain correct exposure. Using faster shutter speeds will
allow you to photograph moving subjects without getting a blurred picture. You also have the option of using a
slower shutter speed to allow more light to reach the image sensor when taking pictures in low light.
Optical Viewfinder: In addition to an LCD viewing screen, Digital Slr cameras have eye level optical
viewfinders which use mirrors and a prism to show the scene or subject that will be photographed. It is easier to
brace yourself and hold the camera steady when using the optical viewfinder instead of an LCD screen.
The mirrors and prism in a Digital SLR camera are a huge contributing factor to the DSLR camera being larger
than the compact camera.
Hotshoe: Digital SLR cameras have a hotshoe attachment which allows the photographer to use external flash
units instead of a built in camera flash. This is important when a photographer wants a more powerful light
source or wants to have more control over the strength and direction of the light.
Pricing: Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera prices can range from around 500.00 for the Canon EOS Rebel XS
or 2,000.00 for the Canon EOS 7D. Professional grade DSLR cameras cost even more.
To summarize, Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras are not for everyone. Although the larger image sensor and
better lens quality of a DSLR camera will produce sharper and clearer images than a compact camera, it might
not be obvious or meaningful to a very casual photographer.
A person who will casually take pictures every now and then might be better off with a basic Compact camera.
Someone who wants a little more control over settings when taking a picture and can't afford a DSLR, might
want to consider an Advanced Digital Compact camera. If the features of a DSLR are appealing to you but you
prefer them in a smaller camera, an Interchangeable Lens camera might be the best choice.
The Digital Single Lens Reflex camera is the most versatile of the digital camera types. (also referred to as a
DSLR camera, SLR Digital, or Digital SLR camera.) The Digital SLR camera can be used as a fully automatic
camera, a full manual control camera, or it can be used with manual and automatic features combined.
The Digital Single Lens Reflex camera is the camera of choice for the more serious photographer as well as for
professional photographers. That is because the photographer has more choices as to what camera settings
are used when the picture is taken. More choices is equal to more control, and more control can assist in a
photographers ability to be creative.
Digital SLR cameras like the Nikon D3100 are larger than a compact camera. The larger size is mostly due to
the mirrors and prism system used in the Digital SLR optical viewfinder system.
The following are some of the main features that can be found in just about any Digital SLR camera.
Interchangeable Lenses: One of the major features that sets a Digital SLR cameras apart from compact
cameras is the fact that the lens on a Digital SLR camera can be changed to better fit the picture taking
situation. The lens on a typical compact camera cannot be changed or removed. (although in recent years,
compact cameras with interchangeable lenses have entered the market. However, the choice of lenses
available for them is not nearly as much as are available for a DSLR camera.)
A Digital SLR camera user might use a fixed focal length wide angle lens while taking landscape pictures, and
then switch to a fixed focal length telephoto lens to get a closer shot of a bird in a tree. Or maybe the DSLR
camera user might use a wide angle to telephoto zoom lens to take the pictures in both situations.
The key point here is that there are lens choices available when using a Digital SLR camera but the basic
compact camera user has no other choice than to use the lens that is attached to their camera.
The reason that having lens choices available is important to many photographers is that all lenses are not
created equally.
Most Digital SLR camera lenses are sharper and clearer than the lenses found on compact cameras, especially
the fixed focal length DSLR camera lenses. Also, many DSLR camera lenses have wider apertures than are
available on compact cameras. Lenses with wider aperture openings make it possible to take pictures in many
low light situations without using a flash. Please check the tutorials on Camera Lens Types or the Camera
Aperture for more on lenses and apertures.
Overall, the Digital SLR lenses will produce higher quality images than a compact camera lens.
Larger Image Sensor Size: The larger sensor in a Digital Single Lens Reflex camera will produce a better
quality image than the smaller sensor on a compact camera.
The image sensors in digital cameras capture the light coming through the camera lens when a picture is taken.
The pixels on a Digital SLR camera sensor are larger than the pixels found in a compact digital camera sensor.
The larger pixels are more sensitive to light and can record bright or shadow areas in a scene more accurately.
(better dynamic range)
A Digital Slr camera can also take better pictures in low light and there will be less "noise" in the image
compared to an image produced with a smaller sensor.
Automatic Mode: A Digital Slr camera can be used in the Automatic mode so that you won't have to set any of
the other controls to take pictures. You can just point and shoot.
However, the great thing about a Digital SLR is that you have the option to use the manual mode and to set any
control feature individually.
Full Manual Mode: To get the full benefit of using a Digital SLR in the manual mode, you will need to know a
little about camera exposure basics. That is, how the camera aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings are
related and used to obtain a picture that is properly exposed. It is not difficult to learn about the exposure
basics, and once you know it, you will have more control over the "look" of your images.
Program Mode: When you use the program mode, the camera's aperture setting and shutter speed is set for
you. It is pretty similar to using the Automatic mode since you don't have to worry too much about the exposure
settings. However, when you use the program mode, you are able to control other settings like Exposure
Compensation, White Balance, Flash, and ISO. This is a good mode to help wean yourself away from the
Automatic Mode and to begin to learn how to use some camera settings manually.
Aperture Priority: This mode helps you to control the Depth of Field in a picture. Controlling the Depth of Field
allows you to determine how much of the image, including backgrounds and foregrounds, will be in or out of
focus. The aperture priority mode also lets you control the amount of light entering the camera during an
exposure. Once you choose the aperture setting in this mode, the camera will automatically set the shutter
speed for you.
Shutter Speed Priority: Using the shutter speed priority mode allows you to choose the shutter speed you
want to use and the camera will set the aperture to obtain correct exposure. Using faster shutter speeds will
allow you to photograph moving subjects without getting a blurred picture. You also have the option of using a
slower shutter speed to allow more light to reach the image sensor when taking pictures in low light.
Optical Viewfinder: In addition to an LCD viewing screen, Digital Slr cameras have eye level optical
viewfinders which use mirrors and a prism to show the scene or subject that will be photographed. It is easier to
brace yourself and hold the camera steady when using the optical viewfinder instead of an LCD screen.
The mirrors and prism in a Digital SLR camera are a huge contributing factor to the DSLR camera being larger
than the compact camera.
Hotshoe: Digital SLR cameras have a hotshoe attachment which allows the photographer to use external flash
units instead of a built in camera flash. This is important when a photographer wants a more powerful light
source or wants to have more control over the strength and direction of the light.
Pricing: Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera prices can range from around 500.00 for the Canon EOS Rebel XS
or 2,000.00 for the Canon EOS 7D. Professional grade DSLR cameras cost even more.
To summarize, Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras are not for everyone. Although the larger image sensor and
better lens quality of a DSLR camera will produce sharper and clearer images than a compact camera, it might
not be obvious or meaningful to a very casual photographer.
A person who will casually take pictures every now and then might be better off with a basic Compact camera.
Someone who wants a little more control over settings when taking a picture and can't afford a DSLR, might
want to consider an Advanced Digital Compact camera. If the features of a DSLR are appealing to you but you
prefer them in a smaller camera, an Interchangeable Lens camera might be the best choice.