If you are starting to get into cameras and photography, you likely have heard about DSLR cameras. While you may know that these cameras have a good reputation, you may not have any idea what they are or what DSLR means.
Don’t worry though - plenty of people who love photography know very little about these cameras or how they work. So, you aren’t alone. Below, we’ll explore what the phrase ‘DSLR' means and everything you need to know about them.
DSLR means Digital Single-Lens Reflex. To better understand this, it is helpful to examine each part of this name:
For a long time, SLR cameras were viewed as some of the best and most practical cameras on the market. DSLR cameras are simply an update of those cameras but using a digital sensor instead of film.
You can still find and use film-based SLR cameras, but they are less popular due to advancements in digital photography.
The photo-taking functionality of a DSLR camera is surprisingly simple. There are two major parts of the camera: the lens and the body of the camera.
The lens focuses light so that it is pointed at a digital image sensor. When you take a photo, the image sensor reads the light that is hitting it and converts that information into a digital photo.
Interestingly, when the light reaches the sensor, it is upside down. However, the camera’s built-in software corrects this automatically.
So, what about the mirror and reflex?
As described above, there is a mirror in the camera body. It directs light up to the viewfinder so that you can see the image reaching the lens. This sits between the lens and the sensor. It flips up quickly when the image is captured.
Many DSLR cameras have more advanced setups that include features like autofocus sensors. However, the above basics should help you understand what is happening inside the camera.
DSLR cameras stand out from other options because of their construction. They manage to combine excellent image quality, a fast image-capture process and a very flexible setup.
The separate lens and body mean that you can swap lenses to significantly change the photo you take. This can mean capturing a wide-angle shot, a distant shot with optical zoom or many other possibilities depending on which lens you pick.
Furthermore, SLR action is fast. The view you see in the viewfinder is a very accurate representation of the shot you will take with zero latency.
It is also helpful that DSLRs are very popular among photographers. So, there are a lot of options available including lenses and accessories. You can also find a lot of information to help you learn about photography.
The advantages and disadvantages of a DSLR camera depend on what you compare it to. Here, we will compare it against point-and-shoot cameras, a more basic type of digital camera.
Additionally, we’ll examine some benefits versus a mirrorless camera, a type of digital camera that combines the benefits of point-and-shoot cameras and DSLRs.
Here are some of the main advantages of DSLR cameras:
Of course, they are not without their drawbacks. Compared to point-and-shoot and mirrorless cameras, there are a few reasons to ditch the DSLR:
To get started, here are some of our most popular DSLR cameras:
C.R. Kennedy is one of Australia’s leading distributors of cameras and photographic equipment. We offer a wide range of DSLR , mirrorless, full-frame and action cameras.
If you need more information on cameras and other camera accessories, check out more articles on the C.R. Kennedy blog.
GUIDES FOR CAMERAS
GUIDES FOR CAMERA LENSES
GUIDES FOR PRO VIDEO
GUIDES FOR LIGHTING & STUDIO
GUIDES FOR PRINTING & FILM
GUIDES FOR AUDIO VISUAL
GUIDES FOR CAMERA ACCESSORIES
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