Question Asked: What Is A DSLR Camera?

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Oct 22nd, 2008

Well let’s assume, for the sake or arguement, that you know what the camera part is, and address the DSLR part.

DSLR stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex.

Great, but what does that mean?  It’s all in the details of how the camera’s insides work.  A traditional digital camera works with a series of mirrors, that direct a reflection of the image you want to photograph, to the digital sensor, to capture the image.

The “viewfinder” (the part you look through, to see what you’re taking a picture of), is generally off slightly to the right of the actual lens.  This is done with a second set or mirrors, in some cases.  That’s why you’ll notice, sometimes, if you take photos of something up really close, you didn’t actually get the thing you wanted to, because your viewfinder was off to the right.

A DSLR, however, uses on one set of reflective mirrors, hence the “single” portion of its name.  The principle is the same, a set of mirrors reflect the image to your sensor. However, with a DSLR, when you press the shutter button to take the photo, the mirror flips out of the way (either up or down, depending on manufacturer), and the image is processed directly to your sensor.

A downside to DSLR cameras, is that they’re more complicated than regular “point and shoot” digital cameras, and they’re not for everyone.  Further, they’re generally much more expensive than point and shoots.  For example, the DSLR Canon Digital Rebel Xsi is roughly $650, depending on where you shop.  While a point and shoot Canon PowerShot SD770IS, which is almost the same amount of megapixels (resolution of your photos), is only $197-ish, nearly one third of the price of the DSLR.

Coming from someone who got a Canon DSLR earlier this year, I can attest that once you get over the initial shock of having to tweak a few extra settings, and get used to not using a live image preview, it’s worth the jump.  The photos are much nicer, clearer, sharper, more vivid colors.

The added benefit of a DSLR is that you can get interchangeable lens for it.  Have you ever tried to use “digital zoom” on your point and shoot camera, and wondered why the image looks all pixelated when you look at it on your computer?  That’s because the lens on your point and shoot isn’t designed to do what you’re asking it to do, regardless of what the manufacturer tells you.

With a DSLR, you can pop off your lense, drop on a Canon EF 75-300mm zoom lens, and get pictures of things hundreds of yards away, as if they were close up in your face.  For example, the image below, of Big Ben in London, I took with a 75-300mm Zoom lens, from across the street.  Note the amazing detail.  Good luck getting your point and shoot to take an image like that. (click to see full size, at 10.1MP)

Big Ben from across the street

Big Ben from across the street

Hope that answers your question.  I’m a shutterbug, so feel free to send more photography related questions that you may have.

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