If you've been using a compact digital camera all your life and you're planning on getting an SLR camera, you might need a quick refresher course on the basics of SLR photography. Knowing the basics will not only help you find the best SLR cameras on the market but also teach you how to make the most out of your digital SLR camera.
Digital SLR cameras only became widely popular around 2005. Before that, SLRs were mostly only used by professionals. Because of this development, SLR camera manufacturers are now dropping the prices of their SLRs to stay competitive in the market as more and more people are getting into SLR photography. If you're also unfamiliar with how digital SLR cameras work, here's a quick primer.
SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. SLR cameras are known for their almost-zero lag time and fast shutter speed, making them ideal for action and sports photography and taking spontaneous shots. SLR cameras are also versatile in terms of how you capture images because these cameras have changeable lenses.
Aside from versatility and speed, the best SLR cameras are also known to produce top-notch quality shots because of their large image sensors. If you use an SLR camera, what you see on your viewfinder or LCD screen is exactly what your lens also sees. This allows you to have better aim and focus when taking pictures. However, if you read through SLR camera reviews, you'll encounter terms and phrases like Live View and Auto-focus. The latter is pretty much self-explanatory; it's a camera feature that automatically focuses on the subject. Live View, on the other hand, is a feature that allows you to view on your LCD screen the image and range that the camera's lens is picking up.
However, what you see in the camera's Live View LCD screen or viewfinder isn't always 100% accurate. Meaning, there are still certain factors such as coverage and brightness in using the viewfinder. Coverage refers to the percentage of the image that the camera's sensor will capture once you take the photo. Most viewfinders are only able to provide a preview of 95% of what the sensor will capture.
The brightness of the viewfinder also varies from camera to camera. In this case, brightness refers to the clarity of the image that you see. A digital SLR camera with a bright viewfinder lets you see details clearly and thus make it easier to do manual focusing on your subject. If you want to know in detail how an SLR camera works and its advantages over compact digital cameras, you can browse through online tutorials, or ask your photographer friends for advice and recommendations before you get an SLR camera of your own.
Getting the perfect camera, is never an easy thing, especially with the way digital technology is constantly changing. Fortunately, there are plenty of helpful websites online, that can narrow down your search and help you find the camera with all thefeatures important to you. |
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