What exactly are Digital SLR Cameras?

Justin — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 02:42:02 +0000

“Digital SLR Camera” is the quick way of saying “digital single lens reflex camera”. It gets its name from using a mirror system that directs light from a lens to an optical viewfinder. There are two basic types of digital SLR cameras, fixed lens cameras and interchangeable lens cameras. The interchangeable lens cameras have a lot more versatility in that they can shoot in multiple ways whereas the fixed lens limits you to one type of shot. Here are the main benefits of a SLR Camera:

Allows you to see exactly through the viewpoint of the lens.
Most SLR Cameras have interchangeable lens for versatility.
Photos are higher quality because of the large image sensors.
The single lens reflex technology is good for capturing fast moving objects.

Heres how it works:

Light goes into the lens and hits a mirror. (The mirror is represented as the green line)
The mirror proceeds to reflect the light to the focusing screen.
Then the light goes through the focusing screen and into the pentaprism. (The pentaprism is represented by the orange prism)
The pentaprism reflects the image to the viewfinder so you can see what you’re shooting.
When a photo is taken, a shutter opens and light is exposed to the digital sensor, capturing an image. (Sensor is represented as the red bar)

It can be a little confusing to understand but what it boils down to is a camera built to take crystal clear fast paced images.

Currently the best SLR Camera on the market is the Canon EOS Rebel T1i. If you have the money I would definitely go for this one.

You can view the current bestselling SLR Cameras by clicking here.