SLR Digital Camera
SLR digital cameras are more affordable than ever before, prompting many point-and-shoot users to reconsider their purchasing decisions. While the two types of cameras remain distinct in their capabilities and the purposes they serve, there is a slow but steady increase in overlap as technology improves and prices drop. So is the old SLR versus “P&S” debate still valid?
Well, yes – but for fewer and fewer reasons. For example, resolution used to be one of the major differences between SLR digital cameras and their more compact cousins, but increasingly point-and-shooters are being released to the market that can claim almost as many megapixels as an SLR. Note, however, that megapixels aren’t everything, and it’s possible, for any number of reasons, for a 10-megapixel compact to still be outclassed, performance-wise, by a dedicated SLR that utilizes only 8 megapixels.
This could be due to the quality of the image sensors used in the SLR as compared to that found in the compact. Because compacts have to be, well, smaller, their sensors can be some 25 times smaller than those in an SLR digital camera. This means that each pixel in the compact collects fewer photos, for a picture that may turn out to be less sharp and clear! Ergo: A compact works at a lower ISO level, which yields more “noise” for grainier shots.
That’s one of the reasons why the old SLR vs. compact debate doesn’t look like it’ll lose much steam any time soon. There are just a lot of nuances like that involved. There’s a reason why SLR digital cameras are still preferred by professionals. This class of cameras offers much better image quality and is much more adaptable, with any variety of lenses to choose from. Other accessories are also more numerous, such as external filters and external flashes. By the same token, however, the quality of your picture can vary greatly depending on the lens used. With SLRs, the single most important factor in picture quality is, arguably, the lens. For example, a high-quality lens on a mediocre camera may actually produce better results than a mediocre lens on a high-quality camera!
There are many reasons to go (or stay!) SLR, but a final one for your thoughts: value. As in, SLRs hold their value. SLR cameras do not get updated as frequently, whereas compact point-and-shoots may see new versions released twice a year! All this also means that your investment in lenses is less likely to be wasted, though SLR lenses tend to be widely compatible with other camera bodies.
Article by William Gold. After extensive photography with Digital cameras William recommends a visit to http://www.go4cameras.com for Digital SLR Cameras and Compact Digital Cameras.
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