A digital SLR camera or a single lens reflex (SLR) camera is one of the
most popular cameras amongst photographers today. These cameras not only
provide high quality images but the photographer can also largely control
how he wants the final product to look like. Hence, people who are extremely
fond of clicking pictures have a great time while using a SLR camera.
If you have a creative spark in you then you will want to consider one
of these at some point. I am using a Canon Rebel right now but the Nikon
F6 is next on my horizon of my purchases. These are moving into the 8
mp and up range now so the quality is quite good.
The SLR is not cheap at all. The price historically started at about $5,000
- which is very steep. So, only those who are either professionals or
wannabes purchased an SLR for themselves. Nowadays however, in order to
make the SLR available to a larger number of photographers, companies
such as Canon and Nikon have come up with SLRs falling in the price range
of around $1000 without extra lenses.
What is it that attracts people to an SLR ? One of the main reasons is
that an SLR produces pictures which are of much higher quality than point-and-shoot
cameras. The contrast and color are extremely good since the lenses used
in an SLR are of very good quality. It is an old maxim in the photography
world that much of the quality in your images comes from the glass you
put in front of the camera. The better the glass the better the photo,
it worked in the film days and it still works in the digital age. The
camera is important but don't skimp on the lens.
The photographer can change the lenses in an SLR, depending upon the shot
that he/she plans to take. For example, a wide angle lens is used to take
pictures of landscapes such as animals in the wild while telephoto lenses
help to take extremely detailed pictures of small objects. Thus, one can
pick and choose according to the environmental needs. Today some of the
manufacturers have started building in image stabilization to their lenses.
This really helps when taking long focal length images. While it uses
additional power it can be extremely useful.
In addition to the above, the creative opportunity available to the photographer
is much more in a SLR than a regular camera. This is because of the fact
that a SLR has a lower contrast and image sharpening features. Hence,
the photographer can do a lot of editing on his own to get the kind of
effect that he desires. This can be viewed as a disadvantage as well by
those who are not truly photo enthusiasts. So, for you guys, a point-and-shoot
camera is the best option as not only is it cheaper but also adjusts things
automatically.
Since a SLR is comparitvely more expensive than other digital cameras,
it is very important that you get yourself a proper insurance for the
camera. Especially if you plan to travel a lot with your SLR, insurance
is extremely important. And also make sure that damage protection does
form a part of the insurance deal as some insurance policies do not provide
it. So, read the fine print before signing on the dotted line !
Author information:
Kevin Rockwell worked as a network TV cameraman for 20 years shooting
news and sports. Now a devoted fan of digital photography and video he
works to gather information, tips and news for digital camera users. Oh
and he loves to shoot pictures of his kids playing sports.
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