What Does Slr Mean For Cameras

What is a Digital SLR?

To answer the question "what is a digital SLR" some tech jargon is required - simply I promise to apply at little as possible.

Many consumers are much more than familiar with compact digital cameras and smartphones that take pictures, since they are everywhere.

Cheers to the smartphone, it'due south hard to walk down the street these days without seeing someone snapping a photo. Digital SLR cameras are less mutual, and up until 2005 were merely used by professionals or photograph enthusiasts with deep pockets.

The good news is that the toll of digital SLRs keeps falling and many are competitive now with the high-terminate compact cameras. This also means that "regular" photographers are hearing about these cameras and aren't quite sure what they can do.

So what is a digital SLR? Permit's find out.

SLR Defined

SLR is an abbreviation: it stands for Southingle Lens Reflex.

Now you know what SLR stands for simply that doesn't actually help answer the question, does it? Let's define further:

With an SLR camera, you see exactly what the lens sees
You tin change the lens on a digital SLR
Digital SLRs have big prototype sensors that produce high-quality photos
An SLR has a almost-goose egg lag time, and is ideal for action photography

Bottom line? Digital SLR cameras are versatile.

You can accept photos of everything from sleeping kittens to race cars and you'll never be limited past your camera.

With an SLR in your hands yous tin can rest assured that yous'll only miss nifty photo opportunities because you weren't prepared, not considering your camera wasn't able to get the shot.

The Anatomy of a Digital SLR

To properly answer "what is a digital SLR?" you lot have to understand a bit about the mechanics of an SLR camera.

In society to avoid getting overly technical I've simplified this diagram and am highlighting the key elements. Those interested in the infinitesimal details tin read about Unmarried-lens reflex cameras on Wikipedia.

Light passes through the lens and strikes a mirror (dark-green)
The mirror reflects the lite upward to a focusing screen
Light passes through the focusing screen and enters a block of glass called a pentaprism (orange)
The pentaprism reflects the epitome so that you tin see information technology in the viewfinder
When you take a photo, the mirror flips up and a shutter (bluish) opens that exposes the digital sensor (cherry) to calorie-free

This is a great instance of what-yous-see-is-what-you-get. By using the viewfinder you tin can precisely etch your paradigm and adjust the focus.

Is the image that you see in the viewfinder 100% accurate? In near cases it isn't. If you read digital SLR camera reviews, you may hear a lot nigh viewfinder "coverage" and "effulgence".

Many digital SLR viewfinders only show y'all 95% of the image that will be captured by the sensor - this is what "coverage" refers to. Unless you are extremely precise when it comes to your photographs you won't notice the 5% difference.

Digital SLR viewfinders also vary in brightness, which is some other mode of maxim how clear the image appears. "Bright" viewfinders make it easier to employ transmission focus, since you can clearly meet the details of your subject.

A Lens for Every Occasion

In add-on to the pentaprism viewfinder, 1 of the cardinal features of any digital SLR camera is the ability to change lenses.

Most people think that the camera lone is responsible for capturing an image, but this isn't the case.

The lens that'south attached to it can play a huge role in the color, contrast and clarity of every single photograph that you take.

Owners of digital SLR cameras can buy lenses that match their photography fashion, since a landscape photographer should not use the aforementioned lens as a wildlife photographer.

The ability to swap lenses at whatsoever time adds to the versatility of a digital SLR camera, and ways that even if your photography needs change in a couple years, you won't have to buy a new camera, you lot'll just need a different lens.

Next Steps

Hopefully you're starting to feel more comfortable about this whole digital SLR camera affair.

If close friends popular the question "what is a digital SLR?" y'all'll be able to reply in an educated fashion (just throw out the term "pentaprism" and watch their eyes go wide).

Allow's take information technology a stride farther.

I am a digital SLR enthusiast - this web site probably gives that away. I remember that there are many advantages of digital SLR cameras.

Merely I as well know that a digital SLR isn't the right camera for everyone. The main drawback is their size — you tin't just shove a DSLR in your back pocket and be on your way.

If y'all've already considered this and are convinced that a digital SLR is the right photographic camera for y'all then it's time to define digital SLR terms.

A clear understanding of digital SLR jargon will help you determine which camera features you must have — and which ones you can alive without.

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