So you are thinking about buying an SLR camera but need to be convinced that spending the money to get one is worth it? Well I'm here to help you out and to show you how SLR cameras blow the flash off point and shoot cameras. SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex and is a type of digital camera that allows the user to switch between different lenses depending on their need.
1) Price. Be prepared to spend some money. When you buy an SLR you're getting just the camera body you have to purchase the lens,flash,carrying bag and external hard drive,which you will probably need,separately.Investing in a tripod will also make things easier for you as SLR cameras are heavier than point and shoot cameras. Many manufacturers offer starter kits that come with everything that you need to get you going but even these are going to run you about 0. Yes an SLR camera is an investment but they are worth it if you are serious about taking high-end photos.
2) Flexibility. Having the ability to switch from say a macro lens to a telephoto lens gives you more opportunities to photograph a wider range of subjects in greater detail.
3) Image Quality. Point and shoot cameras are no match for an SLR when it comes to image quality, this is really noticeable at ISO settings of 400 and above.
4) Speed. SLR cameras are built for it and depending on the make,model and lens setup are designed to take anywhere between 3 to 10 photographs per second. They do this by using a shutter and mirror system that work together to rapidly capture light and project it onto an image sensor.
5) No Digital Noise. If you closely examine a picture taken with a point and shoot camera you will see very tiny flecks. This is due to the image sensors being too small,they simply do not have the space to effectively handle say 5 million pixels. This causes them to interface which causes the flecks or digital noise,this problem really rears its ugly head in low light conditions. This is not an issue with an SLR camera due to its mirror/shutter way of capturing images.
6) Raw Mode. This mode is truly WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get). Pictures taken in this mode are unprocessed and uncompressed which gives you a much purer image. It also allows you a wide range of editing possibilities however to edit photos in raw mode you will need some additional software. My personal favorite is Lightroom by Adobe but there are others such as Paint Shop from Corel and Pro4 by ACDsee. The prices vary depending on the features so I would suggest checking on Amazon or eBay to find the best deal.
7) Instant On. With an SLR camera once you turn it on it's ON! and ready for action,unlike point and shoot cameras where there is a certain amount of lag time from when you turn it on to when it's ready to take a picture. Instant-On is perfect when you forget to turn your camera on and that perfect shot is quickly fading away.
8) Flashes. That dinky little flash that you see sitting on top of a point and shoot camera is NO match for a powerful flash gun! Many SLR cameras come equipped with a hot shoe or sync socket that allows you to attach a flash gun. A flash gun gives you more lighting options such as being able to bounce light off ceilings and walls,which diffuses the flash and eliminates red-eye.
The superiority of an SLR cameras is something that a serious photographer can appreciate yes they are expensive but that expense will be offset by the money you will save on having to buy film and having it processed,if you don't have a darkroom,and who knows once you get good you might even be able to sell some of those photos to a news agency or a magazine! Below is a few suggestions for some really good beginner SLR cameras and the links where you can learn more about them.
