If you don't know what a digital SLR camera is in the first place, then you think you might not be interested in this article, but don't leave just yet! Digital SLR's are much better cameras than point and shoot cameras. Many photographers will tell you that the most important element of any camera is the lens. In fact, there are lenses out there that are significantly higher in price than the camera itself. All that is well and good, but what point am I making? Here's the point: a digital SLR camera will be a good investment for anyone who wants to take great photographs. Another point is the fact that camera prices have been falling and there's no time like the present to jump in. I will get into some features that you should expect when purchasing in a moment. First, SLR stands for single lens reflex, or to clarify, the camera directs light through the lens to the viewfinder. When you press the shutter button, the light is momentarily directed to the sensor element to capture the photo.
Digital SLR Camera Features: The Lens
As I mentioned in the article's introduction, the lens is arguably the most important element of the camera. Most people buy an SLR because they can interchange lenses. You must be careful in selecting your camera because there are cameras out there that are labeled as digital SLR cameras but have fixed lenses. A fixed lens SLR is very limited because you cannot change the lens. I would not recommend this type of camera. Anyway, if you are buying the camera for a specific type of photography like sports or nature photography, look at the available selections of lenses before you purchase the camera. If you really like a specific telephoto lens, make sure it is available for the camera you wish to purchase. If you are a plastic surgeon, as another example, make sure the macro lenses you want are available for the camera you wish to purchase.
Digital SLR Camera Features: Resolution
What resolution is acceptable? Well, it depends on the application of the camera. If you are taking passport photos, I would be hard pressed to recommend anything above 4 megapixels. Since most of us are not taking passport photos, I would get the highest resolution possible. If you want great images on large prints, I would recommend a sensor with at least 8 megapixels. Remember that as the technology progresses, higher megapixel count cameras will appear. Getting a digital SLR camera with a high megapixel sensor will yield great photos, but remember that you will need more memory to take those photos and the camera will take longer to write the images to that memory.
There are many more features to consider when buying a digital SLR camera. We have more information and tips on our website. We also discuss the major brands out there in detail. Feel free to take a look, we are open all night.
