Step 2 - Understand the Jargon

If someone asked you "What is a digital SLR?" could you give them an answer?

Do you know what all of these digital SLR terms mean: megapixels, anti-shake, ISO, buffer and metering mode?

You should know before you start to shop.

When you understand digital SLR jargon you'll be able to find a camera with all of the features you need, and none of the extras you don't.

If you've been wondering "what is a digital SLR?" I'm not all that surprised.

Many consumers are much more familiar with compact digital cameras, since these models have flooded the marketplace.

Like cell phones, it's hard to walk down the street these days without seeing someone snapping a photo. Digital SLR cameras are far less common, and up until 2005 were really only used by professionals.

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

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

 

SLR Defined

SLR is an acronym: it stands for Single Lens Reflex.

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

• With an SLR camera, you see exactly what the lens sees
• You can change the lens on a digital SLR
• Digital SLRs have large image sensors that produce high-quality photos
• An SLR has a near-zero lag time, and is ideal for action photography

Bottom line? Digital SLR cameras are versatile.

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

With an SLR in your hands you can rest assured that you'll only miss great photo opportunities because you weren't prepared, not because your camera was too slow.

Differences Between SLRs and Digital Compacts

The first major difference between SLRs and digital compact cameras is what prevents most people from buying an SLR: Price.

Even though digital SLR prices have come down each and every year, they are still significantly more expensive than their compact cousins.

Size and Weight

Anyone who wants a camera that fits in their pocket can forget all about digital SLRs.

Size and weight is the second most obvious difference between SLR and compact digital cameras after price. Even a small-sized digital SLR camera is twice the size and bulk of a compact camera.

While there are many new digital SLR models that are more portable (and are easier to travel with) the addition of a lens to your camera ensures that you'll never be able to stow it away in your shirt pocket or purse.

If you'd like the higher image quality of a digital SLR but don't want a huge heavy camera, then consider a mirrorless DSLR - they're more the size of compacts but capture DSLR-like photos (and you can change lenses).

 

Professional Movies

Prior to 2008, digital SLRs with video did not exist.

Digital SLR cameras could only take stills, and many people were suprised that these big expensive cameras could not capture video clips like their tiny compact cousins.

All that is now in the past: virtually all DSLRs released since 2008 include a High Definition (HD) video capture mode.

But the one thing that really sets DSLR video apart from compact video is the ability to change lenses.

Since you can change lenses on your DSLR, you can capture videos that look more like movies: extreme wide-angle shots, close-ups and backgrounds thrown nicely out of focus can all be achieved with a digital SLR.

This explains why many small independent film companies now use DSLRs as their camera of choice. Compared to the price of a high-end digital video camera, a DSLR is pretty cheap.

 

Manual Zoom

Compact digital cameras have electronic zooms: push a button (or lever) and the camera's lens zooms in and out.

Since all digital SLR lenses can be removed from the camera body, the zoom mechanisms are entirely manual: to change the view you have to twist a ring on the lens.

This manual zoom actually results in a faster zoom: you don't have to wait for the motors to move the lens in and out, you can twist the zoom ring as fast or slow as you like.

 

Zoom Range

Since we're on the topic of lenses, let's talk about another difference between SLR and compact digital cameras: zoom range.

There are many compact cameras on the market today with "mega-zooms". These cameras have 10x or 12x zooms and are capable of taking both wide angle and telephoto shots.

In order to cover a similar range with a digital SLR you have one of two options:

• Buy a mega-zoom lens: these give you the same zoom power as a 10x zoom on a compact.
• Buy two zoom lenses: with one wide-angle zoom.

If tons of zoom range is important to you, the compact is clearly the more economical solution.

So What Should You Buy?

Even though I've talked about the difference between SLR and digital compact cameras you still might be on the fence.

Here are a few questions that might help you make up your mind:

• Do you want to take more professional-looking photos?
• Do you want to create high-definition home movies?
• Do you want to be able to change the lens attached to your camera?
• Do you want more control over the photos that you take?
• Are you sick and tired of the slow speed of your compact camera?
• Do you want to take lots of photos in dim light?

If you answered YES to every question, get a digital SLR. You'll be happier in the long run.

If you answered NO or MAYBE to one or more, then consider a digital compact or mirrorless DSLR instead.

Let's Define Digital SLR Terms

This page defines digital SLR terms and lets you explore more articles that will help you become fluent in digital SLR tech jargon.

It's not rocket science, it only seems that way when it's presented with tons of charts and graphs.

The contents of this "digital SLR dictionary" are written in plain English and make no assumptions about your level of photographic expertise.

Since photography is a visual medium, you won't just be reading a lot of text - I've included plenty of illustrative photos to help make these features clear.

Ready to get started? Let's define some digital SLR terms!