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| 'DSLR' |
Digital SLRs
offer numerous advantages over compacts. Here are some key considerations to
think about when choosing a camera.
SIZE
Digital SLRs
vary greatly in size and weight. At the lower end of the market the beginner
models are light, with few buttons and easy-to-handle frame. Although the grip
position is different from the average compact, DSLRs are designed to feel
natural with the right hand holding the body, and the left supporting the lens.
Moving up through the DSLRs the bodies become sturdier and more resistant to
weather, and at the pro end of the scale can weigh over 1kg without a lens.
PIXELS
Don’t obsess
about the number of pixels a DSLR camera has. The more pixel are squeezed into
given space, the smaller they have to be, and this causes problems such as
image noise. A DSLR sensor is physically large than that of the average
compact, which means the pixels have more room to gather light and construct a
well-exposed image. As a result the megapixel rating on a DSLR may be extremely
similar to a compact, but the end quality far superior.
SENSOR TYPE
Even within
DSLRs there are different sensor size, although the two most common varieties
are APS-C and Full Frame. APS-C is the smaller variety found in beginner to
semi-pro models only. The increased scale vastly improves image quality and
file size.
SYSTEMS and
LENSES
Each
manufacturer uses a different mount for attaching lenses. Canon, Pentax and
Nikon utilize the same mount as their 35mm range, whereas Sony make use of the
Minolta SLR mount meaning each model produced by those manufacturers offers an
amount of compatibility with older lenses. Olympus has a bespoke system that
doesn’t have any magnification issues which can appear on standard lenses when
being used on APS-C bodies. Third-party manufacturer such as Sigma for multiple
systems.
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