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| 'KEY FEATURES DSLR' |
LOW-LIGHT
CAPABILITY
If you’re likely
to want to shoot in low light, whether it’s sunset landscapes or cosy jazz
club, good low-light performance is must. Most DSLRs can shoot at ISO 3200 and
some go to ISO 6400, but performance varies a lot between different cameras. A higher
ISO speed makes the sensor more sensitive, meaning it can shoot with less
light. Some pro DSLRs can shoot it pitch black conditions and still produce
reasonable quality result.
IMAGE
STABILISATION
Also known as
anti-shake or vibration reduction, this is either built into the lenses (Nikon,
Canon) or is sensor-based and built into the camera itself (Sony, Pentax,
Olympus). Though it’s considered that lens-based stabilisation is slightly
better, it lenses to get the benefit; sensor-based stabilisation works with any
lens.
BURST MODE/FRAME
RATE
Particularly
important for action and wildlife photographers is the ability to fire off a
number of images in quick succession. Even the most basic DSLRs now boast a
frame rate of 2.5fps but some are much faster. A good buffer memory is
important; it’s where images are stored before they’re saved. The large this
is, the more images you can shoot before it fills and the camera grinds to a
(temporary) halt.
ANTI DUST
Every time you
change the lens on your DSLR, tiny dust particles can enter the exposed lens
mount and land on your sensor, appearing as annoying marks on your pictures.
Dust is also created by wear and tear of the camera. Most manufacturers have a
dust-removal system that cleans the sensor in one way or another.
HD VIDEO
The increasing
popularity of shooting home movies or even professional films on DSLR mean that
the appearance of a high-definition video mode is becoming all the more
important. Plenty of DSLRs now offer the function, from the beginner EOS 550D
up to the pro end models.
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