Digital SLR Camera versus a Compact Digital Camera

Digital Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras are excellent cameras that produce clearer, sharper and more colourful images than most point and shoot digital cameras available. With prices falling rapidly, they are now more affordable then ever. With the price gap between an entry model digital SLR camera and the most expensive compact digital camera narrowing; the question is? do I spend the extra money and get a Digital SLR camera? or save a few hundred dollars and purchase the best digital compact camera.

Well, it really depends on your budget; however if you do spend the extra money, here's what you get:

In addition to the price falls in the Digital SLR models, the performance on these cameras has increased year on year with the latest Digital SLR cameras being quicker and faster than ever before. They have improved to such an extent that power up or start-up time is near instantaneous with virtually no lag time. "Lag time is the time between you pressing the shutter release button and the camera actually taking the shot". This delay can vary quite a bit between different camera models and it is one of the biggest drawbacks compared to a compact digital camera. The latest digital SLR cameras have virtually no lag times and react in the same way as conventional film cameras, even in burst mode. Compact digital cameras are catching up; however the difference is still significant. A lag time of ~0.5 seconds can result in you missing the heartbeat of the moment and hence that potential great picture.

Digital SLR camera also has a larger sensor versus a smaller sensor in a compact digital camera. This equates to higher sensitivity and less noise and results in the camera taking clearer pictures in low light. (They also have better autofocus speed in low light as well). A measure of sensitivity in a digital camera is ISO and a typical ISO range for a Digital SLR camera varies from ISO 100 ? 1600 with the latter being more sensitive. The ISO range for a compact digital camera varies from ISO 50 ? 400. In summary, the higher the ISO rating, the greater the sensitivity and the better the photo can be taken in low light.

The Digital SLR cameras have a much longer battery life due to the limited use of the LCD screen. Please note, that as the LCD screen is only used for viewing the image, the battery life of a digital SLR can allow up to 2000 shots per charge in some cameras compared to 500 for a good point and shoot digital camera.

Digital SLR cameras also allow you to interchange lens such as adding a zoom or macro lens when required.

On the negative side of a Digital SLR camera; They are usually larger and heavier than compact digital cameras, the image cannot be previewed on the LCD screen prior taking the picture. If you really require the image to be viewed on the LCD prior to taking the picture, there are third party manufacturers that produce LCD screens that attaches to the viewfinder and allow the scene to be view just like a compact digital camera. The other drawback is the inability to take videos and finally, lenses are expensive with the majority costing more than the camera itself.

Although compact digital cameras cannot compete on features with a Digital SLR camera, they are great value, have the ability to take videos and are portable. If you have decided to purchase a Digital SLR camera I recommend you visit www.infodigitalcamera.com to find additional information on Digital SLR camera. If you are still undecided, purchase both.

Virginia Wong is an IT consultant and has a passion for digital photography. Her research into digital camera resulted in the development of http://www.infodigitalcamera.com

---

The Truth About Pixels - Part I: Digital Cameras

Most digital cameras today boast of greater resolution and picture... Read More

Photography 101 Part 3

ContentEven if you feel that you already know what kind... Read More

10 Steps to Buying a Digital Camera You Must Know

You are anxious to purchase your new digital camera! You... Read More

Everybody is Fixing Their House or Apartment Up These Days. Use That Digital Camera to Capture

That's right, you go through all the trouble of making... Read More

Getting The Right Digital Camera For You

There are really great advantages in digital photography:You can shoot... Read More

A New Way to Use Old Snapshots

If you're like me, you have hundreds of photographs sitting... Read More

Disposable Cameras for Weddings

Disposable wedding cameras (also called single-use cameras) will never replace... Read More

Applications of Underwater Video Cameras

There's so much you can do with an underwater video... Read More

How To Make A Time-Lapse Video With Your Digital Video Camera

Getting the most out of your digital video camera can... Read More

Photography - Rules of Composition

Composition is defined as the combining of distinct parts or... Read More

Who Had The Better Brushes Leonardo or Michelangelo?

Ordinary photos of dull subjects do actually sell, but the... Read More

HP Digital Cameras - History and Beyond

HP has started making digital cameras only recently. However, the... Read More

Better Photos with Your Digital Camera

Everyone has a digital camera today and we all take... Read More

Transfer The Digital Camera Images To Your Computer

There are a few very important tasks associated with using... Read More

Memories That Get Lost

How many people have pictures in a shoe box? In... Read More

Taking Professional Quality Pictures

By now I'm sure you've used Either a digital or... Read More

Buying Your Child A Digital Camera - What You Need To Know

Purchasing any gift item for your child is a mind-numbing... Read More

Start Up a Nude Photography Business

There are major obstacles to overcome to get into nude... Read More

Is Film Better than Digital for Weddings?

As a professional wedding photographer I get this question asked... Read More

A Guide to Underwater Cameras

There are two types of underwater camera systems: an ""amphibious""... Read More

Digital Image Files ? Megapixels, Megabytes, or DPI?

When I promised readers that I was going to do... Read More

Stock Your Kit with Digital Camera Accessories

There are a large number of digital camera accessories available... Read More

How to Make Your Production Look a Lot Slicker for £40 More

Tight BudgetsTight budgets are common these days. But the demand... Read More

Picture Framing for Photographers - Part 1

Imagine being able to frame all your own photographs just... Read More

Digital Camera Reviews and Ratings De-Mystify the Choices

Shopping for a new digital camera can be quite frustrating... Read More

Selecting Good Stock Photography in the Age of Digital

The business of stock photography has drastically changed over the... Read More

Safari Wildlife Photography Top Four Tips

I've been practising wildlife photography on safari for over twenty... Read More

Fuji Digital Cameras

Fuji digital cameras entered the market in the late 90's.... Read More

Nude Art Photography

Nude photography is the genre of art photography, whose subject... Read More

How to Photograph Your Baby

Babies make the best and the worst subjects to photograph.... Read More

Is Digital Photography Expensive?

Being such a fascinating device as the digital camera, this... Read More

Removing Cracks and Creases when Restoring Old Photos ? 5 Minute Digital Fix

A common problem with old photos is that they often... Read More

Digital Camera Metering

Looking at the most intricate details of the digital camera... Read More