SLR Digital Camera

What is an SLR digital camera?

An SLR digital camera or digital Single-Lens Reflex camera ( digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that uses an automatic mirror system placed between the lens and the image sensor to direct the image from the lens through the viewfinder. Then the image is viewed by the photographer. This viewfinder includes a matte focusing screen at its focal plane, which allows accurate focusing and to allow the light into the prism that directs the light through the viewfinder.

Just as in regular film SLRs, the through the lens optical viewing is primarily to support accurate fast view finding with interchangeable lenses.

The basic operation of the SLR digital camera or digital SLR, having the mirror reflecting the image away from the image sensor except briefly during the exposure, precludes the ability to see the image in the LCD display before the picture is taken. This a major difference from the way an ordinary digital camera ( digicam ) works. Some newer digital SLR models feature an option called the "live preview" that does allow the image to be seen on the LCD display. Although this may be an option you would want is does present certain limitations of the camera's over all features when the optical viewfinder disabled.

If you are accustom to the SLR features of the standard cameras and want this feature on a digital camera it is available, but normally at a higher price. The basic principles of operations of the SLR digital camera in most other respects is very similar to the standard digital camera. The image captured by camera is processed electronically and stored on a removable memory device. The price range and extra features and options available vary widely from model to model, but are normally higher than a standard digital camera, and as usual, newer and better models arrive every year.

The ability to exchange lenses is the reason an SLR digital camera is so popular. It give you the opportunity to select the best lens or specialized lens attachment for the current photographic need.

Digital SLR Lens

Lenses for a digital SLR or SLR digital camera are normally built to work with a specific lens mount. Typically you will use lenses made by the same manufacturer as the camera body, i.e., Canon camera lenses on a Canon body. There are, however, many compatible lenses made by optics companies which will work with different cameras. These are sometimes called after-market camera lens. There are also adapters that allow a camera lens for one lens mount to be used on a camera body with a different camera lens mount, although typically with reduced functionality.  The after-market normally work very will and meet the standards of the camera for which they were intended, at a much reduced price.

The SLR digital camera is much more versatile and can give you that more professional shot, but it and the accompanying lens are a lot heaver than the standard digicam, which may limit you carrying it around all day.