TYPES OF CAMERAS

very much like a traditional film camera. There are indeed upsides to this technology, which is that the camera bodies work with all previous lens models and their mounts are all the same. In addition, you get an optical view finder, which means you are seeing the actual scene through the viewfinder and not a digital replica. However, because of the mirror in these cameras, there are certain limitations to how quickly the camera can take and process photos. You often have reduced “frame rates,” which equate to how many photos you can take per second. You also do not have the advantage of seeing realtime setting edits in your viewfinder like you might with the mirrorless varieties. That is, if you increase exposure in your camera, you’re still just looking at the actual scene through the optical viewfinder in DSLRs. In mirrorless cameras, the image projection matches the exposure you have dialed in, which can be quite helpful for accurately capturing the photo.

CROP-FRAME CAMERAS

The intro SLR camera (Single-Lens Reflex) has been setting the bar for many years, originating in the film days and progressing nicely into the digital age. Companies like Canon and Nikon have poured huge amounts of money for R&D into these, and the quality shows. Now, new sensors, processors and general tech are making their ways into smaller and lighter cameras that are getting more affordable all the time.

Being the model of what most modern photography is based on, having one of these in your bag means the sky is your limit. You can shoot on extreme time lapses, very high apertures, add on a multitude of accessories and offcamera flashes, and put on highly coveted big zoom lenses to get incredible wildlife shots at astonishingly good quality and resolution.

These cameras are probably responsible for putting many professional photographers out of business due to their relative affordability and superb quality in the hands of dedicated hobbyists and amateurs. In other words, these cameras are great.

However, they now have to compete with the smaller, lighter and potentially more affordable mirrorless cameras described in the previous section. As a result, companies that are firmly vested in the DSLR world are doing everything they can to make these bodies lighter, better quality and generally more attractive.