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SLR Cameras
What are SLR cameras?
SLR stands for single lens reflex. Unlike a regular point-and-shoot camera, an SLR camera allows you to see precisely what the lens is seeing. Here's a simplified explanation of how it works. Light enters the lens and hits a mirror inside the camera. The mirror then reflects the light up into the camera's viewfinder. Only an SLR camera enables the photographer to see the image in front of them exactly as it will appear in the final picture.
SLR cameras operate on the through-the-lens, or TTL, principal. You view, focus and meter the image directly through the lens. Because the light meter is located behind the focusing lens instead of in front of it, the meter monitors the amount of light that will hit the film or image sensor rather than the lens. Overall accuracy is greatly enhanced.
Another reason for the SLR camera's popularity is the fact that you can change its lens. For instance, you could switch to a wide-angle lens to take a panoramic. Or you can intentionally distort the image by using a special fisheye lens.
Compact cameras have fixed lenses that cannot be interchanged. SLR cameras, by contrast, are actually made up of two separate and detachable parts. There's the body, which is the "brain" of the camera and contains the film or image sensor. Then, of course, there's the lens, which can be completely removed.
You have far more manual control over an SLR camera's settings than you do with a point-and-shoot camera. For instance, you can control aperture (the lens opening), as well as the speed of the shutter.
SLR cameras are perfect for medium to large prints. SLR cameras capture vivid colours and deep textures, making them perfect for weather or natural phenomena photography.
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