(D)SLRs
SLR (Single Lens Reflex) cameras have a very sophisticated mechanism that - in most cases - also requires complex knowledge of photography to take good pictures. I do not necessarily say that SLRs are strictly for pros, but I do say however that you need to know the very basics of theoretical photography to get things done. (Unless you have your DSLR turned to full auto, but in that case, why buy an expensive SLR camera???)
What is SLR? SLR is a description of the picture-taking mechanism of this particular type of camera. May this be a digital or a film camera, the mechanism is common: a mirror and the shutter curtain protects the media or the sensor from light until the exposure. The mirror is responsible primarily for you to be able to find your view - as you probably already guessed: through the viewfinder. The shutter curtain is the final bastion that protects the media from light. When you expose, the mirror flips up - giving way for light all the way to the shutter curtains - where finally they control the light, according to a speed setting. Finally the shutter flips up then down again after the exposure time has passed.
As partly mentioned before, DSLRs - due to their computerized nature - of course have a full-auto mode. With this mode the photographer can still use professional equipment to quickly capture moments that they would otherwise miss if they had to set up their camera step-by-step in manual.
Older SLR cameras that work with film will probably just have a built-in lightmeter that tells us how over or underexposed our picture will be. However aside from this, the camera has to be set up manually to caputre the scene properly.
What is SLR? SLR is a description of the picture-taking mechanism of this particular type of camera. May this be a digital or a film camera, the mechanism is common: a mirror and the shutter curtain protects the media or the sensor from light until the exposure. The mirror is responsible primarily for you to be able to find your view - as you probably already guessed: through the viewfinder. The shutter curtain is the final bastion that protects the media from light. When you expose, the mirror flips up - giving way for light all the way to the shutter curtains - where finally they control the light, according to a speed setting. Finally the shutter flips up then down again after the exposure time has passed.
As partly mentioned before, DSLRs - due to their computerized nature - of course have a full-auto mode. With this mode the photographer can still use professional equipment to quickly capture moments that they would otherwise miss if they had to set up their camera step-by-step in manual.
Older SLR cameras that work with film will probably just have a built-in lightmeter that tells us how over or underexposed our picture will be. However aside from this, the camera has to be set up manually to caputre the scene properly.
Nikon DSLR
Canon DSLR cutaway
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Canon SLR
Old SLR Open
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