Digital SLR reviews: What is a digital SLR?
Digital SLR cameras are the choice of professionals and keen amateurs
Digital SLRs: the professional's choice
Digital single lens reflex cameras (digital SLRs) are the choice of professionals and keen amateurs. Sales are climbing, thanks to falling prices and an increased choice.
Versatile digital SLRs
A key difference between a digital SLR and a standard digital camera is that on a digital SLR camera you can change the lens.
You can buy lenses to give you different zoom ranges, and higher levels of picture quality than standard cameras. Some lenses are very expensive, but the image quality they can produce is stunning.
We tested each of our digital SLR cameras with the standard kit lens that's often sold with the digital SLR body. With the kit lens, the best digital SLR and lens combinations take everyday pictures that are about as good as those from Best Buy standard digital cameras.
But given more challenging environmental conditions, such as outdoors at sunset or in other low-light conditions, good digital SLR and kit lens combinations do better than standard digital cameras, producing sharper, less grainy pictures.
A higher quality lens gives even better pictures, but at times you have to look closely to tell the difference.
Speed and convenience of digital SLR cameras
Digital SLR cameras are very quick; quicker than standard cameras. Turn them on, and most are ready to shoot almost instantly.
Shutter delay, that bane of photographers, is shorter (especially if a high-quality lens is fitted), and shot-to-shot time in both burst mode and in single shot mode is quicker, too.
Digital SLR cameras also have more buttons and dials on the body to help you access settings quicker and easier. This is a key advantage when you only have a short time to take your shot.
Though heavier than pocketable cameras, many find them easier to hold due to their ergonomic design and comfortable handgrips.
Despite all the features and creative controls on a digital SLR camera, if you stick them in full automatic mode, they are really easy to use.
Downsides to digital SLR cameras
They can be expensive, especially when you factor in cost of lenses and other accessories, and weight can be an issue – more so if you have more than one lens to carry.
Not all digital SLRs have movie modes, and only some have an LCD live preview to enable you to compose your shots on the screen.
Dust can also be a problem. When changing lenses, there's a risk that dust can enter and cause problems (see FAQs for more information). Many digital SLR cameras now have anti-dust features that help, though