If you want to buy a new digital camera, you will have the choice between approximately three types of cameras: a compact camera, a bridge camera and a reflex (or DSLR) camera. Which type of camera is best for you depends on what you intend to do with it and your budget. So let’s talk a little about each type:
The compact digital camera type (sometimes called digicam or “point and shoot” cameras): this is certainly the most common type of digital camera there is. It is a camera for basic everyday use and it’s cheap. As there is a wide range of such cameras with very different features, it is very difficult to give a general definition. But let’s throw some general remarks. First, everyday manufacturers improve their cameras so even those “digicams” tend to become more and more sophisticated. But I guess a professional photographer would only reluctantly use one of those for at least these reasons: limited zoom capabilities, often no viewfinders (this is the place you put your eye to see what the camera sees and that existed before the digital screen almost every camera come with today), lots of automatic settings and lack of manual controls, weak non-interchangeable flash, non-interchangeable lens, only compressed image format saving type (often jpeg), no image stabilizer, etc. To be short, a compact camera is your usual point and shoot camera that you bring everywhere with you to shoot casual friends, party, vacation pics. Example (and correct me if I’m wrong): most of the Canon Powershot series, most of the Nikon Coolpix series (please give examples so that no manufacturer gets jealous), etc.
The bridge digital camera type (also called prosumer camera): this type of camera is a mix between the above mentioned compact camera and a high-end reflex camera. It seems that the name bridge comes from the fact that they fill the gap between the world of consumer type compact cameras and professional type reflex cameras. Most modern bridge cameras seem to share more features with the reflex world than with the compact world. A very basic definition would be to say that a bridge is “like a reflex” except for the fact that you cannot interchange your lenses. But you have to be cautious with this definition. A more precise definition would be to say that a bridge camera lacks a “reflex mirror”. In a higher end reflex camera, what the camera sees is basically “projected” into the viewfinder though a set of mirrors and other optical pieces. Bridge and compact cameras use a different method for previewing what the camera sees that is called live-preview. Here what the camera sees through its lens is projected into the camera’s sensor and then electronically directed to the camera’s screen and/or an electronic viewfinder. One advantage of this type of previewing is that you can record short videos, what a reflex camera learnt only recently to do. One disadvantage is that this can be slow for some uses. Bridge cameras often have an image stabilizer (meaning something that can correct the fact that your hand shake when you take a picture), can shoot in compressed or raw (not always) format, has good optical zoom capabilities, more manual controls, etc. Many examples out there: Panasonic DMC-FZ8, Nikon Coolpix 8800, Canon PowerShot S3, etc.
The digital single lens reflex camera type (also called reflex camera or DSLR): this camera type is generally a high-end, expert or professional type camera. As mentioned above, a DSLR has an optical preview method: what the camera sees is basically “projected” into the viewfinder though a set of mirrors and other optical pieces and produces a better quality preview than most electronic methods. A DSLR also has interchangeable lenses, meaning you can change your lens according to what you need to do. Most of the time DSLRs are sold without any lenses and you have to buy a compatible lens separately. Those cameras are the digital counterpart of film single lens reflex cameras. They have all the features of bridge cameras and more, offer manual settings for almost everything, and has most of the time a larger and better image sensor than the above types. But those cameras are usually expensive, especially if you have to buy a separate lenses. But nowadays you can find entry level DSLRs at “affordable” (meaning not 5000$) prices. Examples: Canon EOS 450D, Nikon D3, Pentax K20D, etc.
Hope this will help you sort things out. To be honest, there is more than three types of camera (particularly if you want a pro camera) out there but this is to remain accessible. I will recommend this excellent site www.dpreview.com for further information.
The compact digital camera type (sometimes called digicam or “point and shoot” cameras): this is certainly the most common type of digital camera there is. It is a camera for basic everyday use and it’s cheap. As there is a wide range of such cameras with very different features, it is very difficult to give a general definition. But let’s throw some general remarks. First, everyday manufacturers improve their cameras so even those “digicams” tend to become more and more sophisticated. But I guess a professional photographer would only reluctantly use one of those for at least these reasons: limited zoom capabilities, often no viewfinders (this is the place you put your eye to see what the camera sees and that existed before the digital screen almost every camera come with today), lots of automatic settings and lack of manual controls, weak non-interchangeable flash, non-interchangeable lens, only compressed image format saving type (often jpeg), no image stabilizer, etc. To be short, a compact camera is your usual point and shoot camera that you bring everywhere with you to shoot casual friends, party, vacation pics. Example (and correct me if I’m wrong): most of the Canon Powershot series, most of the Nikon Coolpix series (please give examples so that no manufacturer gets jealous), etc.
The bridge digital camera type (also called prosumer camera): this type of camera is a mix between the above mentioned compact camera and a high-end reflex camera. It seems that the name bridge comes from the fact that they fill the gap between the world of consumer type compact cameras and professional type reflex cameras. Most modern bridge cameras seem to share more features with the reflex world than with the compact world. A very basic definition would be to say that a bridge is “like a reflex” except for the fact that you cannot interchange your lenses. But you have to be cautious with this definition. A more precise definition would be to say that a bridge camera lacks a “reflex mirror”. In a higher end reflex camera, what the camera sees is basically “projected” into the viewfinder though a set of mirrors and other optical pieces. Bridge and compact cameras use a different method for previewing what the camera sees that is called live-preview. Here what the camera sees through its lens is projected into the camera’s sensor and then electronically directed to the camera’s screen and/or an electronic viewfinder. One advantage of this type of previewing is that you can record short videos, what a reflex camera learnt only recently to do. One disadvantage is that this can be slow for some uses. Bridge cameras often have an image stabilizer (meaning something that can correct the fact that your hand shake when you take a picture), can shoot in compressed or raw (not always) format, has good optical zoom capabilities, more manual controls, etc. Many examples out there: Panasonic DMC-FZ8, Nikon Coolpix 8800, Canon PowerShot S3, etc.
The digital single lens reflex camera type (also called reflex camera or DSLR): this camera type is generally a high-end, expert or professional type camera. As mentioned above, a DSLR has an optical preview method: what the camera sees is basically “projected” into the viewfinder though a set of mirrors and other optical pieces and produces a better quality preview than most electronic methods. A DSLR also has interchangeable lenses, meaning you can change your lens according to what you need to do. Most of the time DSLRs are sold without any lenses and you have to buy a compatible lens separately. Those cameras are the digital counterpart of film single lens reflex cameras. They have all the features of bridge cameras and more, offer manual settings for almost everything, and has most of the time a larger and better image sensor than the above types. But those cameras are usually expensive, especially if you have to buy a separate lenses. But nowadays you can find entry level DSLRs at “affordable” (meaning not 5000$) prices. Examples: Canon EOS 450D, Nikon D3, Pentax K20D, etc.
Hope this will help you sort things out. To be honest, there is more than three types of camera (particularly if you want a pro camera) out there but this is to remain accessible. I will recommend this excellent site www.dpreview.com for further information.
source : stuffforlife.blogspot.com
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