Digital Cameras – Compact v SLR – How to Make the Right Choice

There are many more compact digital cameras in general use compared to digital SLR cameras, mainly due to the price differential between the two.

Like the cellphone, the compact digital camera is now something most people carry around with them everyday. Not so the digital SLR which has always been a rarity unless you happened to know a professional photographer.

Not before time, due to market forces, you can now buy a digital SLR for around the same money as a top-end compact and whilst this has made them affordable to a whole new section of society, many folks are not sure quite how good these SLR’s are.

A key advantage of a digital SLR is speed when compared to a compact. The simple reason for the greater SLR speed is it’s mechanical operation whereas a compact uses electronics for the same function.

There’s a device called a shutter that sits in front of the digital SLR sensor, blocking it from light.When you take a photo, the shutter (made up of two curtains) opens and closes.

By comparison, a compact camera has no physical shutter mechanism but rather it’s sensor is activated electronically whenever you take a picture.

What this means in lay mans terms is that the instant you press the button on an SLR camera, the shutter opens and the picture is taken immediately. You just don’t get that delay you get with compacts which often means you’ve missed that brief moment of perfection.

It’s no easy task picking the right digital SLR for you, there are many factors to consider and the big manufacturers, Canon, Nikon etc. are constantly updating and introducing new models.

The main points to consider when making your choice should start with an appreciation of what it is you most want to photograph. Then work out which available cameras have the necessary functions to help you achieve this. Of your now shortened list, get further info and customer testimonials on each of the cameras. By now you should have a very small list, at this point you should do a price and package comparison and go with the camera that now offers you the best value.

What I like so much about picking a digital SLR camera using these steps is that no salesperson will be able to sell you more camera than you want or need, you’ll only have to compare prices for a few cameras’, you’ll be confident you’ve made the best choice when you go to buy your new camera, you won’t regret your purchase and you’ll have a great SLR that will last you for years to come.

The series of SLR Canon Rebel digital cameras have long been at the top of the bestsellers list, because with an ever expanding range of EOS and XTI cameras they are some of the most reliable, easy to use and value for money digital slr cameras on the market today.