SLR Cameras: 7 capabilities they offer that digicams don’t

Prior to entering into the SLR (single lens reflex) camera world, I would see others toting those larger, heavier, more cumbersome cameras around and wondered if my photos would benefit from one. The obvious answer is yes, but only if I were to spend the time to learn how to take advantage of its features.

It’s clear that these more serious cameras are not for everyone. In this article I will share 7 reasons one may ponder in determining whether they need one.

Following are some images of the different camera types:

Digicam

Digicam

SLR Camera

SLR

It’s clear that the digicam has the distinct advantage of a much smaller, more compact, form factor. This, combined with their ease of use, makes them a fine choice for the casual photographer. However, while the digicam excels at taking “snapshots”, the SLR camera takes ”photos”.

Here is a list of capabilities SLR cameras offer:

blur background to make your subject standout
manually select high shutter speed for photographing fast moving subjects, i.e., sports, air show
diverse lens selection, from extreme wide angle to super telephoto
add-on, dedicated, flash capability
better quality flash
better control of flash, direct v. indirect lighting
manual exposure control for tricky lighting conditions

If the items in this list are not important to you, then there is no need to invest in an SLR camera. If, however, you believe your photography would benefit from the increase in capabilities and functionality then you may wish to pick one up.

Please note that this list is not intended to be all-inclusive, rather, it’s the elements I value that are not available to me with a simpler digicam. What would you add to this list?

chris@clawblog.com

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