As technology improves and digital cameras are becoming more and more affordable, I am getting asked more and more often about what types of digital cameras are best.  The question I get asked the most often is whether or not to get a DSLR.

DSLR stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex.  These cameras use a system of mirrors to reflect and direct light from the lens to the viewfinder of the camera. 

There are many benefits to owning a DSLR camera.  The main benefit is the detachable lens.  With a DSLR you can change the lens on your camera.  There are a wide variety of lenses available ranging from macro to fisheye to wide angle to telephoto to selective focus.  This allows for a much more creative range with your photography.  With a point and shoot camera, the photographer is limited to the lens that comes on the camera.  Besides the use of different lenses, DSLRs also have a shoe mount for an external flash unit.  This means that you can use a more powerful flash and are not limited to the pop-up flash on your camera.

Additionally, DSLRs have a larger, much more powerful image sensor. This means that you will have higher quality images with a DSLR with more detail, color depth, and dynamic range… as well as less noise and grain!  Basically, your images will look better.

A DSLR allows you to have full manual controls. You can choose what aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, etc. to use. You can even manually focus.  This means that as a photographer you have much more control over how your images look.

DSLRs are made out of a higher quality, sturdier material than digital point and shoots.  They’re tougher, stronger and tend to last a lot longer. Many of the higher-end DSLR models are even weather resistant.

Another great benefit of DSLR cameras is that there’s no shutter lag. As soon as you press the shutter button, it takes the picture. Newer point and shoot models are having less and less shutterlag, but it still doesn’t compare to the response time of a DSLR.  DSLR cameras also start up faster than digital point and shoot cameras.  Because they are faster and respond quicker, you can take more pictures in a shorter amount of time with a DSLR than you can with a digital point and shoot.

There are many advantages to owning a DSLR camera.  However, DSLRs can cost a lot more than point and shoot models- especially when you factor in the costs of lenses, speedlights, filters and other equipment!  Because point and shoot digital cameras are much more affordable than DSLRs, they are often preferred by amateurs, hobbyists, and snapshot shooters.

Also, point and shoot cameras are more compact.  It is not always practical to carry around a big, heavy DSLR.  With a point and shoot digital camera, you can keep it in your pocket and take it with you everywhere you go!  Because of their small size, point and shoot cameras can reach unique angles not accessable to larger DSLRs.

It is up to individual photographer to decide whether a DSLR or a point and shoot is needed.  Both have their advantages and disadvantages.  When deciding what type of camera to get, it is important to consider both your budget and what you will mostly be using your camera for.