The Dummies guide to Digital SLR Cameras: Part I

If you want to move up from your point-shoot camera and get more serious about photography, you need an SLR. Infinitely better images, more control over the picture and endless range via interchangeable lenses are just a few excuses. They’re getting cheaper and cheap enough for you to not take a loan, which might engulf the nation in a sub prime crisis.

For the uninitiated, here’s a short explanation of what an SLR camera is all about. It features only one lens and hence is termed as a ‘Single Lens Reflex’ camera. There is a “reflex mirror” which transmits the light to eyepiece. And when a photo is clicked, this mirror tilts to send the light scurrying to its momma, the image sensor, which records the image.

Jargon Buster

Live View

Previewing your image is something you take for granted on a normal digital camera, but on an SLR, pre viewing the image is not such a matter-of-fact thing. There is a load of mirror movement involved in getting the picture on the screen.

Sony, who brought over Konica Minolta’s flogging SLR camera business, has developed the fastest Live View with a neat tilting penta-prism.

Image Stabilization (IS)

This is more of a requirement on smaller cameras and not really on comparatively heavy SLR’s. It corrects minor shakes that happen due to clicking or mildly trembling hands. Eliminates the need for a tripod or such like.

Image Sensor

This is where the image is recorded. It converts the light that falls on it into a string of 0’s and 1’s which is your final image.

Aperture – The light enters through a small opening which is termed as the aperture. This can be set to allow more or less light, according to the way you want to set up your shot.
Think of this as the iris in the human eye. When there is more light, the iris contracts to allow less light and when there is less light, the iris relaxes to allow more light in. Of course, you have complete control over the aperture in an SLR, which dictates how much light will be there in your image.

Lenses and lens ratings

The biggest USP of an SLR is having an extensive range via interchangeable lenses. You can fix lenses to suit your purposes and fancies.

You get an idea of how long or wide the lens is by looking at the ‘mm’ rating, no ‘x’ ratings here.

Let’s take an 18-55mm lens for example, which is usually the default lens from most manufacturers.The lower value, 18, is how wide you can go while the higher rating, 55, is how far you can go.
If you still want to be a baby and you need to know what the optical zoom rating is, subtract the lower from the higher and divide by 12. Happy?

Dust Cleaning Systems

When you are changing lenses, the image processor is exposed to dust and they definitely aren’t any good for your image. There is a filter above the sensor and this is vibrated at large frequencies, so that the dust is shaken off for good measure.

Check out this Canon video

I had a chat with Mr. Anil Dave, a professional photographer to put things a bit more into perspective.

1) What should one look out while buying a DSLR?
Anil Dave: Nothing in particular, really. Just pick up something from Canon, Nikon, Olympus or Sony. All of them have excellent cameras in the entry level.

2) What sensor should one go for? CCD or CMOS?
AD: CMOS sensors are more flexible in their architecture since you can upgrade their firmware.

3) Does having Live View matter?
AD: Pah, no. It’s just a marketing gimmick. I personally have had Live View in all my cameras since Olympus introduced the feature back in 2000 and have never used it once in my life. It might be a good for an amateur.

4) Does the presence of an Image Stabilizer matter?
AD: To an extent yes, I would say it does matter. But it can negate only minor shakes, like when you click. It certainly is not going to help when you dance around with the camera thinking the gyroscope will take care of every shake in the world.

5) What does the f2.8-5.6 etc rating on the lens indicate
AD: It indicates the speed of a lens. These ratings mattered during the days of the film. But not any more; anything having an initial rating of f2.8 to f4.0 is a very usable lens.

6) Any tips you’d like to give to budding photographers?
AD: Always remember that YOU are the photographer and have a brain of your own. Fool the camera to your hearts content. The camera won’t stop you from experimenting and neither is the fooling around part mentioned in the lame Jap to English translated user manuals.

Thanks to Mr. Dave for his patience and his willingness to share the minutest of his observations with a rank amateur like me. Also for letting me play with his gorgeous Nikon D3 :)

Head to Part 2