Newcomers, READ THIS before you buy a Digital Camera.

The Difference Between “Point and Shoot” and “DSLR” Cameras:

So, you want to buy a digital camera. If it’s you’re first digital one, you’ve only previously had phones with cameras, or you are just generally inexperienced with these camera gadgets, before you start looking at individual cameras ,with their confusing mega-pixels, it is worth taking a moment or two to learn about the two main types, so you buy the type that suits you. It is worth reading-up independently, as salesman’s advice will often be slanted towards making them a commission.

So the two categories, are known as “Point and Shoot or ‘Compacts’ ” and “DSLR Cameras (digital single-lens reflex)”.

Neither is absolutely ‘better’ than the other, indeed most professional photographers own both types. It really depends on what you want do with them. There are technical differences between the two types, but as you’re reading this, we’ll assume you’re not highly experienced, so we’ll keep the technical details light for now.

Taking the highest quality photos requires time setting up a camera, assessing things like exposure, focus, reflections etc. This is not always possible, as you don’t always get advance notice and things can happen quickly (.e.g Your child daubs a blob of ice-cream on their head, which would make an adorable picture, but you didn’t know it was coming, and it will be gone in a minute). You may have an urge to just turn on a camera and click the big button, and that can be fine, but just be aware that getting the best quality photos takes more preparation. When you take a photo, you have to compromise, do you want a great quality photo that takes time to prepare for? Or do you want to just take a reasonable photo without taking time to setup?

Pros’n'cons of “Point ‘n’ Shoot Cameras”:

Pro’s: Light, small, generally cheaper, always have LCD screens for previewing the photo, simpler for the beginner to use, and beginners will get better results with “Point’n'Shoots” than with “DSLRs”

Con’s: Not so good in Low-light conditions, ultimate quality is generally limited,

Pro’s'cons of “DSLR Cameras”:
Pro’s: Generally better image quality, generally more adaptable for issues such as Zoom and low-light situations, expert photographers will generally get better results from “DLSRs”. They also hold their value better than “Point’n'Shoots”.
Con’s: Heavy, big, expensive, need maintenance, noisy.
The investment in a DSLR and it’s lenses, will almost certainly warrant dedicated camera insurance from someone like “Gadget Cover“. They are very attractive to thieves.

So which types suits you? Well generally a beginner will want to start with a “Point and Shoot”.
And someone more experienced…well they will probably want both.

Happy Snapping!