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The article's a mess. The basic point is that most DSLRs, except for the true high-end "full frame" models, have sensors that aren't as big as 35mm film was. So
by ja27 17y ago
The article's a mess. The basic point is that most DSLRs, except for the true high-end "full frame" models, have sensors that aren't as big as 35mm film was. So the big 35mm SLR lens is partially wasted, focusing light in areas where there is no sensor.
So there's a new class of high-end cameras that take the same smaller sensor size and pair it with interchangeable lenses. That produced the four-thirds system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Thirds_system http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Thirds_system). Then if you remove the optical viewfinder and mirror, you get the even smaller micro four-thirds system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_Four_Thirds_system http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_Four_Thirds_system).
They're a great system for the "prosumer" or high end amateur photographer. You get essentially the same quality as the lower-end DSLRs with smaller cameras and lenses.
The only downsides are that so far they seem to be more expensive than the low-end DSLRs and I think lots of people just like carrying around a big black camera with their long kit zoom lens on it.
- joshu 17y agoMany lenses (Nikon DX; Canon EF-S) do not fill the frame. They are smaller and lighter as well.
- silencio 17y ago> I think lots of people just like carrying around a big black camera with their long kit zoom lens on it. You have no idea :) I got my first DSLR back in September of last year, and I've taken it with me to about a dozen holiday dinner meetups and vacation trips to touristy places like the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas since. If I try to use my iPhone or a P&S (as a backup camera), a lot of people end up walking through my picture or can be really rude about giving me a little space to move around and take pictures. But....when you've got a comparatively huge DSLR (well, my D5000 isn't even huge, but it looks intimidating enough with even the 18-55mm kit lens, let alone my even-bigger-with-hoods 55-200 or 12-24), people around you tend to give you a little space and courtesy to let you take your pictures to your heart's content. I also don't get as many people asking me to take pictures for them, cause they assume big camera must equal pro photographer that should be left alone. Not that I mind doing that for others, but sometimes it's inconvenient. So I did find it a bit odd the article went out of the way to mention that DSLR's scream "look at me", because that's practically a selling point to a lot of people. :P
- SandB0x 17y agoBut if you're trying to photograph people (street photography, events), they're a lot more relaxed seeing a compact camera than an SLR.
- silencio 17y agoI guess it depends on the situation. That's never been a problem for me, and some of my best photos were of family and friends over Thanksgiving, especially the kids. They were never tense, they were at most curious if they even paid attention to me and the camera. Not to mention that all the P&S and cameraphone pictures everyone else took were either incredibly noisy, washed out with major red eye because of the built-in flash, or blurred and unacceptable because of inadequate indoor lighting.