[alyssa]

Hello ,,, I am old school camera . I still use a twin lens reflex , among others . I got a simple digital 3mp point and shoot last year and I love it but ... looking to upgrade . in the standard film camera SLR means you look through the lens to view and you see what the film will see . this enables you to change lenses and still see what you are recording . ect . .. now I see SLR , and "SLR type". the two things seem to be different. when I use the screen to view I am looking through the lens in any digital camera . so why would I want to have the reflex . I don't see it . I do want to change lenses , but that seems easy to do and I guess it is what is called SLR type . my question is why have the reflex element in a digital format ??

[xgerryx]

Hi Alyssa

With an slr (single lens reflex) you are viewing optically through the lens (see attachment).

With an slr type camera you are viewing an lcd screen that is looking through the lens for you.

The lcd can never be quite as clear due to lag and resolution limitations.
With the lcd there is always an element of hit and miss (especially with closeup/macro and fast action shots) whereas with the slr you see fairly well exactly what you are going to get.

[alyssa]

Thank you , can you tell me then , does the SLR digital still have a screen ? Or only the through the lens view .

[xgerryx]

Originally Posted by alyssa

Thank you , can you tell me then , does the SLR digital still have a screen ? Or only the through the lens view .

Yes they do have an lcd screen as well on the back the same as your point and shoot.

Have a look here: http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_...nikon_d70.html

[alyssa]

Thanks much.

[erick295]

Originally Posted by xgerryx

Yes they do have an lcd screen as well on the back the same as your point and shoot.

SLR's do have LCD's, but I am not aware of any that allow you to use the LCD for previewing. The mirror directs the light away from the CCD to the viewfinder while the camera is resting, so the LCD can only be used for viewing photos that have already been taken.

[Persian-Rice]

Yes, there is no live preview. Mind you, other then when chimping, you shouldn't be using that lcd anyway

[linskyjack]

Remember, there is also a crop factor---1.6 on my Canon 10D---that means that you have to multiply the lens (lets say its 50mm) by 1.6. That means that it is difficult to get very wide angle shots.

[Persian-Rice]

Originally Posted by linskyjack

Remember, there is also a crop factor---1.6 on my Canon 10D---that means that you have to multiply the lens (lets say its 50mm) by 1.6. That means that it is difficult to get very wide angle shots.

Why? just buy a very wide angle lens.