Digital SLR vs Digital Compact - The Difference Between SLR and Compact - Best Compact Camera - Canon Compact Camera

Difference Between A Digital SLR and A Digital Compact Camera

The first difference is a big one – price. Digital SLR costs have been on the decline over the years but they are still much more expensive than a compact. Even if you were to purchase a cheap model of an SLR, it would run you about $450. You would then have to buy the kit lens for anywhere from $100 to $500 depending on the quality zoom you’re looking for.

Canon Digital Rebel XSi Digital SLR Camera

If the idea of spending $500 to $1000 on a digital camera seems exorbitant, then this type of camera is not for you. On the other hand, if you are already aware of the price that comes along with owning an SLR and are willing to spend that kind of money, then you can read further to get a better idea of what owning an SLR would mean to you.

SLRs size and weight are another key area to look at when making the purchase choice between it and a compact camera. Digital SLRs are definitely not small and neat. They don’t fit in your pants pocket as they are at least twice the size of a compact camera. Even if you buy an SLR that is easier to stow away, adding the lens will make its ease of carrying around more difficult.

In 2008, the world was presented with digital SLRs which could capture both video and still images. Preceding this, digital SLRs were only for capturing still images. This recent common feature of capturing video has a big inadequacy being that the autofocus will not work while capturing video. In other words, you will have to manually focus the video and this can be complicated if the subjects are moving at a fast pace.

Digital SLR videos do have an advantage over compact videos however, in that they can capture High Definition (HD) video which makes it appropriate for playback on modern HDTVs. Digital SLRs which can capture video are also outfitted with HDMI ports which can connect to your television to playback both picture and video.

With compact digital cameras the lens will zoom in and out with the touch of a button. On the contrary with digital SLRs. Since the lens on an SLR is removable, the zoom options are strictly manual where you find yourself turning a ring on the lens. The manual zoom is quicker as you do not have to wait for the mechanisms to move the lens in and out for you – you can instead turn the zoom ring as quickly or slowly as you wish.

Zoom range is yet another key difference between digital SLRs and digital compacts. Compact cameras now feature “mega zoom” which have the capability of capturing both wide angle and telephoto shots. On the other hand, in order to get a comparable range with an SLR, you have to either buy a mega zoom lens which runs for about $600 or you can buy two zoom lenses (wide angle zoom and telephoto) but at a considerable cost of $800 upwards. As a result, if zoom range is what you are seeking then the compact is the obvious choice in terms of cost.

To make the right purchase decision, you must know what it is you need in a camera. For instance, if you want professional looking photos where you have more control over the photos taken, you want to take photos in dim lighting and you’re frustrated with the slow speed of a compact, then a digital SLR will make you happier in the long run. If these features aren’t important or only somewhat important to you, then you may as well begin your search for a good quality digital compact camera.

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