IT 
EN 
The different types of digital cameras and more.
In this second ideal lesson of our photography course, we will see together the different types of analog and digital cameras.
The advent of digital has created quite a few "problems" for budding photographers: if in fact it was quite easy to buy an analog model, the same cannot be said for a digital camera. Just think of the enormous amount of specimens we come across every time we enter a shopping centre. And I'm not just talking about the different brands or shapes, but also about the basic characteristics of each single model.
So let's start doing some order, classifying the main cameras on the market, mainly according to the framing system and the format of the film used. The list below is obviously a small smattering and only the most popular, or famous, have been considered.
Direct view camera (Galilean viewfinder)
This camera is characterized by a completely independent viewfinder with respect to the optics. The shooting range is therefore different from what we will have in the shot (normally the viewfinder is above the optics itself) and this can cause problems in the composition (parallax problems). The image framed by the Galilean viewfinder is also clearer and sharper than what we will have in the photo, as the image does not pass through the optics.
The dimensions of this device are usually contained and are often equipped with a fixed lens without the possibility of focusing and without being able to vary other fundamental parameters such as white balance, shutter modifications, times and so on. The classic example, drawing from the analogue, are the disposable machines. Contact them if you don't want to spend practically anything and are only interested in taking a few photographs as a souvenir.
Camera with viewfinder (rangefinder) and interchangeable lenses
These are quite rare machines lately, even extinct with the advent of digital technology and I report them as a matter of "history". These cameras produce two overlapping images in the viewfinder: when the overlap is perfect then we will have perfect focus (a very precise, albeit very expensive system). The system is called a rangefinder and is very important in low light conditions. Normally these cameras are also equipped with a parallax corrector, have interchangeable optics and it is possible to act on the shutter curtain, as well as on shutter speeds.
Compact cameras
They are cameras that have a non-interchangeable lens. It is usually a lens with an integrated zoom although in some cameras we find fixed focal length lenses.
As indicated by the name, they are generally small cameras, not bulky and with a low weight even if, in some cases, large and heavy compact cameras can be found.
They are extremely easy to use, usually work fully automatically and do not allow any type of manual adjustment (apart from a few filters that can be applied before shooting), almost all of them now also make full HD videos at 1920x1080 pixels.
They mount a small sensor, on average large 6x8 mm. This allows you to build smaller machines. The downside of all this is the image quality that can't be compared to a reflex in the slightest, furthermore a small sensor can't handle sensitivity well and high ISO photographs are full of annoying "noise". For this reason compact cameras are suitable for shooting outdoors in full light but they do not work absolutely well in low light conditions unless using the flash.
Another flaw of compacts is that, being fully automatic, they are often slow to shoot. This means that sometimes the photos are moved or that the fleeting moment is lost.
Finally, being completely devoid of the viewfinder, in strong light conditions or outdoors in the sun, a strong reflection is created on the display and it is practically impossible to get a good shot.
They are suitable for generic outdoor photos, travelling, for those who want little weight on them and for those on a budget.
They are not suitable for taking pictures in low light, for sports or nature photography and for those who are very demanding in terms of quality
Bridge cameras
They are essentially cameras with an intermediate functioning between a reflex and a compact. This type of camera has as its main feature a zoom that from wide angle or normal can easily reach the size of a telephoto lens. This zoom is equipped with a built-in stabilizer which helps, in low light conditions, to avoid micro blur.
A feature that differentiates them from compact cameras is the availability of use of the main exposure modes (manual, aperture priority, shutter priority, automatic) while a feature that differentiates them from reflex cameras is the presence of a fixed and non-interchangeable lens.
They have a small sensor, similar to that of compact cameras but thanks to the higher quality of the lenses, the shots are better than compact cameras. However, these lenses, having large zooms, tend to be dim, so taking pictures in low light conditions can be difficult.
They have a compact design, a comfortable grip even if they are quite bulky.
Of all the types of cameras, bridges I strongly advise against. They are bulky, not very bright and have practically the cost similar to an entry level reflex.
The only advantage they have is this disproportionate zoom which, however, is not interchangeable and is often not very bright. They are therefore not recommended for sports photography or of animals in the wild.
Immediate development cameras
Back in vogue thanks to Polaroid, they are equipped with an integrated printer. They are usually equipped with fixed optics and are almost entirely automatic, as well as being expensive in terms of consumables: inks and photographic paper.
SLRs
SLRs are the cameras most used by advanced amateurs and professional photographers and have characteristics that make them practically ideal for photographing on any occasion.
The advantages of reflex cameras, compared to the categories we have talked about before, are innumerable:
- Thanks to the decidedly larger sensors (especially if we are talking about full frame) the image quality is decidedly superior to a compact or a mirrorless.
- Again thanks to the quality and size of the sensor, there are no particular problems at high sensitivities, therefore you can also take pictures in low light conditions.
- They are much faster to shoot than a compact and this allows us to capture the right moment (for example in a sporting event)
- Thanks to the mirror/pentaprism/viewfinder system (we will go into detail in the next lessons) focusing and framing can be done with absolute precision. What you frame in the viewfinder will be what you actually record on the sensor.
There are countless lenses and accessories on the market, even those not from the same brand as the camera, which allow us to choose in total freedom.
If you are still undecided whether or not to buy an SLR, the only question you need to ask yourself is whether or not you are willing to carry around a rather bulky and heavy object. This fact, in my opinion, is the only defect of reflex cameras.
For the rest, I recommend them to all those who intend to do "serious" things, this kind of camera is not a toy. It takes time and desire to learn how to use it but in the end it will give you great satisfaction.
Medium format monocular SLR
Medium format reflex cameras are almost similar to the previous ones except for the sensor format which reaches the dimensions of 6x6cm. such a large sensor allows for better color rendering, very high brightness, very large magnifications without graining problems. Obviously their cost is prohibitive and they are around €25,000 or more. These are the machines often used for large billboards.
Binocular Reflex (TLR)
Even this model has now disappeared with the advent of digital. It used films with 6x6cm squares and was equipped with two objectives: the first to frame, the second to shoot. The image for framing, in these machines, is formed on the ground glass which is observed in a cockpit. Due to the dual crosshairs, it has a certain parallax error. The scope was usually fixed, the quality excellent but it was particularly slow to use. Besides being bulky.
Mirrorless cameras
They are compact but extremely advanced cameras both in terms of image quality and the availability of optics, but without staying here to explain the basics of photography, they can be summarized as a photographic system that contains the versatility of a compact camera and lightweight with the quality of a professional DSRL (SLR) camera .
The term mirrorless means without a mirror , therefore the main difference compared to a reflex is the total lack of the mirror system typical of the reflex, which allows you to observe the scene from the viewfinder as if you were looking through the lens; live and without electronic interpolations, even without batteries or with the camera off.
In SLR cameras, the ones that professionals generally use, the light entering through the lens follows this path:
- reflects against a mirror placed in front of the sensor;
- it is thus deflected to the pentaprimsa (or pentamirror) which is located just in front of the optical viewfinder;
- through the optical viewfinder where you rest your eye.
As soon as you press the shutter button, a mechanical system causes the mirror (point 1) to flip, leaving the viewfinder momentarily in the dark, making sure that the light hits the sensor.
In mirrorless cameras, this whole mechanical system has been completely eliminated , making it possible to save space, make the cameras lighter and also make them much more efficient in certain aspects.
Some mirrorless cameras don't have the classic viewfinder as you're used to imagining it and work exactly like a compact camera using the external LCD screen.
Other mirrorless instead they appear to be equipped with a viewfinder as in reflex cameras, but in reality they are simply inserted instead of the optical viewfinder, a small electronic screen which is essentially a replica of the external LCD screen.
When we talk about the Mirrorless system, we refer to a specific type of camera without the Reflex system, but equipped with a sensor:
- Micro Fourth-Thirds
- APS-C
- Full Frame
Cameras with interchangeable lenses are usually meant, but this is no longer a key feature for classification.
There are in fact some exceptions , such as fixed lens cameras but still equipped with a large sensor such as the Fuji X100T or the LeicaQ which are still considered Mirrorless.
I don't want to make a biased speech; I am convinced that SLRs are still a point of reference in the professional photographic field and I don't think that Mirrorless will replace this system completely:
- First of all, SLRs enjoy a reputation that is still very much rooted in the common imagination , therefore there is still a lot of insecurity on the part of many people in buying a mirrorless camera.
- Currently they have a system that is even more complete than what any Mirrorless brand offers . An immense park of optics, a myriad of original or compatible accessories not to mention the fact that they have many models of "camera bodies" to choose according to your needs.
It is also true that mirrorless cameras still have a fundamental aspect that makes them very different: ergonomics. They are light , space - saving and with outstanding image quality .
At the moment the only problem is the still high price but over time and with the evolution of the models I think they will become much cheaper.
When you subscribe to the blog, we will send you an e-mail when there are new updates on the site so you wouldn't miss them.
About the author
By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://www.insightadv.it/
Comments