Before we go any further just now, the term or acronym DSLR, stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera! Point and shoot – fairly self explanatory I guess!

A DSLR camera is a style of camera where the photographer sees what he is taking through the viewfinder AND through the lens – the lenses are also interchangeable. The number of terms and acronyms that are abounding in the digital photography realm is growing and CAN be rather confusing if you happen upon them unexpectedly! I have a free report right here on this link that will let you download that report. (That will open in a new browser tab or window)

Digital cameras can be broadly classified into two types DSLR or point and shoot and it can be hard to know which digital camera is best.

Technology is evolving all the time and what used to be significant differences between the two types of camera have now been eroded almost to the point where they are matters of preference AND personal budget available.

DSLR camera with lenses

DSLR or Point and Shoot – The Difference

In the simplest terms, the difference between DSLR and point and shoot digital cameras is one of quality and convenience. The DSLR camera still, arguably, produces higher quality shots. The point and shoot digital camera is undoubtedly convenient, quick and easy to use.

There is a slight misconception that it is the pixel figure which determines the quality of the shot and this is not strictly true. The quality of the photographs produced by a digital camera depends on the semiconductor that receives the light and processes that information. The larger this image sensor is, the more light it can process effectively. Because point and shoot cameras tend to be compact and considerably smaller than their DSLR cousins, the image sensor is small. It has to be that way because of the physical size of the cameras. Selecting a point and shoot camera with a high pixel rating could be said to be a waste of money as the amount of pixels that can be properly handled is determined by the sensor.

Olympus E-PL3 Compact System Camera

On the other hand, a DSLR camera, with its larger body and casing can accommodate a much larger image sensor. This means that even with a lower pixel rating the images produced will be a better quality because more of those pixels have been processed.

The lesson here is, if you are looking for a digital camera to produce images of the highest quality look for a DSLR camera rather than a point and shoot camera. To keep within your budget don’t be afraid to accept a lower pixel rating provided you have a large image sensor.

Another strength of DSLR cameras is the fact that lenses can be interchanged depending on the type of photos being taken. It is true that some of the compact point and shoot cameras have built in zoom but this is not as flexible as being able to attach wide angled or telescopic lenses and even filters – all the technical apparatus associated with traditional film photography.

Panasonic Lumix FS16 Digital Camera – Black (14.1MP, 4x Optical Zoom) 2.7 inch LCD

Point and shoot digital cameras are small, light and very portable. There’s no excuse for ever finding yourself without a camera when you have one of these. The level of automation offered by a point and shoot camera makes it very hard to take a bad photograph. If you have no particular desire to learn about photography but would still like to be able to take good photos a point and shoot camera is for you.

Only the main differences between the two types of digital camera have been covered here but if you want more technical data and information you will probably be happier with a DSLR camera anyway.

DSLR or point and shoot is a personal choice – only you (and your budget) can decide which digital camera is best for you.

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