DSLR
Digital Single-Lens Reflex
A digital single-

Cutaway of an Olympus E-30 DSLR

Canon EF-S 18-135mm APS-C Zoom lens

Sony ECM-CG50 shotgun-type microphone for DSLR video capture
Like SLRs DSLRs typically use interchangeable lenses (1) with a proprietary lens mount. A movable mechanical mirror system (2) is switched down (exact 45-
Focusing can be manual or automatic, activated by pressing half-
Compared to the newer concept of mirrorless interchangeable-
DSLRs typically use autofocus based on phase detection. This method allows the optimal lens position to be calculated, rather than “found”, as would be the case with autofocus based on contrast maximisation. Phase-
Digital SLR cameras, along with most other digital cameras, generally have a mode dial to access standard camera settings or automatic scene-
A method to prevent dust entering the chamber, by using a “dust cover” filter right behind the lens mount, was used by Sigma in its first DSLR, the Sigma SD9, in 2002.
Olympus used a built-
Canon EF-
The ability to exchange lenses, to select the best lens for the current photographic need, and to allow the attachment of specialized lenses, is one of the key factors in the popularity of DSLR cameras, although this feature is not unique to the DSLR design and mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras are becoming increasingly popular. Interchangeable lenses for SLRs and DSLRs (also known as “Glass”) are built to operate correctly with a specific lens mount that is generally unique to each brand. A photographer will often use lenses made by the same manufacturer as the camera body (for example, Canon EF lenses on a Canon body) although there are also many independent lens manufacturers, such as Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, and Vivitar that make lenses for a variety of different lens mounts. There are also lens adapters that allow a lens for one lens mount to be used on a camera body with a different lens mount but with often reduced functionality.
Many lenses are mountable, “diaphragm-
Since 2008, manufacturers have offered DSLRs which offer a movie mode capable of recording high definition motion video. A DSLR with this feature is often known as an HDSLR or DSLR video shooter.[2] The first DSLR introduced with an HD movie mode, the Nikon D90, captures video at 720p24 (1280×720 resolution at 24 frame/s). Other early HDSLRs capture video using a nonstandard video resolution or frame rate. For example, the Pentax K-
In general, HDSLRs use the full imager area to capture HD video, though not all pixels (causing video artifacts to some degree). Compared to the much smaller image sensors found in the typical camcorder, the HDSLR’s much larger sensor yields distinctly different image characteristics.[3] HDSLRs can achieve much shallower depth of field and superior low-
Video functionality has continued to improve since the introduction of the HDSLR, including higher video resolution (such as 1080p24) and video bitrate, improved automatic control (autofocus) and manual exposure control, and support for formats compatible with high-
The rapid maturation of HDSLR cameras has sparked a revolution in digital filmmaking, and the “Shot On DSLR” badge is a quickly growing phrase among independent filmmakers. Canon’s North American TV advertisements featuring the Rebel T1i have been shot using the T1i itself. An increased number of films, documentaries, television shows, and other productions are utilizing the quickly improving features. One such project was Canon’s “Story Beyond the Still” contest that asked filmmakers to collectively shoot a short film in 8 chapters, with each chapter being shot in only a couple of weeks and a winner was determined for each chapter, afterward the winners collaborated to shoot the final chapter of the story. Due to the affordability and convenient size of HDSLRs compared to professional movie cameras, The Avengers used five Canon EOS 5D Mark II and two Canon 7D to shoot the scenes from various vantage angles throughout the set and reduced the number of reshoots of complex action scenes.
Sony ECM-
Manufacturers have sold optional accessories to optimize a DSLR camera as a video camera, such as a shotgun-
Nikon D90 in Liveview mode also usable for 720p HD video
Early DSLRs lacked the ability to show the optical viewfinder’s image on the LCD display – a feature known as live preview. Live preview is useful in situations where the camera’s eye-
In 2000, Olympus introduced the Olympus E-
On all DSLRs that offer live preview via the primary sensor, the phase detection autofocus system does not work in the live preview mode, and the DSLR switches to a slower contrast system commonly found in point & shoot cameras. While even phase detection autofocus requires contrast in the scene, strict contrast detection autofocus is limited in its ability to find focus quickly, though it is somewhat more accurate.
A new feature via a separate software package introduced from Breeze Systems in October 2007, features live view from a distance. The software package is named “DSLR Remote Pro v1.5” and enables support for the Canon EOS 40D and 1D Mark III.
Larger sensor sizes and better image quality
Drawing showing the relative sizes of sensors used in current digital cameras.
Image sensors used in DSLRs come in a range of sizes. The very largest are the ones used in “medium format” cameras, typically via a “digital back” which can be used as an alternative to a film back. Because of the manufacturing costs of these large sensors the price of these cameras is typically over $6,500 as of May 2014
“Full-
Leica offers an “S-

Nikon D90 in Liveview mode also usable for 720p HD video

Sony Alpha 99, full-frame digital SLT camera

An APS-C format SLR (left) and a full-frame DSLR (right) show the difference in the size of the image sensors.

Pentax is a brand name used primarily by Ricoh Imaging Company

Canon EOS 60D APS-C digital SLR with lens removed.
The lenses typically used on DSLRs have a wider range of apertures available to them, ranging from as large as f/1.0 to about f/32. Lenses for smaller sensor cameras rarely have true available aperture sizes much larger than f/2.8 or much smaller than f/5.6.
To help extend the exposure range, some smaller sensor cameras will also incorporate an ND filter pack into the aperture mechanism.
The apertures that smaller sensor cameras have available give much more depth of field than equivalent angles of view on a DSLR. For example a 6 mm lens on a 2/3″ sensor digicam has a field of view similar to a 24 mm lens on a 35 mm camera. At an aperture of f/2.8 the smaller sensor camera (assuming a crop factor of 4) has a similar depth of field to that 35 mm camera set to f/11.
The angle of view of a lens depends upon its focal length and the camera’s image sensor size; a sensor smaller than 35 mm film format (36×24 mm frame) gives a narrower angle of view for a lens of a given focal length than a camera equipped with a full-
The impact of sensor size on field of view is referred to as the “crop factor” or “focal length multiplier”, which is a factor by which a lens focal length can be multiplied to give the full-
While the crop factor of APS-
DSLRs with “crop” sensor size have slightly more depth-
On July 13, 2007, FujiFilm announced the FinePix IS Pro, which uses Nikon F-
In August 2010 Sony released series of DSLRs allowing 3D photography. It was accomplished by sweeping the camera horizontally or vertically in Sweep Panorama 3D mode. The picture could be saved as ultra-
Kodak DCS 100, based on a Nikon F3 body with Digital Storage Unit, released in May 1991.
Nikon NASA F4 back view with Electronics Box, launched on STS-
In 1969 Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith invented the first successful imaging technology using a digital sensor, a CCD (Charge-
In 1975 Kodak engineer Steven Sasson invented the first digital still camera, which used a Fairchild 100×100 pixel CCD.
On August 25, 1981 Sony unveiled a prototype of the Sony Mavica. This camera was an analog electronic camera that featured interchangeable lenses and a SLR viewfinder.
In the Spring of 1987, the Kodak Research Labs integrated their 1.3 MP image sensor with a film DSLR camera. The Imaging Systems Lab at KRL designed circuitry to sync imager exposure with the mechanical shutter of the widely used Nikon F3 SLR through its motor drive contacts. Digital images were stored on a tethered hard drive and processed for histogram feedback to the user. The system was refined with input from the Associated Press and demonstrated at Photokina 1988. This became the first commercial DSLR, launched by Kodak in 1991.
In 1995, Nikon co-
In 1999, Nikon announced the Nikon D1. The D1’s body was similar to Nikon’s professional 35 mm film SLRs, and it had the same Nikkor lens mount, allowing the D1 to use Nikon’s existing line of AI/AIS manual-
Over the next decade, other camera manufacturers entered the DSLR market, including Canon, Kodak, Fujifilm, Minolta (later Konica Minolta, and ultimately acquired by Sony), Pentax (whose camera division is now owned by Ricoh), Olympus, Panasonic, Samsung, Sigma, and Sony.
In January 2000, Fujifilm announced the FinePix S1 Pro, the first consumer-
In November 2001, Canon released its 4.1 megapixel EOS-
In 2004, Konica Minolta released the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D, the first DSLR with in-
In early 2008, Nikon released the D90, the first DSLR to feature video recording. Since then all major companies offer cameras with this functionality.
Since then the number of megapixels in imaging sensors have increased steadily, with most companies focusing on high ISO performance, speed of focus, higher frame rates, the elimination of digital ‘noise’ produced by the imaging sensor, and price reductions to lure new customers.
In June 2012, Canon announced the first DSLR to feature a touchscreen, the EOS 650D/Rebel T4i/Kiss X6i. Although this feature had been widely used on both compact cameras and mirrorless models, it had not made an appearance in a DSLR until the 650D.
and Sony. Other manufacturers of DSLRs include Mamiya, Sigma, Leica (German), and Hasselblad (Swedish).
In 2007, Canon edged out Nikon with 41% of worldwide sales to the latter’s 40%, followed by Sony and Olympus each with approximately 6% market share.[25] In the Japanese domestic market, Nikon captured 43.3% to Canon’s 39.9%, with Pentax a distant third at 6.3%.
In 2008, Canon’s and Nikon’s offerings took the majority of sales.[27] In 2010, Canon controlled 44.5% of the DSLR market, followed by Nikon with 29.8% and Sony with 11.9%.
For Canon and Nikon, digital SLRs are their biggest source of profits. For Canon, their DSLRs brought in four times the profits from compact digital cameras, while Nikon earned more from DSLRs and lenses than with any other product.[29][30] Olympus and Panasonic have since exited the DSLR market and now focus on producing mirrorless cameras.
In 2013, after a decade of double digits growth, DSLR (along with MILC) sales are down 15 percent. This may be due to some low-
To illustrate the trend, in September 2013 Olympus announced they would stop development of DSLR cameras and will focus on the development of MILC.
Canon EOS 60D APS-
Sony Alpha 99, full-
Nikon D3S full-
Currently DSLRs are widely used by consumers and professional still photographers. Well established DSLRs currently offer a larger variety of dedicated lenses and other photography equipment. Mainstream DSLRs (in full-
Canon’s current 2014 EOS digital line includes the Canon EOS 1200D, 100D, 600D, 700D, 60D, 60Da, 70D, 7D, 6D, 5D Mark III, and the 1D X. All Canon DSLRs with three-
Nikon has a broad line of DSLRs, most in direct competition with Canon’s offerings, including the D3100, D3200, D3300, D5100, D5200, D5300, D7000, D7100 and D300S with APS-
Leica produces the S2, which has a body similar to medium-
Pentax currently offers the K-
Sigma produces DSLRs using the Foveon X3 sensor, rather than the conventional Bayer sensor. This is claimed to give higher colour resolution, although headline pixel counts are lower than conventional Bayer-
Sony has discontinued its DSLRs in favor of single-
The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between a DSLR and other digital cameras. In the reflex design scheme, the image captured on the camera’s sensor is also the image that is seen through the view finder. Light travels through a single lens and a mirror is used to reflect a portion of that light through the view finder – hence the name Single Lens Reflex. While there are variations among point-
Compared to some low cost cameras that provide an optical viewfinder that uses a small auxiliary lens, the DSLR design has the advantage of being parallax-
The larger, advanced digital cameras offer a non-
DSLR cameras often have image sensors of much larger size and often higher quality, offering lower noise,[36] which is useful in low light. Although mirrorless digital cameras with sensors as large as APS-
DSLRs generally offer faster and more responsive performance, with less shutter lag, faster autofocus systems, and higher frame rates. Other digital cameras were once significantly slower in image capture (time measured from pressing the shutter release to the writing of the digital image to the storage medium) than DSLR cameras, but this situation is changing with the introduction of faster capture memory cards and faster in-
Simple point-
DSLRs have a larger focal length for the same field of view, which allows creative use of depth of field effects.However, small digital cameras can focus better on closer objects than typical DSLR lenses.
The sensors used in current DSLRs (“Full-
Unlike DSLRs, most digital cameras lack the option to change the lens. Instead, most compact digital cameras are manufactured with a zoom lens that covers the most commonly used fields of view. Having fixed lenses, they are limited to the focal lengths they are manufactured with, except for what is available from attachments. Manufacturers have attempted (with increasing success) to overcome this disadvantage by offering extreme ranges of focal length on models known as superzooms, some of which offer far longer focal lengths than readily available DSLR lenses.
However, since the introduction of the Micro Four Thirds system by Olympus and Panasonic in late 2008, mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras are now widely available so the option to change lenses is no longer unique to DSLRs. Cameras for the micro four thirds system are designed with the option of a replaceable lens and accept lenses that conform to this proprietary specification. Cameras for this system have the same sensor size as the Four Thirds System but do not have the mirror and pentaprism, so as to reduce the distance between the lens and sensor.
Panasonic released the first Micro Four Thirds camera, the Lumix DMC-
In common with other interchangeable lens designs, DSLRs must contend with potential contamination of the sensor by dust particles when the lens is changed (though recent dust reduction systems alleviate this). Digital cameras with fixed lenses are not usually subject to dust from outside the camera settling on the sensor.
DSLRs generally have greater cost, size, and weight. They also have louder operation, due to the SLR mirror mechanism.[41] Sony’s

Sensor
Drawing showing the relative sizes of sensors used in current digital cameras.

Storage Unit
Kodak DCS 100, based on a Nikon F3 body with Digital Storage Unit, released in May 1991.