The world has gone a long way from people paying to have their portraits painted. The camera revolutionized the way we retained memories, and paved the way for more technological advancements. From grainy black and white photographs, we began using cameras that could use film to capture colored pictures.



Now, buying film is not necessary for we have invented digital cameras, which can run on charged batteries and come with their own memory sticks that allow up more than a hundred pictures. Some of them offer up to 1GB of memory space. Since the popularity of such devices, cameras have become even more widely used, and many modifications have done. The digital SLR camera is an example of one that can capture memories even more easily.

The digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is different in the way that it uses an automatic mirror system to direct light through the viewfinder eyepice, from the lends. The mirror system is called a pentamirror or a pentaprism, and it reflects light to the photographer's vision. As the shot is taken, the mirror moves upward and the shutter opens.

This allows light to be projected onto the image sensor from the lens. Unlike the DSLR, a digicam exposes the senser to the lens-projected light, and thus, the digicam's screen acts as a viewfinder. Through the SLR, one can also view the picture through an LCD screen even before it is going to be taken. This feature is often referred to as 'live preview', but is not present in all DSLRs.

The very first prototype for the digital SLR camera was the Nikon SVC, presented in 1986. Only five years later would the Kodak DCS-100 be released to the public, and costed around US$30,000. As the decades past, however, the number of companies producing such cameras increased, and they were sold at lower prices. Today, Canon has produced 41% of all digital SLRs worldwide, and Kodak has made 40%.

Other cameras include compact digicams and advanced digital cameras (also known as bridge digital cameras), both of which having fixed lenses. SLRs are better than them in certain fields: they have interchangeable lenses, additional accessories that can be attached, better performance, faster frame rates, less lag with shutters, better and larger image sensors, and more comfortable optical viewfinders. On the other hand, fixed-lens cameras are more convenient for amateur photographers, who prefer something smaller, lighter, less expensive, have video-recording capabilities, live preview and better focus.

Both types are convenient for anyone who wants to relive memorable experiences. The digital SLR camera is better suited for those who take photography seriously, by always taking into account camera performance, and caring about the quality of their images.

Fixed-lens cameras are made for those who simply love pictures and memories in general. Either way, today it is a necessity to own a camera if you want to make your life a little more exciting. Decide which one is better suited for you, and go buy a camera today.