What is a DSLR?

SLR is an abbreviation for Single Lens Reflex. It simply means that there is only one lens and that you via a mirror look through the lens that sit on front of your camera. This is as opposed to a rangefinder camera, where the viewfinder gives you a preview of the scene based on another lens that what the camera will be using to capture the image. Hence only a single lens in a DSLR.

The mirror flicks away when you take the shot (and it makes a noticeable noise).  This is why you will see the viewfinder go black during the exposure – the light is sent to the sensor rather than the viewfinder.

The D in DSLR is Digital, as your camera has a digital sensor rather than a piece of film. So it is Digital Single Lens Reflex camera or DSLR.

A mirrorless camera (ML) has no mirror and simply sends the light directly to the sensor, that then via a small electronic viewfinder (a small TV!) presents the preview for the photographer in real time.

Related reading

What is Live View on a DSLR?

DSLR versus mirrorless

Credits

Illustrations used:

User: Kolossos – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=925806

http://orig01.deviantart.net/6d63/f/2009/019/a/1/eye_in_profile_by_evaldaz.jpg

 

Author: Frederik Bøving

Frederik is a photographer, blogger and youtuber living in Denmark in the Copenhagen region. Outdoor photography is the preference, but Frederik can also be found doing flash photography applied to product shoots and stills.

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