Best Digital SLR Cameras

A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that operates on the same optical and mechanical principles as a modern electronic autofocus 35mm film single-lens reflex camera. The key difference is that the film is replaced with a CCD or CMOS image sensor plus accompanying electronics, thus creating images digitally in-camera, without the need to first chemically develop a latent image on film.


The single-lens reflex (SLR) is a type of camera that uses a movable mirror placed between the lens and the film to project the image seen through the lens to a matte focusing screen. Most SLRs use a roof pentaprism or pentamirror to observe the image via an eyepiece, but there are also other finder arrangements, such as the waist-level finder or porro prisms.


The shutter in almost all contemporary SLRs sits just in front of the focal plane. If it does not, some other mechanism is re quired to ensure that no light reaches the film between exposures. For example, the Hasselblad 500C camera uses an auxiliary shutter blind in addition to its in-lens leaf shutter.


The cross-section (side-view) of the optical components of a typical SLR camera shows how the light passes through the lens assembly (1), is reflected by the mirror (2) and is projected on the matte focusing screen (5). Via a condensing lens (6) and internal reflections in the roof pentaprism (7) the image appears in the eyepiece (8). When an image is taken, the mirror moves in the direction of the arrow, the focal plane shutter (3) opens, and the image is projected onto the film or sensor (4) in exactly the same manner as on the focusing screen.


This feature separates SLRs from other cameras, as the photographer sees the image composed exactly as it will be captured on the film or sensor (see Advantages below).


Since the technology became widespread in the 1970s, SLRs have become the main type of camera used by dedicated amateur photographers and professionals, though some landscape photographers may prefer view cameras.

Below are links to the higher end Digital SLR cameras on eBay!



Canon
  EOS 10D
  EOS 20D
  EOS Digital Rebel
  EOS Digital Rebel XT
  EOS Digital Rebel XTi
  Other
Fujifilm
Minolta
Nikon
  D100
  D50
  D70s
  D80
  Other
Olympus
Other Digital SLR