dSLR camera's lens

The digital single-lens reflex (dSLR) is the great step upward for photographers

who want to expand their creative horizons — or simply just get

better pictures. Whether you want to become a serious photo hobbyist, have

a hankering to turn pro, or want to take advantage of the improved control

that digital SLRs give you over your photography, discovering how to use

this tool of the future should be high on your priorities list.

The latest digital SLRs have features that no one had even dreamed of back

when I wrote the first edition of this book. All the major bugs of the earliest

dSLRs have been magically transformed into killer features in the latest

models. Today, you can preview your images by using Live View features

before you snap the shutter. Dust that collects on the sensor causes much

less of a problem thanks to built-in sensor-cleaning features. You get better

image quality than in earlier models, thanks to higher resolutions (you can

commonly get 15 megapixels and up, even in low-cost dSLRs), super-sensitive

sensors that can capture images in near darkness, and inexpensive but effective

anti-shake technology built into cameras or lenses.

Most recently, the only remaining drawback of digital SLRs — the fact that

you couldn’t shoot movies (long a common feature in point-and-shoot

cameras) — was swept aside with the introduction of new models that grab

HDTV-quality video with sound.

Best of all, all these capabilities are eminently affordable. Digital SLRs in the

$500-to-$1,000 range today can outshoot the $5,000 professional models of

five years ago and are light-years ahead of even the best point-and-shoot

models. The dSLR provides more control over what portions of your image

you want in sharp focus, boasts lower levels of the annoying grain effect

called noise, and operates fast enough to capture the most fleeting action.

If that isn’t enough, you can change lenses, too, adding super-wide perspectives

or the huge magnification possibilities of long, long telephoto lenses to

your repertoire.

Almost all the other advantages of digital photography come with your digital

SLR camera, too. You can review your image immediately, upload the

photo to your computer, make adjustments, and print a sparkling full-color

print within minutes. You never need to buy film. You decide which images

to print and how large to make them. You can proudly display your digital

photographic work framed on your wall or over your fireplace. You can even

make wallet-sized photos, send copies to friends in e-mail, or create an online

gallery that relatives and colleagues can view over the Web.

 Article From : Digital SLR Cameras and Photography For Dummies 3rd Ed. (Book)