Digital

Photography
DSLR CAMERAS
and
MIRRORLESS CAMERAS
 DSLR
• DSLR stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex
cameras.
• They have a single lens for viewing and
capturing images.
• DSLRs have larger sensors than point and shoot
cameras, resulting in better image quality.
• They provide a lot of control over the image,
allowing you to change lenses, adjust aperture,
shutter, ISO, and more.
• These cameras have been popular for a long
time because they are practical and offer
photographers a lot of control.
• Different models have different
specifications, with consumer cameras
offering fewer features and prosumer
cameras providing a wider range of
functions.
• DSLRs can also record videos, although
the level of control depends on the
camera's budget and model.
• Some high-end cameras even allow for
sound recording with additional devices.
• The movie "Stanley Ka Dabba" (2011)
was the first Indian film shot entirely
with DSLRs.
• DSLRs have a mirror inside the camera that
helps fix a problem with point and shoot
cameras.
• Mirrorless cameras, on the other hand, don't
have this mirror and use a digital display instead.
• This means photographers can see the picture
live on a small screen at the back of the camera.
• These cameras are smaller, lighter, and quieter
because they don't have a moving mirror.
• They also show depth of field and exposure on
the screen.
• Mirrorless cameras are becoming more popular
and are replacing DSLRs.
 STRUCTURE OF A CAMERA
• A camera is a light
tight box, allowing the
light to enter by
measure, in order to
capture a framed
image.
• A camera can be
divided into two main
parts: lens and body.
• These two main parts
are made up of many
other subparts.
Lens
• A lens is a finely polished glass, curved on both sides, used to allow
light to enter the camera and focus the image on the sensor. A
photography lens is usually an assembly of lenses that are adjusted in
order to achieve the desired image. Better the lens of a camera, better
the photographs being captured
• Photographic lenses are sorted by their focal lengths, which is the distance from the lens's
center to the focal point. In a camera, the sensor is positioned at the focal point to capture the
image.
• If you recall from physics, when an object is at infinity, the image forms on the focal point.
Focal length also affects the lens's angle of view.
• A shorter focal length means a wider angle of view. Lenses that closely match the human eye's
angle of view are called normal lenses. For 35 mm cameras, their focal length is around 50-55
mm.
• These lenses show perspectives, sizes, and distances just like our eyes do. Lenses with even shorter focal
lengths are called wide-angle lenses, such as 24 mm or 30 mm. However, going too wide can distort the
image, particularly noticeable at 16 mm or lower.
• These lenses have a smaller physical size. On the other hand, telephoto lenses have a narrower field of
vision and a longer physical size.
• Telephoto lenses for 35 mm cameras typically start from 75 mm and can go up to 250-300 mm. Super
telephoto lenses even have a focal length of 1000 mm.
Lenses that have a fixed focal length are
called prime lenses, and lenses that have a
variable focal length are called zoom lenses.
Zoom lenses allow you to optically magnify
the image by adjusting the angle of view,
giving you more flexibility in framing
without needing to move around as much.
Other Parts of Photographic Lenses
• When you carefully inspect the
photographic lens, you will find
many different parts. These are -
focusing ring, manual / auto focus
switch, zoom ring, aperture, image
stabilization switch, and lens cap.
Here we shall discuss about these
parts briefly.
• Focusing ring: You may
have noticed the focusing
ring on the camera, which is
the first ring on any camera
lens. This ring is used to
focus the image in manual
focus mode. In auto focus
mode, the ring gets locked.
Manual / Auto focus
switch: You can find
this switch on the lens
which allows you to
choose between
manual focus and auto
focus.
• Zoom ring: Zoom ring is the
another ring found on camera
lens. It help to change the focal
length of the lens and get the
effects of zooming.
Aperture
• Aperture is like the camera's eye, allowing light to enter. It adjusts, just like a pupil,
contracting in bright light and expanding in low light.
• A wider opening lets in more light, increasing the risk of overexposure. Conversely, a
smaller opening reduces light, increasing the risk of underexposure.
• Choosing the right aperture is crucial for a good photo.
• Image stabilization switch: You
can find this switch on many
lenses. This allows you to take
advantage of the image
stabilization feature which helps
in reducing the effects of camera
shake and to get sharper photos.
• Lens cap: This is a protective
cover of the camera lens that
protects the lens from scratches
and minor collisions.
• The camera body is designed to prevent any
unwanted light from entering. It is completely
black to avoid reflections. In a DSLR camera, when
you remove the lens and press the shutter release
button, you can see the reflex mirror and the sensor.
• The shutter, located in front of the sensor, opens to
expose the sensor to light and create the image. The
camera body also contains circuitry that enables its
functioning.
• On the back, there is an LCD screen with a
mounted viewfinder on top.
• The LCD screen allows you to see a live view of
the captured frame and make adjustments.
• The DSLR camera body has many other important
parts, which we'll discuss in detail later.
• The image sensor in a camera is an electronic chip that converts light energy into electric energy. In full-
frame DSLR cameras, the sensor is the same size as a 35 mm film, but smaller sensors are also used in
many DSLR and mirrorless cameras.
• The quality of a sensor depends on its size and the number of pixels it has. Pixels are units in the sensor
that convert light energy into electric signals.
• A higher number of pixels means more data collected and better resolution in the photograph. Digital
cameras are often marketed based on their pixel count, or megapixels, with one megapixel equal to one
million pixels.
• Even smartphone cameras are becoming competitive with DSLRs, thanks to attachable lenses and
improved sensors.
• There are two main types of camera sensors: CCD (Charge-coupled Device) and CMOS (Complementary
Metal-oxide Semiconductor). CMOS sensors are cost-effective and now offer comparable quality to CCD.
CMOS sensors are gaining popularity nowadays.
• Charge-coupled devices (CCDs) are silicon-based integrated circuits consisting of a dense matrix of
photodiodes that operate by converting light energy in the form of photons into an electronic charge.
Electrons generated by the interaction of photons with silicon atoms are stored in a potential well and
can subsequently be transferred across the chip through registers and output to an amplifier.