Is there a huge difference between the quality of a photo taken by SLR and a LCD digital camera???

Question

I heard a digital SLR camera is better than one wih LCD, but is there that much of a difference??? Am I better off with LCD, the cheaper choice? What's your opinion?

Thanx.

LOL! I'm reading the answers, I guess its clearly apparent I don't know about cameras much...

Answer 1

yes there is

how often will you be using the camera ?

All of the major brands are good. Choose a brand that appeals to you. Then you have to think about getting a spare battery, what size memory card, if you want an extended warranty, how much you can afford, what size zoom, if you want manual controls, the size of the camera, finding a reliable place to purchase it, and the list goes on and on and on.......

The first thing to realize is that almost any digital camera will take good pictures. If more people would read the manual more than once, they would be able to take better pictures. Usually, the person assumes it is the camera when it could be them not knowing exactly what to do. Just give yourself more photographic knowledge by doing more reading on the internet.

I really believe buying a camera is an individual choice.
The person needs to read alot of reviews on cameras so they can decide on the features that they really want and need.
Go to the store and hold them so you can see if they feel comfortable in your hands. If possible, take some pictures in the store to check the quality of the pictures.
I can only give a suggestion of what to look for in a new digital camera.
Good Luck

my suggestion
go to yahoo shopping
digital cameras
digital camera GUIDE
be sure to check titles on the left side
the guide should answer your questions

Answer 2

The three major things are interchangeable lenses, through the lens optical viewfinder, and relatively huge sensors.... Lenses: With most digitals the lens is fixed. You can't swap them out like a dSLR. Why would you want to? Well because even if a lens has an ultralong zoom range it won't cover every possibility. For example they don't give you the ultra-wide-angle. Or the "fastest" (widest) possible aperture. Now it's worth mentioning that even among digital devices interchangeable lenses are not completely unique to SLRs. Digital Rangefinders like the premium priced Leica M8 have this as well. As do a completely new class of camera... so new that there is no official generic name for them yet, though unofficially people have been calling them EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) and ELVIS (Electonic Live View Interchangeable-len System)... that was started by, and at this point still only consists of, the Panasonic G1. Viewfinder: This is what the name "Single Lens Reflex" refers to. There is an actual mirror situated between the lens and image sensor. While composing this mirror is set to reflect light upward into the viewfinder. Then when the shutter button is pressed this mirror rapidly swings up so that light may have a direct path to the sensor. This is completely unqiue to this specific type of camera. The advantage with this over the electronic through-the-lens view found on most digitals is that there's no lag or washout, and almost no power is used while composing. The only drawback is that you don't see a direct preview of the exposure/white balance. And that is isn't such a big deal once you familiarize yourself with the camera and the information that is displayed in the VF. Sensor: The one in most digitals can fit on the tip of your finger. By contrast a DSLRs sensor is several times larger. The increase in size allows these cameras to capture light more efficiently (more surface area), which leads to higher dynamic range and less noise for a given ISO sensitivity. It also allows for much shallower depth of field effects, as this this is partially a property of the actual focal length... which are much longer for a larger sensor. Now when I say most, again there are some non-dSLR exceptions. The aforementioned M8 and G1 of course, as well as two fixed lens cameras: "Sony R1" and "Sigma DP1".

Answer 3

I got here late and saw your update. Basically, unless you are a professional photographer with years of experience AND lots of lighting equipment, an SLR is not going to be worth the extra money to you.

The short & sweet answer is to buy something that isn't the cheapest, but don't bother wasting money on the best, either. Lots of stuff in between.

If you were to compare apples & oranges, a 35mm camera would be like a 20 megapixel digital camera. Most people don't know enough about f-stops, aperture settings, shutter speed, etc, to get the kind of detail from a 35mm camera, so for them it's a waste of money.

Now, what DOES make a lot of difference is WHAT you're going to take pictures of. If you need a camera that can snap off 5 shots per second, your normal digital camera isn't up to it. Or if you need a lot of versatility in lenses, again, your standard point & shoot just isn't good enough.

I can make fabulous pictures with a 5 megapixel camera, suitable for 8x10 glossy prints of portraits. And outdoor shots look beautiful. But I still needed a camera with something better than that stupid 3x optical zoom. So I got one with 10x. Don't depend on that sleazy 'digital zoom' because all it does is magnify the pixels and it gets grainy REAL fast.

The only other caution I can offer is be careful about focus capability. Too many use auto-focus and can't switch to manual. Now there are many that have 'image stabilizers' which freeze the image for a moment, long enough to keep you from blurring it when you shoot. But I still prefer manual focus.

Answer 4

It depends on what you want to do. If you want to make photography a major hobby, and want to spend a lot of time mastering different techniques for taking great pictures, SLR is the way to go. If you simply want a nice camera that can produce good pictures easily, without a lot of fiddling with various controls, you want a LCD. SLR cameras offer much more control over apeture, focusing, lens choice and flash choice (on some models) than the point-and-shoot auto focus style cameras offer. Therefore, it is easier to use a LCD camera, but you have more control over how the picture turns out with a SLR.

Answer 5

All digital cameras have LCD displays. The advantage of an SLR is that you can see in the viewfinder exactly what the lens sees -- before any image processing is done. The primary factor is the resolution; the minimum resolution one should consider is 2 megapixels, but most cameras nowadays beat that easily. If you are interested in enlarging shots, or extracting details, the more pixels the better.

Answer 6

It depends on what you want to do with your photography. If you only plan on taking snapshots of friends and family then one of the many digicams available will probably do. Even within that genre' there are numerous choices - some are completely automatic and you're at the mercy of the camera. Others have full manual control, allowing you to exercise your creativity. Most digicams limit you to the little "pop-up" flash which is almost a 100% guarantee of redeye. Some digicams support an external (aka off-camera flash) which, again, broadens your creative boundaries.

If you want to have manual control in order to be creative then you may as well look at the DSLR line. With them you not only have the option of manual control but also interchangeable lenses Its much easier to use filters with the lenses for a DSLR since they simply screw into the front of the lens. As far as I know, every DSLR supports off-camera flash units.

Another advantage the DSLR has is a larger sensor size. A larger sensor means less "noise" at higher ISO values and the option of making much larger prints (due to the larger sensor). The DSLR also has a real viewfinder which means you see exactly what the lens sees. (Yes, some digicams have optical viewfinders).

I've owned 35mm SLR's for 36 years and would never give up interchangeable lenses. They are that important to me.

IMO you should visit a professional camera store (a store that only sells cameras - not 10,001 other things and cameras) and talk to a trained camera salesperson. He/she will be able to answer your questions and demonstrate the features and benefits and differences of the digicam vs. the DSLR.

(WARNING! Strong personal bias follows!) If you do visit a real camera store and take up the salesperson's time, BUY THE CAMERA from him/her. Most salespeople in speciality stores are on commission and its just WRONG to use their time and then run off to some discount place to buy the camera.

Plus, by buying your camera from a camera salesperson you'll have ready access to someone who can answer questions, solve problems, and offer intelligent advice on accessories. Some stores even give you an hour or so of personal instruction with your new camera. Try getting that at a discount store or over the internet.

If I were (and I'm not because I'm dedicated to using film) buying a new camera the Pentax K10D would be at the top of my list. It is 10 megapixels, has Image Stabilization (IS) in the body, has the Auto Focus drive motor in the body, and accepts every Pentax K-mount lens ever made. True, the older ones will require manual focus but you sure have access to a lot of quality glass. Another plus is that with IS in the camera body it works with the older lenses.

Good luck with making your decision and happy shopping!

Answer 7

SLR is a single lens reflex, and it has nothing to with LCD, its not a comparison. SLR cameras are much bigger in size and quality of the pictures is much better. If you are planning on using this camera as a profesional photographer - you need an SLR, if not reqular camera will do just fine, as long as its 6 mega pixels or more you will gave good results.

Answer 8

an SLR is for professionals photographers and offer many advanced features. For consumers, a regular digital camera is just fine. Try the Cannon SD series they are good.

Answer 9

SLR cameras are better,but only for professionals who know how to use all the advanced settings. Your average photographer should just use a normal camera that has the best setting already preprogrammed, as you will get better results that way.

Answer 10

SLR cameras are more versatile you can use lenses that let more light in and can be more accurately adjusted then a simple digital camera. Manual adjustments can be made to focus not using electronic adjustments. Simple digital cameras only use electronic adjustments.