Nikon D50

If engineering compromises have you down, D-SLRs are the way to go. They represent the apex of camera technology—fast shooting, almost no shutter lag, blazing burst modes, and tons of manual controls. They've got better optics and bigger sensors, too. You can swap out lenses, making them endlessly flexible.

But D-SLRs are bulkier and harder to use than compacts. And they're more expensive. That said, the number of entry-level D-SLRs is exploding. Many are priced under $1,000 and are user-friendly enough for serious amateurs.

How exactly does a D-SLR work? A film single lens reflex (SLR) camera uses an optical mirror to divert light coming through the lens directly to the photographer's eye, letting him see exactly what the camera sees—composition, focus, depth of field. The photographer presses the shutter button and the mirror moves out of the way, sending light toward the shutter behind the mirror. Then the shutter opens to expose the film, closes, and the mirror drops down, redirecting light to the photographer's eye—all faster than the blink of an eye. Digital SLRs (D-SLRs) operate the same way, but the image hits a sensor instead of film.

D-SLRs produce better images than compact digital cameras can. D-SLR image sensors can be many times larger than compacts' at the same megapixel count. Larger image sensors mean bigger pixel wells that can collect more photons, boosting sensitivity, lowering noise, increasing dynamic range, and producing more accurate colors. And by offering extensive manual and analog controls (such as exposure and white balance bracketing, higher ISO equivalencies, RAW file format, and so on), D-SLRs offer more image-quality control.

You can change a D-SLR's lens, choosing from wide angle and ultra-wide-angle, telephoto and extreme telephoto, macro (for closeups), high-speed (for low light) or even fisheye lenses. Some lenses have built-in image stabilization, for sharper available-light photography.

Think of a D-SLR as the bedrock of your photographic system, with countless add-ons available, like matched TTL (through-the-lens) electronic flashes, studio strobe lights, power packs with vertical shutter releases, focusing screens, filters, wireless and wired remote controls, and more.

Finally, most D-SLRs are better built and have higher-quality components than compact cameras. That, plus greater memory buffering, boosts performance to film camera speed (nearly instant-on, with negligible shutter lag and the ability to shoot 2 to 8 frames per second). Some models, like the Canon EOS 20D, shoot at blazing speeds of 1/8000th of a second. Alas, getting control over a D-SLR takes time, so don't expect award-winning photos right off the bat. — Continue to D-SLR reviews

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