Comparing SLR camera with cheaper compact

Press, 9 July 1986, Page 27

Comparing SLR camera with cheaper compact

Why buy a complicated single-lens reflex (SLR) camera instead of a topline highly-automated compact at perhaps half the price? The basic advantages of an SLR are, briefly, that the viewfinder shows the actual view through the lens, including in most cases the depth of field, and without parallax error; and that a wide range of lenses is available. The consequent versatility is unmatched in any other type of camera. The main advantages of the compact are its intendedly foolproof operation within inherent limitations, and its cheapness relative to the SLR. Foolproofing has not, historically, been a prime consideration to the manufacturers of SLRs. Automations of various sorts have tended to appear later than on compacts. Partly this is because the additional capa-

bilities of an SLR tend to complicate automation, autofocus being a prime example. The makers probably also have a feeling that people wanting simplicity will buy compacts, though this reckons without overenthusiasm by salespeople and overoptimism by customers, and in any case some cameras are used by more than one person. Complete foolproofing, moreover, imposes limitations on the range of photographs possible, so that almost all SLRs pro- . vide manual options to most automatic features, the dual system being necessarily more expen- *. sive than either manual or automatic. When considering a camera model, : check whether its auto, matic features offer, a manual override and, if. they do not, assess if you may need one. Another thing to check with an SLR is that its automatic

features are on the body, where they will operate with all lenses.

In deciding how costs match up, do not compare only the prices of the cameras — remember those expensive lenses which, in the long run, will be necessary to make ah SLR purchase worthwhile. Be careful to check whether SLR prices are body only. • A compact can be extremely restrictive to anyone used to an SLR. The generality of compacts permits - outside photo- , graphy between ' sunrise , and ? sunset from one metre distance outwards; inside, .it provides ' oncamera flash effective only in rooms of average size or smaller. The viewfinder needs regular checking in case it has got out of line. The fixed wide-angle lens, exaggerates'the near points of subjects, including, peopled Some of the latest compacts offer an auxiliary

lens or have one built in. While these are highly desirable in improving

portrait photographs, they hardly begin to encroach on the possibilities offered by interchangeable lenses with an SLR. The most important distinction among lenses, apart from quality, is in their focal length. The length described as “standard” is that of the diagonal of the film frame — for 35mm film, about 50nun. Using a . lens* of a ferent focal length alters two main things about, the photograph, the perspective/ and the angle of view 'recorded on the film. . Lenses which increase the angle of .view are called “wide-angle” and. have shorter focal lengths than standard; “telephoto" lenses, with longer effective, focal lengths, decrease the- recorded angle of view. These lenses will be dealt with , in more detail in a future article.