The ever growing fascination with capturing the day to day activities of our lives and sharing those moments with the wider world has made the camera an essential everyday item and very central to everything we do.
Most of us believe there are only two types of cameras - digital and film, when in fact there are many different types of cameras out there, and they are made of equally diverse materials such as wood, steel, plastic and titanium. The major difference between digital and film cameras is the surface where image is recorded - a traditional camera will use film and a modern digital camera will use an electronic sensor.
Pinhole cameras - camera obscura
A Pinhole camera also known as camera obscura can be made using some common household objects such as a can or a box. The camera is a light-proof box with a small hole on one side, where the light passes through this hole to project an image of the outside world on the opposite side of the box. This is a camera without lens and with a single small aperture. Pinhole cameras require a lengthy exposure, which varies from 5 seconds to several hours. Pinhole cameras are used to capture the movement of the sun over a long period of time. Muslim scientist Ibn al-Haytham was the first person to successfully project an outside image to a screen using several different light sources. He first wrote about the camera obscura and pinhole camera in his Book of Optics in 1021 AD.
Single use cameras/disposable
These are the most cheapest, simplest and easiest to use cameras. They will have a roll of film inside and are usually recyclable. These types of cameras have a fixed focal length and a single shutter speed. Some of the features in these cameras includes built in flash and water resistance. These cameras are good for some one off photography when you don't have access to any other cameras. The whole camera needs to be taken in to the shop for printing. The camera is recycled/disposed of once the film has been processed.
Compact Lens Shutter cameras
Compact cameras either have a single focal length, dual focal length or zoom. They mostly have automatic settings for focus and exposure. These types of cameras also have a built in flash. They are one of the most popular camera types and are suitable for most consumer needs. These cameras are an inexpensive alternative for many people who don't consider themselves as serious photographers. Point and shoot cameras are great for events, parties and holiday snaps. The low end compact cameras are similar to disposable cameras and have fixed settings and features which gives very little room for controlling the end result. Although the higher end ranges have many features which allows for greater control Bridge cameras
There's been a growing popularity for Bridge cameras and great for those who want the advantage of a lightweight compact camera with the added features of a DSLR. Bridge cameras are there to fill the gap between compact cameras and DSLR's. Bridge cameras normally lack an optical viewfinder and a smaller ISO sensitivity because of the smaller image sensor. Although Bridge cameras do not have interchangeable lenses, unlike the DSLR, which has a variety of lenses with different focal length, Bridge cameras have a long zoom lens, which can range up to 600mm. Rangefinders
Rangefinders are compact and lightweight and are fitted with a rangfinder. They became very popular during the 1950's. Leica cameras are the most popular and expensive rangefinders available today. The rangefinder works by focusing on dual image and when a ring is turned the images are fused ensuring perfect focus. Image is focused and composed through a window on the top right, similar to a compact camera. Rangefinders tend to have higher image quality due to not having a flipping mirror, and results in less vibration and blurring of images when hand holding during slow shutter speeds. Masters of photography such as Cartier-Bresson and Salgado prefer using Rangefinders to DSLR's. With Rangefinders you won't know what you're getting until you see the final image and also everything is always in focus so no hint of depth of field. They are not very good with Macro or telephoto lenses. And they also need regular servicing. Twin Lens Reflex
This is a medium format camera - one that uses film larger than 35mm, thus producing higher quality of image. Twin lens means exactly what it says - two lenses - one mounted atop another with exactly the same focal length. Focus and composure is through the top one and take the picture with the bottom one. TLR cameras are mush more mechanically simpler than DSLR's and also cheaper. TLR's are also less noisy and has reduced shutter lag. The disadvantages are very few offer interchangeable lenses. It also has limited shutter speed as well as not being able to view depth of field as the camera has no diaphragm. Single Lens Reflex
An SLR or DLSR (Digital SLR) is the most popular type of camera in the market today. It has a reflex mirror that bounces light from the lens on to the flat ground glass screen. A DSLR has a 35mm, APS or 4/3 size CCD or CMOS sensor which captures the image.
- Camera lens
- Reflex mirror
- Focal-plane shutter
- Image sensor
- Matte focusing screen
- Condenser lens
- Pentaprism/pentamirror
- Viewfinder eyepiece
DSLR's have grown in popularity mainly because they allow the user greater control and flexibility over the image they capture. They also have interchangeable lenses and are great for fast moving sports/action, nature or wildlife photography as well as studio photography. You can also use a huge range of lenses such as Macro, telephoto and fisheye. DSLR's offer larger sensor sizes in high end models and some latest models offer live view and HD video capture. These days DLSR's have many accessories such as flash guns, triggers, remotes and various types of filters to enhance and improve the image capture experience.
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