Cameras

All cameras do have in common a light-tight box where the film lies. To take a picture, a small hole is opened for a short time and the light leave its trace on the film. Then the film has to be advanced.

Cameras differ in the quality and the facilities they offer to you.

Compact Cameras

Compact Camera
One of the first small compact cameras dating back to the sixties

 

Compact cameras are designed for portability and they are very easy to use: You just have to point and shoot.

Modern features are built-in flash, autofocus, automatic shutter speed selection and motorized film advance. Some models even offer zooms.

The big disadvantage is that you do not have the possibility to change shutter speed and aperture manually. Because the image isn't viewed through the lens itself but via a separate window, you don't exactly see what you record on the film.

SLR Cameras

SLR Camera
Single-lens Reflex Camera

  

The single-lens reflex camera, is the most used basic type for amateurs and professionals. SLR cameras are easily extensible and can be used for all kinds of advanced photography.

All the luxury has its prize: Usually SLR cameras are much more expensive than compact cameras.

The three main advantages of a SLR camera are:

1. Full control over shutter speed and aperture settings. With modern models apart from manual use, you can even work with different programs that let you choose one setting and the camera calculates the corresponding other ones.
2. All kinds of lenses are available. They can be attached and removed while the film is loaded in the camera.
3. The image is viewed trough the lens itself. That's the reason why the picture you record on film exactly corresponding to the viewfinder.

Other Types of Camera

The camera types described above are used with 35 mm or APS film. To make huge enlargements the quality of these miniature film formats is too low. In medium and large format cameras, however, films are bigger. They are mostly used by professional photographers for publicity, fashion and architecture.

If you are a beginner, just try to make you first experiences with a simple compact camera. We're sure that in becoming more ambitious you'll like to work with an SLR camera that offers you much more.