What is an SLR?

Both 35mm SLRs and Digital

What is an SLR?

SLR is an acronym that stands for single lens reflex. For many years, the 35mm SLR camera has been the preferred device used by professional photographers. The design of the camera allows for the most accurate display of what will appear on the film or, in the case of Digital SLRs, on the light sensor.

An SLR camera allows the photographer to look directly through the lens. In other systems, the photographer uses a viewfinder or, in more recent years, a digital display to compose the image. Both of these methods have disadvantages compared to an SLR system.

The digital display method means that there is a delay between the action in front of the camera and its being displayed on the screen. This can make fast-action photography difficult. In a viewfinder model, what's seen in the viewfinder will always vary somewhat from the camera's perspective.

An SLR system uses a mirror and a pentaprism to allow the photographer a direct view of the frame as it will appear in the final image. The image is reflected upwards, passes through the prism twice and is rectified so that it appears upright to the photographer. There is no delay between what the photographer sees and the action in front of the camera. There is also no difference in perspective, as is the case with viewfinder models. SLR cameras typically feature changeable lenses. These lenses are generally manufacturer-specific. The range of lenses available for SLR 35mm cameras and DSLR cameras is staggering. From fisheye lenses and macro lenses for close-up work to lenses powerful enough to serve as devices for astronomical photography; the options are, essentially, limitless.

The 35mm camera film format that dominated the industry remains very popular today. 35mm cameras capture an image on a negative large enough to easily allow for 8x10, or larger prints, depending on the film speed. The format is small enough that the cameras and equipment are very portable and the film itself is enclosed in a cartridge for easy loading.

SLR cameras are excellent choices for those who take photography more seriously than snapshots. Even an amateur with an SLR and some practice, can get high-quality images suitable for framing and display. These are, without question, professional quality devices that are usually available in models that are affordable for consumers.
Depending on the quality one desires, an SLR can be purchased for a couple of hundred dollars all the way to professional models that can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Choosing a 35mm camera over a digital model has the disadvantage of the prints requiring developing, but the image resolution is never an issue where film is concerned.

Here are some 35mm SLR cameras to check out:

Canon AE-1:
35mm SLR camera, Aperture Priority, Split-image / microprism focusing screen

Konica Autoreflex T3 :
Shutter preferred automatic, 1/125 sec flash sync speed, ISO 12 - 3200

Nikon FM10 :
Manual focus, manual exposure 35mm camera, split image focusing screen