Entering the world of digital photography part 2

See I told you digital photography could be addictive and here you are already reading the second part of my post about these cameras.

In the early days of digital cameras, digital single lens reflexes were the province of professionals, serious amateurs and those who had too much money to spend on their hobby. That all changed though with the introduction of the Canon EOS 300D and the Nikon D40. Both had polycarbonate bodies and were cut down versions of their more high end siblings. At that point the digital SLR became affordable and both cameras sold like hot cakes. Their successors are even better and deservedly command a large share of this market.

The advantages that DSLRs have over compact cameras can probably be summed up in two words; versatility and speed.

Just like the film cameras that proceeded them, these SLRs have a bewildering range of lenses and accessories available to cover every aspect of photography and it's not just the original manufacturer that produces these accessories. Companies like Tamron, Metz, Sunpak and Sigma produces lenses etc at very competitive prices to work with most DSLRs.

The speed advantages over the cheaper compacts are four fold. They are quick to start up and be ready for use. They are quick to write data to the memory card. They are quick to be ready for the next shot; so quick in fact that most will allow you to take several shots per second . Lastly, they are quick to find focus even in poor light. Their speed advantage makes them the first choice for those who engage in action photography.

There are a few downsides though. First; most are supplied with what is called a kit lens. To be fair these are "adequate". Generally they are wide angle to medium length zoom lenses with apertures ranging from about f3.5 to f5.6. To get the best results these lenses need to be used in the middle of the aperture range (f8 - f11) by using AV mode which alters the shutter speed to obtain the correct exposure. Of course you don't have to take the kit lens; you can buy a "body only" and a better quality lens but that hikes the price up.

Secondly there is the problem of dust getting on the sensor. This can happen every time you change a lens and manifests itself as white blobs on your photographs. The sealed body of the compact is designed to avoid this issue. Cleaning the sensor is a delicate operation requiring a certain amount of care. The answer has been to introduce methods of "shaking" the dust off and each manufacturer has different ways of doing this.

Then there is the size. Although they are a lot more compact and lighter than their film predecessors they still are not pocketable in the way that many compacts are.

Lastly there is the cost. Once you have your DSLR there is always the temptation to buy more lenses, a flashgun, a bag to carry this all in etc etc. Good quality lenses cost a lot more than the original purchase and can make this into a very expensive hobby.

Anybody feeling generous enough to buy me a Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III with the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM lens? A snip at £5,400 for the camera and £1,150 for the lens. It wouldn't make me a better photographer but it would allow me to kick sand in the faces of Japanese tourists.

A Canon EOS 350D like mine can now be bought for £399.95 and so is perhaps a little more affordable that the 1Ds.