Which is better a Digital Compact Camera or a Digital SLR Camera?

Question

I want to buy a new digital camera, but am very confused about the type of camera to buy.

Some of my friends told me to buy a Digital Compact Camera like the Sony Cybershot T300. And others told me go for a Digital SLR.

Can you guys tell me which one is better and a good model to buy???

Answer 1

I have always owned Nikon's and they are amazing!  I just got the D60 and it's great!  I am an amateur and I have been taking pictures in the auto mode and I am very comfortable with this camera.  I go to bed with the manual as reading material, but I seem to be doing just fine.  I think this would be a good camera for you, but if you don't want to spend this much, check out the other Nikon's, like the S550 and the S600.

Answer 2

Digital compact cameras (compacts for short) are small and portable and you can easily take them anywhere. They are good if you are not too picky about taking artsy shots and not too picky about image quality.

Compacts perform great under daylight but when the sun goes down, their performance goes down with it. Low light is where the compacts weakness really shows.

Generally compacts will have higher noise levels than DSLRs when using high ISO setings.

Pros for compacts :

- Small, light and portable

- Very easy to use - just point and shoot.

- Cost of ownership very low.

Cons for compacts :

- Limited settings adjustment available

- Higher noise levels in pictures

DSLRs on the other hand are cameras that puts you in charge. You can manually set everything before taking a shot. They also allow you to change lenses for specific photography needs. Will certainly be bigger and bulkier and can be heavy (when attached with certain lenses).

Noise levels in images are generally low so images are cleaner looking even in high ISO settings. Performance need not go down with the sun as they are lenses designed to work well in low light.

Pros for DSLRs:

- Gives higher image quality

- Gives you all the freedom to be as creative and artistic as you like with your shots.

- Lets you change lenses for different needs without the need to change cameras.

Cons for DSLRs:

- Size is bigger and bulkier. May be a hassle to carry around.

- Has a steep learning curve to really master the camera.

- Cost of ownership can be very high (good lenses and accessories don't come cheap!)

So it's up to you what to buy. If you have a passion for photography and wants lots of control with your shots, get the DSLR. If you just want a camera to capture and keep pictures for memories, get the compacts.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

Depends on what you really want to do and what you like.

if you're looking for something small to carry around and take snapshots - a compact is fine

If you want to do artistic stuff, landscape, or for a lack of a better description on my part, "serious photography" - DSLR is the way to go.

That's not to say that the compacts can't take good images, but with the DSLR you have the advantage of manual control and the focal range.

A good compromise would be camera like the Canon G9. It's like a compact and basic DSRL combined.

Answer 4

i think that digital SLR is good for an advanced photographer. but i have the sony cybershot, and it is really nice. so it really depends on how much you want to spend because digital SLR is way more expensive, and a little bulky.

for the SLR the cannon rebel is good

and for digital compact the sony cybershot, cannon powershot, or the nokon coolpix