Why do SLR camaras cost so much?

Question

i'm fairly young so i dont know much about carmeras but the cheapest slr camera i could find was like 500 and then others were 1000 and up so does that mean the 500 isnt even worth anything? and why are they soo much its going to be a while till i can get one like 3 years at the least but i really want to be a photogtapher and ive been using a phone camera and a cheap digitl from kmart that barly works

if you would like to see my work its at

http://puppyblue.deviantart.com/

so if you could just clear me up on that and tell me what price to aim for that would really help and and other info you would like to share

Answer 1

SLRs cost so much more for a variety of reasons. One reason is that they're simply built better than point-and-shoots. Another is that the sensor on an SLR is 15x larger than a sensor on a P&S so it costs quite a bit more to manufacture. A third reason is that if SLRs costed less then companies would be undercutting sales of their own P&Ss.

The truth is you can take good pictures with any camera. However, an SLR will make your job that much easier.

When it comes down to SLRs the main difference between a $500 camera and a $1000 camera is build quality and a few extra features. If you're just starting out you won't even notice these features and a $500 camera will be just fine for you.

If you can't afford an SLR I'd suggest you look at a bridge camera (like a Canon G9). These are the cameras that are a little larger, have a big optical zoom, and give you full control over shutter speed an aperture. Having full control over the settings makes getting the picture you want much easier.

Answer 2

First of all if you want to get into Photography and don't have money for the DSLR just get a good digital point and shoot.  They are not that expensive and still take a WAY better photo then a kmart or camera phone.  

With the point and shoot you can learn your basics. point and shoots have manual setting that you can play around with.  

The reason they are so expense is you get what you pay for.  The DSLR have a lot more going on inside them then the point and shoot.  They have higher quality sensors.  The way the photo is taken is like this .  For viewing purposes, the mirror reflects the light coming through the attached lens upwards at an approximately 90 degree angle. It is then reflected by the pentaprism to the photographer's eye. During exposure (when the photograph is taken), the mirror swings upward, and a shutter opens, allowing the lens to project light onto the image sensor.

To make that type of set up cost more then to make. A point and shoot basically takes light and directly puts it on to the sensor.

If you want to start getting into photography you can get an 35-mm SLR.  Its film but they still take a great photo.  You will learn how to use a SLR.  You can pick up a nice 35-mm SLR for $20-$100.  Or someone might give you one if you ask.  I have one I want to get rid of.  35-mm SLRs are how most of us got started in photography. I think everyone that wants to be a photographer should learn how to take a good photo with the 35-mm SLR.  Developing film in a dark room is a dying art.  Try and take a photography class that will teach you how to develop film.  It's a lot of fun.

I just bought a refurbished Olympus E410 DSLR for $330 with lens on amazon. It's the best DSLR in its price range. I absolutely love it.

Answer 3

There are several reasons that a dSLR cost more than point-n-shoot cameras.  The first being that dSLRs have larger and better sensors that those used in regular cameras, and those sensors are expensive.

There are other features as well, such as buffer memory (which affects the amount of pictures you can take in a row).  Metal bodies (versus plastic), and so on.  The number of features, as well as construction, etc help determine the price.  Most dSLR manufaturers have 2 or 3 "lines" of cameras which allow you to decide between the number of features you want and what you can fit in your budget.  So for example, the "rebel" line from Canon has a plastic body, and can only shoot 3 frames per second, so it is less expensive than the mid-range models such as the 40D which has a steel body and can shoot 5 frames per second and so on.

You do not have to invest in the best dSLR from the start, as your biggest investment is your lenses.  Bodies will come and go over the years, but your lenses will stay with you for a long time.  

Basically, you should buy the best body that your budget will allow, but with the caveat that you should leave some money for an additional lens or two when getting started.