If you’re shopping for a new digital camera one of the biggest decisions to make is whether to go for a digital SLR or a compact / superzoom model. Each has distinct pros and cons so it’s important to understand both the benefits and downsides in order to buy the right camera for your kind of photography.

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By asking yourself a few simple questions, you’ll soon discover what type of camera will be most appropriate for your requirements, Ultimately you can take pictures of people, landscapes, or close-ups with any camera, but some models are better-suited to specific types of photography than others – not to mention being better-suited for certain types of photographers. So what follows is a list of key questions you should be asking yourself when deciding what type of camera to buy – they’ll help you make the important decision of whether to go for a DSLR, a compact or a super-zoom digital camera.

Q: Do you need a camera which responds very quickly?
Action photography

A: If you’re into action photography, or are simply frustrated by any delay between pressing the button and your picture being taken, then you should seriously consider a DSLR. There are a handful of unusually quick compacts or superzooms, like the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H9, but generally speaking a DSLR will startup and respond much quicker than a compact, not to mention offer superior continuous shooting capabilities. Focusing on DSLRs is also normally quicker, although this is greatly influenced by the type of lens you fit, so if you’re serious about shooting wildlife, sports – or even just fast-moving kids – then consider upgrading the supplied ‘kit’ lens to a quicker model.

Winner: DSLR (although you may need to upgrade the kit lens for the quickest focusing)

Q: Do you like composing photos using the colour screen?
Live View

A: Composing photos using a nice big colour screen is one of the joys of digital photography, but sadly it’s something which most DSLRs are simply unable to do. There are a handful of DSLRs with Live View facilities which let you compose with the screen, but they don’t work as smoothly as a compact and the rest require you to press your eye up to the traditional optical viewfinder. In practice a DSLR viewfinder actually allows you to check the focusing much better than a colour screen, but the fact is if you want to compose using a monitor, you’ll be better-off buying a compact or super-zoom; some even offer flip-out screens for shooting at unusual angles.

Winner: Compact or Superzoom (although some DSLRs now offer a Live View facility)

How important is taking photos in very low light?
Low light photography

A: DSLRs have physically much larger sensors than compacts or superzooms, which allows them to be more sensitive to light. This in turn means much better picture quality at higher sensitivities (the bigger ISO numbers) whether you’re shooting under low light conditions or with the fastest shutter speeds to freeze action. This is a key advantage of DSLRs and for an example of what happens to the picture quality of a compact and a DSLR as you increase the sensitivity, So if decent quality at high sensitivities is important to you, go for a DSLR every time.

Winner: DSLR by a mile

Q: Is the size and weight of your camera a big issue?


A: Due to their lens mounts and internal mirrors, DSLRs are simply bigger and heavier than most compacts or superzoom cameras. If you want a camera you can slip in a pocket or a small bag, then a compact or a superzoom is the best choice. If you want the smallest possible DSLR though, consider the Olympus E-410.

Winner: Compact or Superzoom

Q: Do you want the ability to capture video clips?


A: This one’s very simple: at the time of writing there were no DSLRs capable of recording video clips, so if this feature’s important to you, go for a compact or a superzoom model.

Winner: Compact or Superzoom (although for the best video and audio quality, buy a camcorder)

Do you want complete control over all the settings?
Creative controls

A: Many compacts and superzooms offer manual modes, but most are restricted in what they’ll let you do. Some settings may only be available under certain conditions, and the longest exposures may be less than a minute. If you want the maximum control over your camera’s settings or require long exposures for special effects or astro-photography, a DSLR is the way to go.

Winner: DSLR