Compare the Best Digital CamerasNovember 2018

QWhat is the difference between an SLR, Mirrorless and Compact cameras?

ASLRs and Mirrorless cameras are both powerful cameras with changable lenses for a large amount of flexibility. Mirrorless cameras tend to be smaller and lighter than SLRs (because they don't have to include a mirror to bounce light onto the sensor) but are not quite as powerful.

Compact cameras are small fixed-lens cameras meant for casual photography and everyday carry. In previous generations compact cameras were significantly less powerful than other types, but modern variants are almost as powerful as SLRs.

QWhat is the difference between optical and digital zoom?

AOptical zoom uses the hardware of the camera to physically move the lenses, enlarging the captured picture. Digital zoom uses software to further enlarge the picture. This means digital zooms can go far beyond the range of optical zooms, but the quality is much worse, and degrades sharply as the image is zoomed in.

QWhat is an 'image stabiliser'?

AAn image stabiliser detects and compensates for small judders and shakes while filming, meaning the resulting images are far smoother and still.

QWhy is a big sensor size important?

AA larger optical sensor produces better quality images, because more light can be brought into the lens at once, This leads to larger, more highly-detailed photos.

QWhat is GPS function on a camera?

AGPS allows the camera to tag each photo with exactly where it was taken.

QWhat is the difference between 'waterproof' and 'water resistant'?

AThere is a small but important difference between waterPROOF and water RESISTANT - waterproof means that the camera can be submerged underwater for an extended amount of time with no adverse effects. Water resistant means that the camera can suffer limited exposure to water without any problems - normally this is limited to heavy rain or liquid splashes, not total immersion.

QWhat are the benefits of instant cameras?

AInstant cameras have been seeing a revival in recent years - modern versions work similar to the classic Polaroid cameras, but use modern thermal-reactive paper. They allow immediate printing of photos when out and about - perfect for parties! However the paper is expensive to buy, and you can easily blast through a pack of 10 shots very quickly.