If you are like me, and at one point wondered how these magnificent cameras worked and takes pictures like the some of the ones in this forum, you are about to find out.



I do not know the technical names for these parts, so stay with me as I try to explain how these things work...

#1 is the actual lens that you can take off of the body and replace with a better lens, etc....

If you own an SLR, and want to follow along, pop your lens off you will see the little angled mirror labeled #2. The sensor that actually captures and records the image sits right behind that little mirror. If you do not have an SLR, like me, you can kind of see the #2 lens from the illustration in the body of this Nikon D50 and Canon Rebel XT:




Now, ... when the #2 mirror is down, in it's resting position, it shoots the ACTUAL image up through the #6 and #7 series of mirrors, and puts it where you can see it in the viewfinder. Its just like looking through a telescope in a way.

If you have ever shot with an SLR film or digital camera, you would have noticed how when you push the shutter button, the image dissappears for a split second in the viewfinder and you hear that "click" noise? Well, the reason is that is when you snap a picture that angled mirror folds upward inside the body out of the way (position #5 in the diagram above), exposing the sensor that sits directly behind that mirror.

(The mirror (#2) that refracts the image up into the viewfinder moves out of the way, therefore removing the mirrored image from the viewfinder for that split second that the mirror is "out of line").

I think that about covers how an SLR camera works... you guys have anything else to add?


Modified by Miracle at 10:59 PM 1/3/2007

 

needs a drop

 

fix that lip its sagging

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Miracle &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think that about covers how an SLR camera works... you guys have anything else to add?</TD></TR></TABLE>

What about the lenses? What seperates one from another?
What features do you look for in a SLR camera?

I plan to get an SLR camera sometime in 2007 even though I suck at taking pics

BTW good info there

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hybrid93Hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

What about the lenses? What seperates one from another?
What features do you look for in a SLR camera?

I plan to get an SLR camera sometime in 2007 even though I suck at taking pics

BTW good info there </TD></TR></TABLE>

Bear with me... I am still learning as a whole... More info as I learn will follow.

 

Lenses are seperated into numerous catagories based on mainly focal length. Some also might have other qualities such as a built in image-stabilizer, faster focusing motor etc..
so there are...

<u>Standard Zoom</u>-This category features lenses with the most popular focal lengths



<u>Ultra Wide</u>- The wide angle allows you to bring more area into focus and provides greater depth of field



<u>Wide Angle</u>-These lenses let you capture more by broadening the angle of view



<u>Standard Telephoto</u>- Use these for a more natural angle of view and perspective. They are excellent for portraits and for giving images natural depth of field.



<u>Telephoto</u>-Telephoto lenses not only let you close-in on a subject, but also allow you to zoom in on a subject that you cannot get close to



<u>Telephoto Zoom</u>-Telephoto zoom lenses allow you to capture details normally missed by the eye. Capture the far off action of fast-paced sports or zoom in for an intimate portrait with a blurred background



<u>Super Telephoto</u>-Nothing quite compares to the amount of dimension a super telephoto lens can bring to a photograph



<u>Macro</u>-Macro lenses can uncover detail that would be impossible to detect by the eye and give new perspective to extremely minute subjects such as insects or the petals of a small flower



<u>Tilt- Shift</u>- Shift movements correct the trapezoidal effect seen in pictures taken of tall objects, so as not to distort the subject

 

Great info in this thread

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by next21 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Great info in this thread </TD></TR></TABLE>

No $hit Thanks for posting about the lenses

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hybrid93Hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

No $hit Thanks for posting about the lenses </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah no ****... I learned alot from that...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Miracle &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Yeah no ****... I learned alot from that...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Same here.

Good info.

 

I think the description needs to be edited to include only Digital SLRs since information about a film SLR's #1 and #2 shutter curtains isn't mentioned. Also the "film plane" isn't mentioned above, while "sensor" is.

 

ah................thank you!

 

good info!

 

most imformative thread I've seen on HT in quite some time... Thank you!

 

lots of good info.

 

Number 7 is actually a prism not mirrors. The quality of the prism affects how clear and bright the image looks in the viewfinder.

 

nice