Where to begin?
Well, I will be starting with the real basics of cameras and photography. Throughout this thread I will try and give as many examples as possible with explanations in the
simplest way I can think in order to help you understand.
Unlike a lot of photography books out there, I will not just assume you know 'stuff' from the outset....it seems some authors write on the assumption that you know the jargon they know, that you understand the principles they know or have the same kit that they have.
Hopefully there will be a little bit of something for everyone and as such I will try and cover things step by step with a range of kit from a simple iPhone through point & shoot cameras up to digital SLR's.
Seeing as I am making this up as I go using my own experiences as a novice, I am not giving any guarantee that all the info is 100% technically accurate, but it's stuff that works for me and might equally work for you. If there is something that is obviously incorrect, please let me know, I am not a robot/machine/walking Wikipedia on cameras and as such I am liable to make some mistakes. Likewise, if there is something I explain that you don't understand, PLEASE let me know and I will try and explain it a different way. Sometimes the way I visualise/describe something might not work for you...but please do ask if this is the case.
There is a lot to cover, so I might not have all the answers you are looking for right away, but rest assured I will try and cover everything as I go, so please be patient with me as I cover things in as logical an order as I can ;D
Here is the kit I will be using for the entire thread to give you some idea:
You can see my phone in the front, then two different 'levels' of point & shoot cameras and in the background, overshadowing them all is my DSLR (Digital SLR)
All of the images and examples used will be my own.
All photos in this thread will be taken by me, unless stated otherwise, from one of the above cameras (except for the photo ^ above ^ which was taken with my GF's cheap point & shoot)
So firstly, lets have a quick look at the advantages and disadvantages of each type of camera. If you can think of any more adv/disadv. to add to the lists, please let me know.
Phone CamerasPhone Camera Advantages:You pretty much always have it with you
Dead simple & easy to use
No extra cost seeing as it's already built into your phone
Fits in your pocket easily
Great for capturing 'ad hoc' shots
No extra kit needed
You can upload photos 'on the go' (great for those who live for Facebook etc..)
Some phones have cool 'apps' to make the photos look funkier without any effort
Phone Camera Disadvantages:Quality can be pretty poor (especially in low light)
Very limited options for controlling the shot
Difficult to get 'really' good shots
Always a compromise because it's built in as part of a phone rather than being a dedicated camera
Phone Camera Summary:Brilliant for having on you 24/7 and capturing the odd shot to send someone on their phone but not great if you want to really start developing your photography skills. Very limited on the control side of things and the quality of the shots tends to be at the lowest end of the scale. (although some phones like the Sony Cybershot ones are pretty good for a phone)
Point & Shoot CamerasPoint & Shoot Camera Advantages:Cheap & affordable
Light and easy to carry around (fit in pockets)
Dead simple & easy to use
Better quality (generally) than phone cameras
More control of your shots with things like optical zoom, more functions and better low light capability (plus built in flash)
Batteries tend to be AA cell so easy to get more if you're out & about and run low on power
Point & Shoot Camera Disadvantages:Quality still not brilliant especially in low light
You are limited by the range of the zoom built into the camera
Often cheaply built therefore easy to break
Viewing screen tends to be a long way off the colours/definition of your actual photo
Very useful for 'snaps' but harder to get those really good quality shots
Point & Shoot Camera Summary:Generally a big step up from phone cameras in terms of quality and control of what you can take. They are cheap and affordable with lots of choice from most shops....so something to suit all pockets but generally, the cheaper you buy, the lower the quality of the shots or less control through lack of functions. Great for ease of use, portability and getting to know the basics of composing photographs (i.e. the layout of things within the shot) rather than making high quality shots
Advanced Point & Shoot CamerasAdvanced Point & Shoot Camera Advantages:Generally far superior quality shots to most other point & shoot cameras
Far more control than other point & shoot cameras
Built in zoom to give more flexibility without buying extra lenses (referring to DSLR)
Ability to have full control over shots almost to the level of a DSLR
Much better low light capability without having to rely on the flash
Ability to be used 'just' as a simple point & shoot OR used for more advanced photography
Still fairly small in size
Much better quality screen for viewing your shots
Often used by pro-photographers as a 'back-up' camera to their normal big DSLR (mentioned as a sign of how good they are)
Dedicated (camera specific) batteries tend to last a long time
Superior build quality with stronger metal cases, tougher buttons/controls etc...
Advanced Point & Shoot Camera Disadvantages:A lot more expensive than most point & shoots - almost as expensive as entry level DSLR cameras!
You are limited by the range of the zoom built into the camera
Generally bigger than most point & shoots, so not as 'pocket friendly' (see first pic for comparison)
Controls can seem daunting to someone not accustomed to anything but a basic point & shoot even though they have full 'auto' point & shoot functions
Most have 'dedicated' batteries so no facility for just buying some AA cell batteries if you run out of power while out & about
Extra batteries can be expensive
Advanced Point & Shoot Camera Summary:Almost a niche camera which falls somewhere between the ease of use/portability of a point & shoot with the image quality/control near to a DSLR. Expensive to a lot of people, but well worth the money to someone really wanting to start developing their photography skills without investing in a DSLR. A great 'back-up' camera to someone who has a DSLR and wants something portable without sacrificing too much quality. If you can afford one, I'd recommend one over a 'normal' point & shoot if you really want to start learning more about photography and getting better shots.
DSLR CamerasDSLR Camera Advantages:Generally
far superior quality shots than other digital cameras
Full control of what shots you take in every respect
Large range of diverse lenses and other accessories to really enable you to get shots other cameras just couldn't hope to take
Build quality tends to be much higher
Opens up a whole new world of creativity & learning beyond what a point & shoot can offer
SLR (Single Lens Reflex*) enables you to see
exactly what you're photographing rather than a digitised veiw that you get on all point & shoots (or through a point & shoot viewfinder which really isn't accurate)
A good way to earn money...selling high quality shots can help pay for/expand your kit or even make you a living if you're very good at it
DSLR Camera Disadvantages:A LOT more expensive than the other types of camera mentioned (except the difference between a basic entry level DSLR and an advanced point & shoot)
Additional kit/lenses/accessories can far outweigh the initial purchase price of the camera (by a LONG way)
Can be very daunting to use if you've only ever used a point & shoot camera
Much bigger and heavier than all point & shoot cameras
Nowhere near as portable if you're just using it for holiday snaps
Can be quite a steep learning curve to get the hang of using all the functions
Memory cards can be expensive (depending on what cards the camera takes)
Not subtle - can make you stand out like a sore thumb (you can't really hide them)
Expensive to repair if they go wrong
You have to get used to using the viewfinder rather than a screen for taking shots. Not a true problem as such, but some people used to point & shoots find it odd**
DSLR Camera Summary:Get to learn how to use one properly and you'll be taking shots that no point & shoot could ever take. Once you master the basics, you'll be amazed at the type of shots you can get. Very expensive to really get into (compared to point & shoots), but lenses can be an investment and pay you back if you start making money from your images. They can be a big leap of faith and a big dent in your wallet initially, but there is no better or more rewarding way to take photos. You have to get used to a different way of life - carrying one around can seem cumbersome so you make a decision each time you go out if you should take it with you or not...often kicking yourself for leaving it at home just when a perfect photo presents itself (like a sunset to die for or a chance shot you'll not be able to capture again etc...)
So there you go....a quick guide to what I see as the main advantages and disadvantages of different types of camera. All have their place and all are great at what they do as long as you are aware of and accept their limitations.
You will notice that I have not mentioned bridge cameras which are a kind of halfway house that literally 'bridge' the gap between a point & shoot and an SLR. Bridge cameras are basically a point & shoot camera with the facility to fully control the shots (like a DSLR) and have far better zoom ranges than a point & shoot. The lenses are built in so you don't have the option to change them, but they are also fairly large (the size of a small SLR) so you gain control and quality but lose out on true felxibility and portability. I have not gone into any detail about these cameras because I have no experience with them....but the principles of using one will be covered to some extent just by the nature of what I will be covering in this thread.
*SLR = Single Lens Reflex which is where a camera uses a mirror to project the image through the actual main lens directly to the viewfinder, so what you are seeing through the viewfinder is exactly what you will be taking a photo of. The mirror pops up out of the way when the shot is taken to allow the image to hit the photo sensor in the camera which records the image as a photo. Point & shoot camera don't have this facility, so what you see with them in the screen is a digital representation of the view, not an actual direct real view. 'SLR' is a mechanism & term that has come from SLR
film based cameras and into modern Digital SLR (DSLR) cameras. The principle is the same between flim SLR and digital SLR but the film has now been replaced with a digital sensor instead. More details of how an SLR functions can be seen here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-lens_reflex_camera** Some digital cameras have a 'live view' function where the screen can be used to view the image you are about to take. This is a recent addition to SLR's that some point & shoot people might like, but personally, if you've got a proper SLR then you really can't beat using the viewfinder for composing an image.