Читать книгу Outdoor Photography онлайн

46 страница из 86

It can even be argued that the gap between compact and SLR is wider in the digital age than ever before. A 35mm compact used the same film as an SLR, but digital SLRs have much bigger sensors than most compacts. As we’ve already suggested, this is a very significant difference.

However, not all SLRs are equal in the sensor size stakes, as the table below shows. The majority of current DSLRs have APS-C (DX) size sensors. These are slightly under half the area of a ‘full-frame’ (FX or FF) sensor, which is the same size as a frame of 35mm film. If the number of pixels is the same, then each pixel on the FX sensor is also twice the size and has twice the light-collecting power. FX size cameras are best for low-light or high-ISO shooting – which can be great for action – and they also give the widest view from any given focal length of lens. However, they are bigger, heavier and (nearly always) more expensive.

At the other end of the scale, the Four Thirds size sensor has little more than a quarter of the area of FX, but it’s still nearly ten times larger than a typical compact camera sensor. Most manufacturers seem to view the DX format as the best compromise for most users, but Four Thirds systems are certainly worth considering where weight and bulk are really critical. There’s actually not that much difference in the weight of camera bodies, but Four Thirds systems can use smaller and lighter lenses. The main manufacturer of Four Thirds SLRs is Olympus. The only manufacturer to use the Foveon sensor is Sigma.