The difference between micro single camera and SLR camera

The full name of SLR is single lens reflex camera. The so-called single lens means that both the photographic exposure light path and the framing light path are completed by one lens. And reflection refers to reflective framing. Micro-single cancels the optical framing system of SLR and relies entirely on electronic framing.

As far as portability is concerned, low-end SLR often adopts semi-aluminum alloy or plastic shell, which will be lighter in weight; High-end SLR usually adopts aluminum alloy body, which makes the quality more reliable, but at the same time it often makes the camera weigh more than 1kg. Micro-sheets are generally made of plastic, which is light in weight and easy to carry.

As far as market positioning is concerned, micro-single is light and easy to carry, with simple functions and low user threshold, which can meet the daily needs of most people. SLR is positioned in the professional photography market. For those who pursue the ultimate photographic effect, SLR is a better choice, with rich functions but relatively complicated operation.

The difference between micro-single and SLR

What is the difference between micro-single and SLR? The difference between micro-single and SLR is not only the difference of framing mode, but also the difference of structure and performance, as well as the difference of advantages and disadvantages. The following small series will give you a simple comparative introduction.

The essential job of a camera is to take pictures, and the goal of taking pictures is naturally to get better and better picture quality. But to get better image quality, it is often at the expense of the size and portability of the camera. When the camera appears in family, travel, life records and other occasions, portability is particularly important. The appearance of micro-single is the middle way to try to balance portability and imaging quality.

What is a SLR?

SLR cameras are called "monocular" cameras in Taiwan Province Province and Hongkong. The full name of SLR is "single lens reflex camera", also known as SLR camera. It is a camera that uses a lens and reflects light through this lens. The so-called "single lens" means that the photographic exposure light path and the framing light path * * * use one lens, unlike the paraxial camera or the double-reflex camera, the framing light path has an independent lens. "Reflection" means that a plane mirror in the camera separates the two light paths: when the mirror falls during framing, it reflects the light of the lens to the pentaprism and then to the framing window; When shooting, lift the mirror quickly, and the light can shine on the photosensitive element CMOS.

SLR is not a product of the digital age. SLR cameras existed as early as the film age. With the digitalization of photo carrier, SLR has also entered the digital age. Now we usually refer to SLR digital cameras.

In the internal structure of SLR, there is a mirror and a pentaprism for various reflections of light. These mirrors and pentaprisms (or pentaprisms) that send external light to the viewfinder through physical reflection become the main components of SLR cameras, and they are also the most significant differences between micro-cameras and SLR cameras.

Through the form of specular reflection, people can finally observe the objects in the camera viewfinder, which is the so-called optical viewfinder. Whether there is an optical viewfinder or not can also be considered as the biggest difference between SLR and other consumer portable digital cameras.

What is a micro-order?

Micro-camera has two meanings: micro-camera, compact, single-lens camera and replaceable single-lens camera. That is to say, this word means that this kind of camera is small in size and its imaging quality is similar to that of SLR, that is, micro-camera with SLR function is called micro-camera.

Although the ordinary card digital camera is fashionable, it is limited by the aperture and lens size, and there are always some beautiful scenery that can't be taken. Professional SLR cameras are too big. Therefore, combining the advantages of the two, the micro-single camera came into being. Micro-camera is between card-type digital camera and SLR camera, just like netbook appears between notebook computer and smart phone.

Difference between SLR and micro-single metering method

Aiming at the difference between micro-single and SLR. TTL built-in metering system in SLR is to install a special metering sensor behind the pentaprism to calculate the light receiving amount of the main photosensitive elements of the camera, so that users can manually adjust the exposure parameters with the indicator of the metering system as a reference. Therefore, in the optical viewfinder (or shoulder screen and main display screen) of SLR digital camera, there is always an exposure reference reading below the image, which changes in real time according to the brightness of the image entering the lens. Users who like to experience the pleasure of manually operating the camera refer to the exposure meter to determine the correct settings needed for exposure to ensure that they will not be overexposed or underexposed.

For micro-cameras and ordinary portable digital cameras, the metering process has not become an independent system, and there is no complicated metering sensor device like SLR inside. The photometric process is completely completed by the main photosensitive elements of the camera and the image processor. There is no mirror structure, and the light directly shines on the photosensitive element, which converts the light signal into an image signal and outputs it to the screen and image processor in real time. The image processor analyzes these image signals and finally obtains the correct exposure settings.

Difference between SLR and micro-single autofocus system

The complexity of the internal structure of SLR digital camera completely continues the old film SLR, so all kinds of systems have been preserved. In the era when electromagnetism is still underdeveloped, most cameras can only be completed by analog or mechanical means. The phase difference focusing system of SLR is another system independent of framing, imaging and photometry.

Phase difference focusing is to focus the picture by ranging. The component that completes the ranging process is called AF sensor (autofocus). Behind the mirror of the SLR camera, there is a sub-mirror (or sub-mirror), which will send part of the incident light to the AF sensor, determine the focus by ranging, and then the system controls the movement of the lens to complete autofocus.

However, the micro camera uses contrast focusing, which is not unique to the micro camera. Most portable digital cameras and mobile phones, including iPhone, adopt this autofocus method. Just like the metering system of micro-single, the focusing system of micro-single is not a separate system. Contrast focusing is still realized by the camera's main photosensitive elements and image processor.

Because micro-cameras and portable digital cameras have no reflector structure, the photosensitive elements directly receive external light signals, which are continuously converted into electronic image signals and transmitted to the image processor. In the process of autofocus and lens movement, the image sensor samples and analyzes the pixels at the focus selected by the user, and compares the brightness values of the pixels with the highest brightness and the pixels with the lowest brightness at this position. When the difference between them is the largest, the focus is considered to be successful.

As for the difference between them, contrast autofocus mode does not constitute an independent system in the whole system of micro-single, because there is no reflector structure inside, and saving camera size is also crucial for micro-single. Phase difference focusing not only requires additional AF sensor and reflector, which increases the complexity of the system and the volume of the camera.

Advantages and disadvantages of SLR and micro-single

Summarize the difference between micro-single and SLR. Originally born for high-end consumer and home market, the micro-single camera can be considered as a compromise between portable digital camera and SLR. Its internal structure is not as complicated as SLR, and its configuration is not as exquisite as SLR. But compared with domestic portable digital cameras, it has the advantage of interchangeable lenses.

But technically, we still need to see the gap between micro-single and SLR, as well as their technical complementarity. For example, although electronic technology is developing faster and faster, the actual speed of micro-single, which integrates focusing, metering, framing and imaging, is still worse than that of SLR subsystem. So in some cases, micro-single is still trying to learn from some technologies of SLR. For example, Fuji and Sony integrated the AF sensor for phase difference focusing on the main photosensitive element, which made the micro-sheet have high phase difference focusing efficiency.

On the other hand, the portability of micro-single compared with SLR has also become a constraint to its own positioning and expansion. Due to the portability requirements of users, the camera flange distance is relatively small, which not only brings design difficulties, but also causes the problems of edge dispersion and dark corners in imaging, which need to be solved by micro-single camera.