To take an image, the mirror swings upwards in the direction of the arrow, the focal-plane shutter (3) opens, and the image is projected and captured on the image sensor (4), after which actions, the shutter closes, the mirror returns to the 45-degree angle, and the built-in drive mechanism re-tensions the shutter for the next exposure.Ĭompared with the newer concept of mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras, this mirror/prism system is the characteristic difference providing direct, accurate optical preview with separate autofocus and exposure metering sensors. Most of the entry-level DSLRs use a pentamirror instead of the traditional pentaprism.įocusing can be manual, by twisting the focus on the lens or automatic, activated by pressing half-way on the shutter release or a dedicated auto-focus (AF) button. A movable mechanical mirror system (2) is switched down (to precisely a 45-degree angle) to direct light from the lens over a matte focusing screen (5) via a condenser lens (6) and a pentaprism/ pentamirror (7) to an optical viewfinder eyepiece (8). Like SLRs, DSLRs typically use interchangeable lenses (1) with a proprietary lens mount. Major camera manufacturers began to transition their product lines away from DSLR cameras to mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras (MILC) beginning in the 2010s. The viewfinder of a DSLR presents an image that will not differ substantially from what is captured by the camera's sensor as it presents it as a direct optical view through the main camera lens, rather than showing an image through a separate secondary lens.ĭSLRs largely replaced film-based SLRs during the 2000s. In the reflex design, light travels through the lens and then to a mirror that alternates to send the image to either a prism, which shows the image in the viewfinder, or the image sensor when the shutter release button is pressed. The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between a DSLR and other digital cameras.

A digital single-lens reflex camera ( digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor.

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