Many people that I talk to are asking me about the difference between point-and-shoot cameras and DSLRs. Therefore, I have assembled a short comparison between these two types of digital cameras. I hope this article will clear the confusion. I have decided to compare DSLRs and point and shoot cameras in 8 different categories and these are: image quality, flexibility, speed of shooting, ISO range, size, maintenance, ease of use and price.

•    Image Quality – DSLRs are equipped with a larger size of image sensor. This means that pixels on the sensor are usually larger which results in less grain. That is one of the reason DSLRs produce better image quality than point-and-shoot cameras. Optics that is used in point-and-shoot cameras is usually of lower quality than the lenses you can mount on a D-SLR. This is another reason why you can get substantially better image quality with a DSLR. So regarding image quality DSLR is a definite winner.

•    Flexibility – Point and shoot cameras are not very flexible. Once you buy it you can’t really upgrade it. You are stuck with the lens that was built in it. This means, that you are not that flexible as you would be if you had a DSLR. But point and shoot cameras have come very far. Today you can get a P&S camera that has a broad focal range. You can buy one that has focal range from 28mm up to 560mm offering you a 20x zoom. But you have to keep in mind, that built in lenses are lower quality than those you can buy for a DSLR.    

DSLR’s ability to change lenses opens up a world of possibilities for photographers. While you can change lenses you can also attach other accessories like flashes and filters that give your pictures that special look.

•    Speed of Shooting – DSLR cameras are so much better in this area. While point and shoot cameras usually can’t take lots of pictures in short amount of time (thou some can), DSLR cameras can make up to 7 or more shoots per second.

•    ISO range - DSLRs offer a wide array of ISO settings. While most point and shoot cameras produce grainy pictures already on low ISO speeds (400), DSLR cameras offer you got quality images even at higher ISO speeds. This allows you to shoot without flash in much worse lightning conditions that you can with a P&S camera.

•    Size – DSLRs are big and heavy. You can’t just put them in your pocket. So sometimes you can miss a good shot just because you didn’t bother to put it out from your caring back.

•    Maintenance – If you are using more than one lens with your DSLR you are running the risk of letting dust into your camera. Dust on an image sensor can be really annoying. Unfortunately, cleaning your image sensor can be very costly. But thankfully new DSLRs are being released with self cleaning sensors.

•    Ease of Use - DSLRs are designed for manual use. This means you need to know how to use your camera. Since it offers you many different setting, the learning curve can be quite steep. But this is not such a big deal. All DSLRs also a have fully Automatic mode.

•    Price – DSLRs are quite a bit more expensive than point and shoot cameras. In the past the price difference was much bigger and not everyone could afford a DSLR. Today the prices have dropped significantly. You can get a very good entry level model for as little as $900 and it even comes with a lens included. I’m talking about Canon EOS Digital

I hope this article was informative enough and helped you solve your questions about what type of camera you should buy.

If you want to learn more about features you should look for when buying a digital camera, read this next article.