What's the difference?
Fixed focus, or point-and-shoot cameras, whether film or digital, have a fixed lens and aperture, and a rangefinder instead of a viewfinder. Instead of looking through the lens, you look through a separate little window to compose your picture. You don't actually see the same image as the lens, so composition is a little more difficult as you're never really sure what you're going to get.

The disposable film cameras, and their reloadable counterparts, as well as the inexpensive digital cameras shown in Figure C are an example of these kinds of fixed-focus cameras.

FIGURE C

Point-and-shoots sacrifice quality for convenience. Click picture for a larger image.

Between the SLRs and the point-and-shoots are the hybrid 35mm cameras, like the Pentax IQ Zoom and the Fuji FinePix in Figure D.

FIGURE D

Hybrid 35mms are a step up from point-and-shoot cameras. Click picture for a larger image.

These are a marriage between the convenience and ease of operation of the point-and-shoots, and advanced lens function of the SLRs. For the most part, they still utilize a rangefinder and fixed aperture, but have a zoom lens for getting closer shots.

SLR cameras come in wide range of makes, styles, and formats in both film and digital. Figure E shows a Minolta Maxxum and a Kodak DCS Pro SLR, two of the common styles.

FIGURE E

Two popular SLR models. Click picture for a larger image.

SLRs aren't limited to just 35mm either. My Mamiya 645 Pro in Figure F is an SLR as well. Even though it's a medium format camera, it works basically the same, just on a bit larger scale. And Connected Photographer Editor-in-Chief David Gewirtz and author John Roling both use the Canon Digital Rebel, which is a digital SLR.

FIGURE F

The Mamiya 645 Pro medium format camera is an SLR also. Click picture for a larger image.

And the point is?
Whether film or digital, Single Lens Reflex cameras are far superior to point-and-shoot or hybrid 35mm cameras. They allow the photographer to actually see exactly what the lens sees and what will be captured on the film or image sensor. In addition, they give you a finer degree of control over depth of field.

Is an SLR for you? That depends. What kinds of pictures do you take? If you take primarily snapshots and candids, a point-and-shoot or hybrid 35mm, film or digital, is perfect for you. But if you aspire to artistic, stock, portraits, or wedding photography you need to have the quality and control that only an SLR can give you. Good luck and good shooting.

James Booth is a self-taught PC and Palm device user that dabbles in graphics and photography. He can be reached at lizardworks@mchsi.com.