Vimeo Video School - Introduction to DSLR Cameras

Introduction to DSLR Cameras with Philip Bloom from Vimeo Staff on Vimeo.

Step 1: Research
DSLR stands for digital single lens reflex. DSLR cameras use a mirror to reflect the image from the lens to the viewfinder, behind the mirror is a sensor. The sensor is what takes that light and interprets it as a electronic signal that shows up on your camera's screen. It's more complicated than that, but I don't want to hurt your brain before we even get this lesson started!

The larger the sensor, the better your camera will be in low light, and the larger your field of view will be. Large sensor, or full-frame cameras, are more expensive than cameras with cropped sensors.

Every DSLR camera has pros and cons. To find the right camera for you, you’ll need to research all the features that come with the camera and look around online or on Vimeo for example footage. Vimeo has entire Groups dedicated to many different types of cameras like the 5D Mark II, EOS 7D, Nikon D90 and a catch-all DSLR Cinema Group.

Advantages of shooting video with a DSLR camera.
High Quality -- Nearly every DSLR camera that shoots video can shoot in 1080p, which is very high quality HD.
Film Look -- DSLR cameras can imitate the look of film very well. This means your videos will look like what you see when you go to the movies!
Also a Stills Camera -- Remember, your DSLR is primarily a stills camera, which means you can easy go back and forth between video and photo mode.

When it comes to deciding which camera is the best for you, keep in mind that technology is always advancing, so new cameras will have new features all the time, therefore there will never be a “perfect” camera. In the end, what you can afford is the most important factor.