What makes a camera an SLR, and why isn't the Fujifilm HS10 one?
Asked 2/3/2011
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I understand that SLR stands for "single-lens reflex," but what exactly defines an SLR camera? Specifically, why is the Fujifilm HS10 not considered an SLR?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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SLR - Single Lens Reflex, meaning that there is only one lens through which the viewfinder and the film are exposed to the image. This is in contrast to other types of cameras, like rangefinders, where the viewfinder was a separated optical path than the film, usually in the form of a small lens on the top-side of the body. The Reflex part comes from the rotating mirror which is used to direct the image from the lens to the viewfinder. When the shutter is released, first the mirror goes up and clears the optical path to the film.
Another characteristic of this class of cameras is interchangeable lenses. I am not sure, though, if historically all SLR's had this option, and probably some of our experienced forum members can comment on that.
Nowadays, with the DSLR technology, sensors replaced the film but otherwise the basic structure and principles remained the same.
The Fuji camera in your link is not considered an SLR for the lack of the mirror, pentaprism and optical viewfinder. There, it is an electronic viewfinder, meaning that what you see is an image generated on a tiny LCD inside the viewfinder assembly.
Originally by user1024. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1024
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
An SLR is defined mainly by its viewing system.
- Single-lens means the image you compose and the image captured both come through the same main lens.
- Reflex means the camera uses a mirror to reflect light from that lens up into an optical viewfinder. When you take the photo, the mirror moves out of the way so light reaches the sensor or film.
That mirror-and-optical-viewfinder mechanism is the key feature that makes a camera an SLR.
The Fujifilm HS10 is not an SLR because it does not use that reflex mirror system. It is more like a bridge camera: it has a fixed lens and uses an electronic viewfinder rather than an optical reflex viewfinder.
Interchangeable lenses are common on SLRs, but they are not the actual defining feature. The core distinction is the reflex mirror/viewfinder design. Cameras that let you view through the main lens without a reflex mirror are generally considered mirrorless, not SLRs.
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