4. dSLR Quirks and Strengths

If you’re accustomed to working with a point-and-shoot digital, or even with an advanced model using an electronic viewfinder, you’ll find that digital single lens reflexes have their own particular set of advantages and quirks that you must learn about. The dSLR is a different type of animal.

While the design of digital SLRs solves many of the problems that may have vexed you with other types of cameras, every silver lining can be cloaked in a troublesome cloud. They are prone to collect dust on their sensors—including stubborn artifacts that the built-in sensor-shaking dust removal systems found in all modern dSLRs can’t handle. Your dSLR has some viewfinder anomalies you should know about, and there are some secrets to storing images efficiently and using the various automated exposure modes. This chapter will clear up some of the confusion around dealing with a dSLR’s quirks and strengths, and show you how to use them to improve the quality of your picture-taking experience.