INSIDE A DSLR CAMERA
How these digital cameras use a mirror and a prism to take a picture
WORDS SCOTT DUTFIELD
LCD SCREEN DSLRs benefit from digital displays to instantly preview an image that’s been captured on the image sensor.
CONTROLS As a digital camera, there are many automatic presets for levels of aperture, exposure and focus.
The digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera brought about a revolution in digital photography. As the next stage in the evolution of photographic technology, DSLR cameras offered a digital alternative to professional photography. As the name suggests, DSLRs use a single lens, typically detachable, which directs light to a digital image sensor. The image captured by the sensor is then projected onto an LCD screen or an electronic viewfinder. En route to the image sensor, light is interrupted by a mirror, which sends it upwards into a prism sitting behind the viewfinder. Once the light hits the prism, it’s redirected into the viewfinder so the photographer can see what they want to capture.