Switching to a DSLR from a Point & Shoot

Hi! So you are thinking of switching to a DLSR camera from your P&S. What should you expect? What should you know? Lets see...
Firstly, getting yourself a DSLR is not going to make your photos amazing right out of the box. Its infact going to be hard to get a decent image the first one week. Getting great pictures requires interest, patience, perseverance and ofcourse you should not be shy to carry your camera around people.

What you should expect if you are thinking of getting a DSLR:

1. Great image quality in terms of sharpness, color rendition and exposure (How bright or dark the image is).
2. Great battery life. You can take around 450-500 shots a charge with a Nikon D40, the smallest and lightest DSLR available. It only gets better with more expensive cameras.
3. Great print quality. You can print great looking images with a picture made with a DSLR. Not that you cant make great prints with a P&S, its just that there is a difference and its in favour of the DSLR.
4. Fast frame rate. This means you can just keep clicking many shots continuosly as long as you keep the release button pressed. This is not the same as burst mode. Its just continuous shooting. You'll love it for action shots and sports.
   
5. Added responsiblity. This is something many people overlook! Think about this seriously. You cannot take your DSLR in your pocket. You cannot carry it in your purse. These cameras are heavy compared to a Point and Shoot camera and you need to use both your hands to get a good picture.
   
6. Some amount of attention from people around you. (Especially if you are into street photography). DSLRs make you look like a PRO and to most people, it means that either you are a tourist or you work for the PRESS! So be ready for this!
7. Camera care. Be ready to spend atleast 20mins once a month (or even a week depending on how dusty your environment is) to clean your camera. The lens is extremely delicate and needs attention. You need to care for your camera. Its your investment. As long as you do this, your camera will never disappoint you for years!

Ok, so those are briefly what you should be looking forward to if you are planning to buy a DSLR.
Now, lets look at some things that you will probably miss from your point and shoot.

1. Manual zoom! Yes, there are NO buttons labelled "W" (wide) and "T" (Tele) on a DSLR. You need to zoom by holding the zoom ring on the lens and turning it manually. This is acually not a big deal. You'll get used to it in minutes. And you'll love it.
2. No "live view"! This means you have to look into the viewfinder to shoot. You will not a get the live view on the screen. On newer DSLRs which are launched in 2008 and later, live view is available on certain models but not all. I prefer the viewfinder. Its lets you focus on your picture and compose the shot well. Also, it saves a lot of battery life for actual shooting.
3. No Video! Ok, so you take a lot of short clips with your P&S. You cant do that with a DSLR. (New! Nikon D90 and Canon 5D Mark II have video modes!). Basic DSLRs cannot afford to have video modes built into them. They work in a different way compared to P&S cameras and it requires more engineering to put video abilities into DSLRs. You should be buying a camcorder if you love video and not a DSLR anyway! =)

Thats about it. Todays P&S have excellent quality and they are portable. But you'll certainly find a big difference once you shoot with a DSLR. The advantage of having interchangable lenses is something great! You can get really creative and have no limitations with an SLR camera. So if you are really thinking of getting one, as a first DSLR, get either a Nikon D40 or D60 or a Canon EOS 1000D or 450D XSi. They are the entry level models and are good value for money. I personally love Nikon and I love my D40. Dont worry about the mega pixels. Just worry about looking for cool things to photograph!