Types of Cameras
1) Small format cameras or 35mm (Continued):
The same as compact cameras, these types of cameras offer the possibility of taking pictures automatically. However, they also offer the option of shooting pictures manually. This means you have complete control over every aspect that will affect this picture; how much light you will use, the tone (colour) this picture will have, which parts will be sharper (in Focus) and which will be blurry (out of Focus), etc.
Another advantage of reflex cameras is that what you see through the visor (view window) is almost the same as what you will get in the photograph. One disadvantage is that when we press the shutter button down, we are no longer able to see the subject we are photographing.
These types of cameras also allow an external flash to be connected, may it be a studio flash or hot shoe. Compact cameras come with an incorporated small flash but we can't connect an external one.
The third category is composed by rangefinder cameras, such as Leica. In these cameras, the view window (where we look to take the picture) is located at the side of the lens. This means that what we see is not exactly what we will get in the final result.
In the majority of these cameras, we are able to change the lenses we are using. As we mentioned before, this is a great advantage. They also allow us to connect an external flash. These cameras don't usually come with automatic function. They are generally used in Manual Mode by photographers.
These types of cameras, specially Leica, are extremely expensive.
