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Distinguishing features Edit

There are many types of cameras. All of them can be classified according to the following features:

the sensor
the viewing system (LCD screen, single lens reflex, twin lens reflex...);
the rigidity of the body (rigid, swivelling lens, telescopic tube, folding, monorail...);
the focusing system (autofocus, rangefinder focusing, manual reflex focusing, guess focusing, ground glass back...);
the lens attachment (interchangeable lens, non interchangeable zoom lens, fixed lens);
the metering system: metering sensor and metering modes (programmed, speed-priority, aperture-priority, manual).

The features that will most determine the aspect of the camera are the viewing system and the rigidity. Once they are known, the general shape of the body is usually quite predictable.

The size of the sensor matters for the size of the camera and for the end result, while its nature has an incidence on the internal construction: a film camera usually needs place for the supply and take up spools, except for the cameras using cut film or plate film.

The focusing system and metering system will mostly influence how you will use the camera, but has few impact on its metering system shape.

Unusual combinations of these features have existed, for example folding TLRs, subminiature SLRs and so on. However not every combination does make sense. For example an subminiature folding autofocus TLR is not theoretically impossible, but unlikely to ever exist.

Common camera types

Below is a table with common camera types and the features that distinguish them.

sensor

viewing system

rigidity

focusing system

lens

metering system

example

nature

size

(single lens reflex)

any

reflex finder through the taking lens

usually rigid

manual reflex focusing or autofocus

usually interchangeable

any

TLR

(twin lens reflex)

analog

any

reflex finder through a second lens

usually rigid

manual reflex focusing

usually fixed

manual exposure or no meter at all

<img alt="" class="image" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BFile%3AYashica%20635.jpg%7C100px%5D%5D%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Yashica_635.jpg%22%2C%22params%22%3A%7B%22alt%22%3A%22Yashica%20635%22%2C%22caption%22%3A%22%22%2C%22width%22%3A100%7D%7D" height="100" src="

" type="image" width="100" />

<a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22point-and-shoot%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22point-and-shoot%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bpoint-and-shoot%5D%5D%22%7D" href="/wiki/Point-and-shoot" title="Point-and-shoot">point-and-shoot</a>

any

up to 4.5×6cm

optical finder or LCD screen

rigid or swivelling

autofocus or fixed focusing

non interchangeable (fixed or zoom)

automatic exposure or no exposure control (single shutter speed)

<a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22rangefinder%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22rangefinder%20camera%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Brangefinder%20camera%7Crangefinder%5D%5D%22%7D" href="/wiki/Rangefinder_camera" title="Rangefinder camera">rangefinder</a>

any

optical finder with superimposed or separate rangefinder

rigid or folding

manual <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22rangefinder%20focusing%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22rangefinder%20%28device%29%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Brangefinder%20%28device%29%7Crangefinder%20focusing%5D%5D%22%7D" href="/wiki/Rangefinder_(device)" title="Rangefinder (device)">rangefinder focusing</a>

fixed or interchangeable (no zoom)

any

<a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22viewfinder%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22viewfinder%20camera%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bviewfinder%20camera%7Cviewfinder%5D%5D%22%7D" href="/wiki/Viewfinder_camera" title="Viewfinder camera">viewfinder</a>

analog

any

in- or external finder or ground glass back

rigid or telescopic

distance symbols or no focusing aid

usually fixed

any

analog

any

internal reflecting type finder or frame finder or telescopic optical finder or ground glass back

rigid

ground glass back made as sliding box, ground glass with focusable lens, or no focusing aid

fixed

none

<a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22folding%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22folding%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bfolding%5D%5D%22%7D" href="/wiki/Folding" title="Folding">folding</a>

analog

any

reflecting type finder or internal optical finder or ground glass back or frame finder

folding

<a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22rangefinder%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22rangefinder%20%28device%29%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Brangefinder%20%28device%29%7Crangefinder%5D%5D%22%7D" href="/wiki/Rangefinder_(device)" title="Rangefinder (device)">rangefinder</a>, ground glass back or no focusing aid

fixed or interchangeable (no zoom)

any

<a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22subminiature%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22subminiature%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bsubminiature%5D%5D%22%7D" href="/wiki/Subminiature" title="Subminiature">subminiature</a>

any

smaller than 18×24mm

any

<a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22view%20camera%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22view%20camera%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bview%20camera%5D%5D%22%7D" href="/wiki/View_camera" title="View camera">view camera</a>

any

ground glass back

bellows and rails

ground glass back

interchangeable

none

<a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22pinhole%20camera%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22pinhole%20camera%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bpinhole%20camera%5D%5D%22%7D" href="/wiki/Pinhole_camera" title="Pinhole camera">pinhole camera</a>

any

pinhole "lens"

none

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Camera types

Distinguishing features Edit

Common camera types

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