Finding a camera that best fits your needs is highly important, regardless if you are an amateur or a pro. With so many options on the market, it could be difficult to know all there is you need to know to make an informed decision. Here, we share a list of the ten most common cameras and their functions, in hopes that you will be one step closer to creating the best photography/videography experience. 

Name  Operation Mechanism Pros Cons 
Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) Images are produced via a mirror and a prism. With a direct optical view through the main camera lens, the image you see does not differ much from the camera’s sensor. 
  • High Image quality 
  • Large number of accessories 
  • Big range of lenses
  • Control over all settings 
  • Higher price point 
  • Steeper learning curve
  • Heavier weight, bulky 
Mirrorless  A replacement for the reflex design found in a DSLR, images are seen through an electronic viewfinder instead of the produced image from a mirror (hence the name) and prism.
  • High image quality 
  • Lesser weight, compact and light 
  • Control over all settings 
  • Interchangeable lenses 
  • Shorter battery life 
  • Electronic viewfinder 
Bridge An option in between a point-and-shoot camera and mirrorless camera or a DSLR. 
  • Affordable price point 
  • Zoom lenses 
  • Less steep learning curve
  • Fixed lens 
  • Lower quality images 
  • Shorter battery life 
Compact Digital Camera  A point-and-shoot camera, offers an automatic system for settings such as exposure and focus. 
  • Automated
  • Lesser weight, compact and light 
  • Similar size to a handphone 
  • Affordable price point 
  • User-friendly 
  • Lower image quality 
  • Small sensor 
  • Limited control over settings
Film A type of analog camera which exposes photographic films to light and then, reproduces the captured scene onto the chemical layer of the film to produce an image. 
  • Vintage Aesthetic 
  • Affordable price point
  • Higher quality images 
  • Lack of a screen 
  • Require prior proficiency to predict the results of your photos
  • Higher costs for films 
Action A design catered towards recording while being in action, offering a durable build while capturing high-quality images in burst or time-lapse modes. 
  • Flexible positions 
  • Versatile 
  • Extremely lightweight and durable
  • Higher image quality
  • Shorter battery life
  • Little control over settings 
  • Lack of a viewfinder 
  • Small sensor
360/Omni-directional  An option providing a field of view that covers 360 degrees or at least a full sphere. 
  • Realistic, panoramic images 
  • Lesser weight, compact and light 
  • Live view 
  • Affordable price points
  • Suitable for first-person photography
  • Sensitive to blurs and shakes 
  • Unable to print out the images 
  • Lower image quality
Smartphone The in-build camera in our mobile devices, offers multiple modes and some levels of control over professional settings such as ISO, White Balance (WB), Autofocus (AF), Exposure Value (EV) and Shutter Speed (S).  
  • High Convenience
  • Easy storage and backup 
  • Extremely lightweight 
  • Versatile 
  • Access to a large number of effects, accessories and add-on lenses
  • Lower image quality 
  • Limited control over settings 
  • Lack of manual control 
  • Small sensor 
Instant An option that chemically develops prints immediately after the picture is taken through the use of self-developing films. 
  • A combination of digital photography and vintage analogue
  • User-friendly 
  • Instant access to prints
  • Fixed lens 
  • Higher price points for cameras and films 
  • Limited control over settings
Medium format  An adaptation of medium-format film photography which typically utilises medium format cameras with 120mm films. 
  • Excellent image quality 
  • Large sensor size 
  • Interchangeable films 
  • Shallow Depth of Field – Good for portraits 
  • Higher price points 
  • Heavier weight, bulky
  • Poorer auto-focus performance