What are the differences between a bridge camera and a D/SLR?

Question

What are the differences between a bridge camera and a D/SLR?

Answer

The main thing about a Bridge camera is that it's "Bridging" the gap between a small point & shoot camera, and a larger DSLR.

So the comparison of a bridge camera to a DSLR comes down, basically, to the following:-

• A larger optical zoom lens like a DSLR. Versatile, but not interchangeable.
• The sensor is generally not as advanced as a dedicated DSLR, and therefore Bridge cameras tend not to handle low light/high ISO situations as well as a DSLR (but better than a P&S).
• You won't get an optical viewfinder on a Bridge camera. It will be either an LCD display only or an EVF-Electronic Viewfinder (which mean when you look into the viewfinder eyehole you see the image of what the lens is seeing, as captured by the sensor, rather than the true image as reflected by a mirror). Of course, by its very definition, an SLR will have an optical viewfinder.
• A Bridge camera will generally have similar controls and handling to a DSLR, and be complete with Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority and Manual exposure programs, just as you would get on a DSLR and high-end compacts.
• You are usually able to shoot in RAW just like on DSLR's and high-end compacts.

A good article on Bridge cameras can be found here.

From personal experience, my old Boss once asked me about some issues he was having with his Fujifilm Bridge camera. Indoor photos of his daughter, when viewed at 100% had absolutely horrible red marks all over the photo - especially in the skin tones. So much so that even viewing at a reasonable smaller size on the monitor resulted in noticable red 'grain' in the photo. I took the camera and tried lots of things with it, but was unable to correct the fault. He asked me for a recommendation and (at that time) I suggested the Canon Powershot S90. He got one, and never had any problems with the photos from it. So if you are considering a Bridge camera - it may be worth instead to look at a high-end compact instead.

As an aside I once heard it said that with Bridge cameras you essentially get the disadvantages of both systems -- the size and weight of a DSLR and the lack of flexibility of a point & shoot. I quite like the saying, but it's an individual viewpoint. Many people have Bridge cameras and are very happy with them.

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