Entry Level SLR and Enthusiast SLR Cameras - Image Quality

Many new photographers want to know the differences in image quality, between entry-level DSLR cameras and enthusiast SLR cameras. When you hear the phrase 'entry-level SLR cameras', it doesn't mean anyway that the image quality is low or poor. In this discussion, I want to separate this post between a full frame SLR cameras and cropped frame ASP-C SLR cameras. When you compare an entry-level ASP-C cameras and enthusiasts ASP-C SLR cameras, of course there are differences between them, but in terms of the image quality, there are usually very close to each other.

Entry Level DSLR vs. Enthusiast Level DSLR
Entry-level DSLR cameras were created in order to make the transaction from digital cameras to SLR cameras, more convenient for new photographers. If you had a chance to look on our professional SLR camera looks like, you should probably have noticed that there are many buttons and many options to choose from. If you're a new photographer, which only had experience with simple digital cameras, take a professional DSLR camera in his hand, he or she will probably be very scared in what they see. Entry-level SLR cameras have few buttons if you are options to choose from. The camera itself does most of the work for the photographer. The main target is to output a beautifully rendered JPEG image, that you can easily transfer to your computer and share those images with other people and your family.

Nikon D300 Entry Level Digital SLR Camera

So people would choose to buy entry-level SLR cameras, usually choose the SLR Path, because they want to express their creativity, and also to get a higher image quality. Most of the options are menu based, and there aren't any special dedicated buttons for ISO settings, white balance settings and other shortcuts to popular settings used by professional photographers.

Entry-level SLR cameras usually don't have the speed that professional SLR cameras do. Most of the entry-level SLR cameras will give you and maximum of four frames per second, while the enthusiast SLR cameras will give you up to eight frames per second. We should also take the price into consideration. When we talk about more frame per second, we are talking about a stronger image processing, which requires a more expensive processor inside it camera.

Nikon D300, Enthusiast Digital SLR Camera

So when we talk about image quality between an enthusiast SLR cameras and simple consumer digital cameras, you should consider that the image output is already processed inside the camera itself. Professional photographers and enthusiasts photographers, want to be able to get and none processed image and even shoot RAW images. Usually more advanced photographers use image editing software like Photoshop, in order to perfect their images. So of course, digital SLR manufacturers know that the new photographer will not use any photo editing software. It doesn't mean that there aren't any new photographers, which use Photoshop to enhance their images. It just means that most of their entry-level DSLR customers, don't want to use any kind of photo editing software and want their images to be transferred straight into the computer using a USB cable, and after words share them online like on SmugMug image sharing website.

Raw vs. JPEG - Image Quality
In terms of image quality, some images will even look better on entry-level DSLR cameras, in terms of sharpness, contrast and saturation. However, if you compare  a processed RAW image against an already in camera edited image, you can see that it is possible to capture higher details and produce a higher quality image using this file format. So in this matter there is an advantage of using SLR camera, which doesn't touch the image itself inside a camera. Today, most of SLR cameras (Both entry-level and enthusiasts SLR cameras) have the option to choose in RAW format. nevertheless, many photographers take JPEG images, and they want them untouched, so they can later edit them and enhance them using a photo editing software of their choice.

High Quality Lenses Impact Image Quality
It doesn't fair to compare entry-level SLR cameras and enthusiasts SLR cameras, without taking the interchangeable lenses into consideration. Of course, you can use almost any lens on any SLR camera (at the same mount or using an adapter of course). Even so, some entry-level SLR cameras do not have an auto focus motor inside. That means, that is a lens with a built in auto focus motor is necessary to enable auto focusing. Most of the photographers, which purchase new DSLR interchangeable lenses, usually don't spend a lot of money on expensive luxury lenses. Of course you will get a higher image quality, depends on the lens that it is attached in front of the camera.

CCD Size and 14bit Processing
Another important thing to mention, is the fact that enthusiast SLR cameras have better CCD sensor and more sophisticated algorithms to handle noise in high ISO. If you compare the high ISO performance of entry-level SLR's and enthusiasts SLR's, you can see that there is a difference. Some SLR cameras have higher noise in high ISO settings (ex. 1600, 3200). Of course the differences in image quality between a regular consumer digital camera and SLR camera is huge. In consumer digital cameras, you will see noise starting from 100 ISO. So this is another advantage for enthusiast or professional SLR cameras over the entry-level cameras. Enthusiasts SLRs, usually provide a higher quality of gradients. So if, for example, you decide to take a picture of the sky, in some cases you can see a difference. It is all depends on how the data from the image sensor (CCD) is processed. Enthusiasts and professional SLRs usually use a 14 bit processing, so usually you will get a higher image quality output.

Putting Full Frame SLR into the Equation
If you compare full frame SLR camera versus entry-level SLR, this is probably an unfair comparison. The real differences between those two, lies in the fact that full frame digital SLR camera's sensor, have wider Photo Diode, which can capture more light, and therefore, produce a more accurate and detailed image. It is exactly like comparing a consumer camera with a 1/8" CCD against any SLR camera on the market, it is just an unfair comparison. And because no one is actually thinking about comparing those two types of cameras, we are not going to do so either. However, in some reviews on the Internet, you can see that the differenced in image quality between ASP-C, Four Thirds and Full-Frame sensors, are not that high. And as we told you earlier, you should use a very good lens, in order to take advantage of High Pixel sensor. As technology continues to evolve, we see that higher quality images can be produced by using smaller sensors.

There is a Difference - But it is not Huge
So let's summarize everything. There is a difference in image quality between an entry-level SLR and enthusiasts SLR, but the difference is not that huge. So as we said earlier, it is all about your budget and how much the differences are important to you. Because most of the DSLR customers usually want to print their images in a poster size printing, it's really doesn't matter which SLR camera you choose. And on the opposite side, if you need to print high resolution images in larger scale sizes, and high ISO performance is important you, you should probably choose a more advanced SLR camera. However, again, both will give you a very high image quality in comparison to consumer digital cameras.