page_title: Digital single-lens reflex camera
section_title: Present-day models
hierarchical_section_title: Digital single-lens reflex camera / History / Present-day models
caption_attribution_description: Canon EOS 70D
context_page_description: A digital single-lens reflex camera is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor.
  The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between a DSLR and other digital cameras. In the reflex design, light travels through the lens and then to a mirror that alternates to send the image to either a prism, which shows the image in the viewfinder, or the image sensor when the shutter release button is pressed. The viewfinder of a DSLR presents an image that will not differ substantially from what is captured by the camera's sensor but presents it as a direct optical view through the lens, rather than being captured by the camera's image sensor and displayed by a digital screen.
  DSLRs largely replaced film-based SLRs during the 2000s, and despite the rising popularity of mirrorless system cameras in the early 2010s, DSLRs remain the most common type of interchangeable lens camera in use as of 2019.
context_section_description: Currently DSLRs are widely used by consumers and professional still photographers. Well established DSLRs currently offer a larger variety of dedicated lenses and other photography equipment. Mainstream DSLRs (in full-frame or smaller image sensor format) are produced by Canon, Nikon, Pentax, and Sigma. Pentax, Phase One, Hasselblad, and Mamiya Leaf produce expensive, high-end medium-format DSLRs, including some with removable sensor backs. Contax, Fujifilm, Kodak, Panasonic, Olympus, Samsung previously produced DSLRs, but now either offer non-DSLR systems or have left the camera market entirely. Konica Minolta's line of DSLRs was purchased by Sony.
  Canon's current 2018 EOS digital line includes the Canon EOS 1300D/Rebel T6, 200D/SL2, 800D/T7i, 77D, 80D, 7D Mark II, 6D Mark II, 5D Mark IV, 5Ds and 5Ds R and the 1D X Mark II. All Canon DSLRs with three- and four-digit model numbers, as well as the 7D Mark II, have APS-C sensors. The 6D, 5D series, and 1D X are full-frame. As of 2018, all current Canon DSLRs use CMOS sensors.
  Nikon has a broad line of DSLRs, most in direct competition with Canon's offerings, including the D3400, D5600, D7500 and D500 with APS-C sensors, and the D610, D750, D850, D5, D3X and the Df with full-frame sensors.
  Leica produces the S2, a medium format DSLR.
  Pentax currently offers APS-C, full frame and medium format DSLRs.  The APS-C cameras include the K-3 II, Pentax KP and K-S2. The K-1 Mark II, announced in 2018 as successor to the Pentax K-1, is the current full frame model. The APS-C and full frame models have extensive backwards compatibility with Pentax and third party film era lenses from about 1975, those that use the Pentax K mount. The Pentax 645Z medium format DSLR is also back-compatible with Pentax 645 system lenses from the film era.
  Sigma produces DSLRs using the Foveon X3 sensor, rather than the conventional Bayer sensor. This is claimed to give higher colour resolution, although headline pixel counts are lower than conventional Bayer-sensor cameras. It currently offers the entry-level SD15 and the professional SD1. Sigma is the only DSLR manufacturer which sells lenses for other brands' lens mounts.
  Sony has modified the DSLR formula in favor of single-lens translucent (SLT) cameras, which are still technically DSLRs, but feature a fixed mirror that allows most light through to the sensor while reflecting some light to the autofocus sensor. Sony's SLTs feature full-time phase detection autofocus during video recording as well as the continuous shooting of up to 12 frame/s. The α series, whether traditional SLRs or SLTs, offers in-body sensor-shift image stabilization and retains the Minolta AF lens mount. As of July 2017, the lineup included the Alpha 68, the semipro Alpha 77 II, and the professional full-frame Alpha 99 II. The translucent (transmissive) fixed mirror allows 70 per cent of the light to pass through onto the imaging sensor, meaning a 1/3rd stop-loss light, but the rest of this light is continuously reflected onto the camera's phase-detection AF sensor for fast autofocus for both the viewfinder and live view on the rear screen, even during the video and continuous shooting. The reduced number of moving parts also makes for faster shooting speeds for its class. This arrangement means that the SLT cameras use an electronic viewfinder as opposed to an optical viewfinder, which some consider a disadvantage, but does have the advantage of a live preview of the shot with current settings, anything displayed on the rear screen is displayed on the viewfinder, and handles bright situations well.
caption: Canon EOS 70D APS-C digital SLR with lens removed
exif: {"Image Make": "Panasonic", "Image Model": "DMC-GX1", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Aperture 3.5", "Image DateTime": "2013:10:24 10:28:27", "Image ExifOffset": "190", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/40", "EXIF FNumber": "9/2", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Aperture Priority", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "800", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0230", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2013:10:24 10:28:27", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2013:10:24 10:28:27", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "2", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "33/100", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "49/32", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Unknown", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "20", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "4542", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "3033", "EXIF SensingMethod": "One-chip color area", "EXIF FileSource": "Digital Camera", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Manual", "EXIF DigitalZoomRatio": "0", "EXIF FocalLengthIn35mmFilm": "41", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF GainControl": "High gain up", "EXIF Contrast": "Normal", "EXIF Saturation": "Normal", "EXIF Sharpness": "Normal"}