The Panasonic DMC-FZ50 bridge digital camera

The Fujifilm FinePix S9000 bridge camera

Bridge digital cameras are a type of high-end digital camera. Fujifilm FinePix S9500 or FinePix S9000 is a Bridge digital camera released by Fujifilm in 2005 and intended for the enthusiastic Many compact digital still cameras can record Sound and moving Video as well as still Photograph. They are comparable in size and weight to the smallest digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLRs), but they lack the removable lenses, larger sensors,^[1] mirror, and reflex system that characterize DSLRs. A digital single-lens reflex camera ( digital SLR or DSLR) is a Digital camera that uses an automatic mirror system and Pentaprism The term "bridge" characterizes the way in which these cameras fill the niche between the DSLRs and the compact digital cameras. Many compact digital still cameras can record Sound and moving Video as well as still Photograph. Although bridge cameras are closely related to consumer compacts, they are sometimes confused with DSLRs due to their similar bodies and large zoom lenses. Almost all bridge digital cameras feature full manual controls over shutter-speed, aperture, ISO, white-balance and metering. Generally, their feature sets are similar to DSLRs, except for a smaller range of ISO sensitivities due to their smaller sensors (a DSLR has a 35mm, APS, or 4/3 size CCD or CMOS) and less expandability options (such as interchangeable lenses, battery grips, and wireless flash options). Advanced Photo System ( APS) is a Film format for still Photography. A charge-coupled device ( CCD) is an analog Shift register, that enables the transportation of analog signals (electric charges through successive stages (capacitors Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor ( CMOS) (pronounced "see-moss" siːmɔːs ˈsiːmɒs is a major class of Integrated circuits CMOS technology

One fixed but versatile lens

An example of a superzoom bridge camera, the Panasonic DMC-FZ30

Because bridge cameras have small sensors, their lenses can also be smaller than DSLR lenses while providing comparable zoom abilities. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 is a Bridge digital camera by Panasonic. As a result, very large zoom ranges (from wide-angle to telephoto, including macro) are feasible with one lens. Macro photography is close-up Photography; the classical definition is that the Image projected on the "film plane" (i The typical bridge camera has a telephoto zoom limit of over 400mm (35mm equivalent), although newer cameras reach over 500mm. ^[2] For this reason, bridge cameras typically fall into the category of superzoom cameras^[3]. The ability to fit such a wide zoom range in one single small-diameter lens makes lens interchangeability redundant for most photographers. However, most bridge cameras allow the use of secondary lenses to improve wide angle, telephoto or macro capabilities. Primary lens redirects here See also Prime lens. In Photography, a secondary lens is a lens designed to be These secondary lenses typically screw onto the front of the primary lens either directly or by use of an adapter tube.

LCDs and EVFs as principal viewfinders

Bridge cameras employ two types of electronic screens as viewfinders: The LCD and the electronic viewfinder (EVF). All bridge cameras have an LCD with live-preview and usually in addition either an EVF or an optical viewfinder (OVF) (non-parallax-free, as opposed to the OVF of DSLRs, which is parallax-free). Parallax is an apparent displacement or difference of orientation of an object viewed along two different lines of sight and is measured by the angle or semi-angle of inclination between The existence of a high-quality EVF is one of the advanced features that distinguish bridge cameras from consumer compact cameras.

Electronic viewfinders (EVFs) vs DSLR reflex viewfinder comparison

Live-preview EVF advantages

Since in bridge camera there is no mirror that blocks the image formed by the objective lens from being projected over the sensor, as is the case with DSLRs, the LCD and EVF of bridge cameras continuously show the image generated by the sensor. This continuous digitally-generated live-preview has some advantages and disadvantages over the optically-generated view through the OVF of DSLRs. One advantage is that the digital preview is affected by all shooting settings and thus the image is seen as it will be recorded (in terms of things like exposure, white balance, grain-noise, etc) which the OVF of DSLRs is incapable of showing ^[4]. Another advantage is facilitating the framing from difficult angles by making the LCD movable (vari-angle). Also the LCD and EVF show 100% of the image while previewing (WYSIWYG), while the OVF of some DSLRs (especially entry level DSLRs) does not cover the full 100%. WYSIWYG (ˈwɪziwɪg or /ˈwɪzɪwɪg/ is an Acronym for W hat Y ou S ee I s W hat Y ou G

Live-preview viewfinder disadvantages

The Konica Minolta DIMAGE A200 (2005), the most sophisticated digital camera made by Konica Minolta before its fusion with Sony

The disadvantages however are that the electronic screens of bridge cameras do not work as well as the OVF of DSLRs in situations of low light (or in bright day-light with the LCD), where the screen might be difficult to see and use for framing. Also the screen is of low resolution and refresh rate compared to the infinite resolution and instantaneous refresh of the OVF of DSLRs. This low resolution makes it more difficult to focus manually. However, most modern bridge cameras implement a method that automatically magnifies a central frame within the screen (manual focus point) to allow easier manual focusing. A slow refresh rate means that the image seen on the screen will have a fraction of a second lag or delay from real scene being photographed. The electronic screens used in modern bridge cameras are gradually improving in their size, resolution, visibility, magnification and refresh rate.

Another disadvantage is battery life. A DSLR's sensor is not operating unless the shutter is open, and the electronic screen is typically off more, causing less battery drain.

LCD and EVF of bridge cameras continuously showing the image generated by the sensor causes superheating of the sensor increasing digital noise; in DSLR sensor is exposed to the light only for the time strictly necessary for the shot.

Examples of bridge cameras

Current examples of bridge cameras are the Canon PowerShot S5 IS, Fujifilm FinePix S100fs, Olympus SP-570UZ, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50. The Canon PowerShot S5 IS is an 80 megapixel Bridge digital camera that was announced on May 7th 2007 and launched in June of that same year Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 is a Superzoom Bridge digital camera by Panasonic. The upcoming Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 could also be considered a bridge camera, though its video features distinguish it from any other consumer camera. Kodak also produces a line of super-zoom cameras, though these do not have essential DSLR features such as the ability to use an external flash (with the exception of the EasyShare P-Series). Eastman Kodak Company ( is an American multinational Public company which produces imaging and photographic materials and equipment Nikon currently manufactures the Coolpix P80, which is an 18x superzoom, but lacks the external flash capability of other bridge cameras. ( also known as Nikon or Nikon Corp, is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo Japan specializing in Optics The Nikon Coolpix series is the Point and shoot, non- SLR series of Digital cameras produced by Nikon. Minolta (before the Konica Minolta merger) marketed the DiMAGE series, with the Minolta GT manual fixed zoom lens. Minolta Co Ltd was a Japanese worldwide manufacturer of Cameras camera accessories Photo-copiers Fax machines and Laser printers is a Japanese manufacturer of office equipment Medical imaging, Graphic imaging, Optical devices and Measuring instruments The company Their bridge digital cameras were known as ZSLRs (zoom lens, single lens reflex).

Exceptions

The Sony DSC-R1

Some cameras may share several bridge camera features, but differ for some significant reason. For example, the Sony DSC-R1 (2005-2006) and the Sigma DP1 (2008) have non-interchangeable lenses and no mirror/reflex systems, but they have APS size imaging sensors. Cyber-shot is a line of Digital cameras made by Sony. The Cyber-shot range is well known for its proprietary InfoLithium battery pack the trademark Carl Zeiss The Sigma DP1 is a high-end compact Digital camera introduced by the Sigma Corporation. The DP1 is also much smaller than typical bridge cameras, and has a fixed focal length (non-zoom) lens. Digital rangefinders like the Leica M8 and the Epson R-D1 have no mirror/reflex systems, but do have interchangeable lenses and large imaging sensors; while these cameras are not DSLRs, they are very expensive and occupy a very different niche than do bridge cameras. A rangefinder camera is a camera fitted with a Rangefinder: a range-finding focusing mechanism allowing the photographer to measure the subject distance and take photographs The M8 is the first Digital camera in the rangefinder M series introduced by Leica Camera AG on 14 September 2006. The R-D1, announced by Epson in March 2004 was the first digital Rangefinder camera.

References