Compact System Cameras - Seize creative control

Darren Harbar

Seize creative control...

The compact system camera (CSC) has rapidly become one of the most innovative and popular products to help photographers take stunning images with creative control.

These products are small - similar in size to a large compact - but have the benefit of larger sensors to deliver higher-quality images, together with removable lenses that expand your capabilities. Large sensors are the key to cleaner, sharper and more detailed images, making these cameras significantly better than almost every traditional compact. You effectively have a camera system that performs and works like a DSLR, but with the convenience and size of a compact camera.

This convenience also applies to image capture, and the CSC offerings are loaded with creative shooting modes and large LCD screens. Live View has become an accepted platform for composing images, but some models also have built-n Electronic Viewfinders (EVE) or the option for a plug-on accessory for a more traditional feel. Live View also allows for impressive movie capture, enabling you to apply photographic depth-of-field control to video. You also have the option for manual control of shutter speeds and exposure.

Having removable lenses means you are not limited to any given focal length and can be far more creative in what you capture. These lenses are also smaller than the traditional DSLR options, but do not lack magnification, as the smaller optics still deliver comparable focal lengths to the larger optics you see adorning many a DSLR, but in some cases are half the weight and physical size.

As a solution for both stills and video capture, the CSC format is a perfect partner for a family holiday or a day trekking in the hills.