Quick look at types of 35mm camera

1. Point ’n’ Shoot (P&S). These popular all-in-one cameras have a built-in flash and lens. Some of the more expensive cameras have advanced features such as dual-focal length lenses, multiple-exposure, remote control, panorama, and high-speed auto film advance.

2. Single-Lens Reflex (SLR). This is the camera most serious photographers choose. The camera body, lenses and accessories are sold separately, so the photographer can customize the camera to meet his needs. There are two types of SLR bodies and lenses available today:

• Manual. The photographer sets the exposure, shutter speed, and film speed, and selects the lens best suited to the picture. The range of exposure settings is greater than that of P&S cameras; the motor drives may be faster as well.

• Automatic. SLRs are popular for their versatility and the creativity they allow the photographer; they can include high-speed motor drives and shutter speeds, pre-programmed exposure modes, more powerful flashes, interchangeable viewfinders, and more.

• Lenses for SLRs are brand-specific and are available in fixed or zoom focal lengths. Lenses are classified by their focal length in millimeters (mm) and F-stop (the amount of light that gets through the lens to the film). Zoom lenses cover a range of focal lengths, but a 50mm lens fitted on a 35mm camera is considered standard. A camera’s F-stop is expressed numerically, as in F/2.8 or F/3.5 - 5.6. The smaller the number, the faster the lens.

3. Rangefinder. Like an SLR, a rangefinder camera may feature interchangeable lenses and flashes, but the focusing system is different. While an SLR is viewed and focused through the lens, a rangefinder camera has a separate viewfinder and focusing systems.

4. Bridge. This camera, sometimes called a "Zoom Lens Reflex," combines many features of SLRs and point ’n’shoot cameras. Only one manufacturer, Olympus, still offers a bridge camera. The more advanced P&S cameras have surpassed bridge cameras in popularity.