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range this is a key feature for those who love nighttime photography. Most DSLR cameras will allow shutter speeds up to 30 seconds long, and some offer the unlimited "bulb" setting to boot!

4. Wider aperture range the aperture in your lens controls how much of the photo is actually in focus. Most P&S cameras have wide apertures, which help throw the background out of focus, but if you love outdoor photography you need smaller apertures, like the kind you get with a DSLR lens; these keep everything in your picture in focus, from foreground to infinity.

5. Buttons and dials instead of accessing settings through a seemingly endless menu in the P&S camera's LCD, most of the commonly used controls and settings (like white balance, aperture priority mode, and film speed) are quickly accessed through buttons and dials on a DSLR.

6. Better lens selection a P&S camera has a general-purpose lens that performs decently in all areas, but doesn't excel in any. With a DSLR you can pick a lens that matches your photography needs, exactly.

7. Use of filters DSLR cameras offer the opportunity for you to use lens filters, especially a polarizing filter, which results in rich colors and deep blue skies.

4. PORTABILITY

Here's where the P&S cameras really excel. You can take them anywhere, which is a huge advantage. Nothing is worse than having a great photo opportunity and not having a camera to capture it!

Many P&S cameras are about the size of a deck of playing cards. The lens retracts into the camera when you turn it off, making it even more compact. You will never be able to stuff your DSLR into your blue jeans pocket, but with many P&S cameras you can do it easily.

This small size also means they are lighter and quieter. One of the first things you will notice when you pick up a DSLR for the first time is how much heavier and louder it is. But some P&S cameras are so quiet that manufacturers have added a virtual shutter-clicking sound so you know when you take the photo!

5. MOVIES AND LIVE VIEWING

The other major advantage for a P&S camera is its ability to shoot video. You can also watch the camera's image live on the LCD. While some of the newest DSLR cameras offer a live preview, none of them offer live viewing while the camera is recording.

It's so much easier to focus and compose your photo on a LCD instead of the tiny viewfinder. This live view is fantastic for people who have poor eyesight, eyeglasses, or a love of macro photography (taking photos of small objects like flowers, coins, and stamps).

So there are the five differences between a DSLR and a P&S camera. Which kind of camera is for you? That's something only you can decide. Think of the kind of photography you do or (maybe more importantly) the kind of photography you want to do.

If shooting short videos is important, or if you want to carry your camera with you anywhere, anytime, then go for a P&S.

But if you find yourself wishing you could have more artistic and creative control over your photos, then a DSLR should be in your future.

Learn more about this author, Chris d'Aquin.
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