This one has been one of my biggest pet peeve for a while and I think it is time to use my very limited influence to correct this:
We should say HDSLR, not HD DSLR!
You probably know what a SLR camera is: SLR standing for Single Lens Reflex. A few years ago, the D was added for “Digitalâ€. Actually, it should have been NSLR for Numeric SLR (since the SLR at the time were already using digital technologies) but I think marketing departments thought it did not sound cool enough and went with DSLR.
Fast forward a few years and the term HDSLR starts popping around as an acronym for Hybrid Digital Single Lens Reflex. By hybrid we mean a camera that can take both stills and videos.
The fact that the first popular HDSLR (Nikon D90
- DSLR already produced high definition images
- It does not say anything about the video capability of the camera.
So a DSLR that can shoot video should be called HDSLR! Pass the word.
add that to my list of pet peeves that feature “ATM Machine” (automatic teller machine machine) and “RPMs” (revolutions per minuteS)
thanks!
VDSLR (Video DSLR) always made far more sense, I thought.. DSLR’s that shoot video – seems simple and accurate enough.. then again HDSLR (or HD-DSLR) does sound a bit better verbally..
I’m tired of saying dSLR at all. Its an SLR and everyone will assume it digital (or numeric), if you want to flaunt your F1, say its a film SLR cuz thats gonna be the exception now. Probably same with HDSLR before too long.
So, what will happen when all DSLR’s will be HDSLR’s? Won’t it all be SLR’s again? Call me old fashioned but I still call it SLR. It’s the original concept that matters to me. My SLR is still an SLR. But now is digital and captures video. Just as simple as that.
Goncalo: I agree with you but right now there are a lot of confusion caused by the various terms used and using a single term would make it easier to do searches on the net too since the results would be be divided between 3 different wordings.
I see the term VDSLR used more than HDSLR.
How about just VSLR, a video[-capable] SLR? I think that is the most sensible option. After all, they are SLR cameras that can also record video, be it SD, HD or The Next Thing.
Best
Ha ha. I call them Video DSLR’s on my site http://www.slrhq.com – Because I hate how everyone throws HD on things these days. Like those HD sun glasses, I’ve seen HD makeup. Plus, It’s a DSLR to people who won’t use it for Video. So fittingly Video DSLR.