Compact system camera vs dslr?

I wanted to buy a camera for a photography course. The shop assistant told me the difference in csc and dslr are mainly the view finders. Comparing nikon d5200 with Samsung nx1000. Samsung got more 9fps nikon 5fps and the pixels are good aswel. So is a csc same as a dslr or totally different. Can we not use a compact system camera with interchange lens for photography.

I would go with the d5200. I just like DSLRs better

The viewfinder system is the kicker.

The SLR system uses the light that will form the image as a viewfinder - you're using an optical system that sees pretty much as the lens does and reacts instantly to any changes. Shutter lag is pretty much non-existent.

EVIL (CSC) cameras rely on a screen or an electronic viewfinder - both of which change just a whisker slower than what's actually happening - when you shoot, the screen/viewfinder has to be turned off and then the sensor turned on before the shot can be taken. This increases shutter lag.

EVIL cameras are slower to react, slower to shoot and - due to their electronic viewfinders - thirstier, than DSLRs. Lens choice is also limited and individual lenses are expensive. While virtually any SLR/DSLR lens can be adapted to fit an EVIL camera (apart from the Pentax K-01, which takes any of their SLR/DSLR lenses made since 1975) the cost of adapters and loss of function makes this a mixed blessing.

DSLR has viewfinder, CSC uses live view. In bright light, live view is difficult to use to compose your image. Live view also eats up your batteries. DSLRs get around 1000 to 2000 shots per charge. CSC gets around 400 to 500 shots per charge.

DSLR has much larger sensor area than CSC. This equates to better quality images in low light. It also means you get better dynamic range and color depth. In good light, CSCs do quite well these days.

DSLR has manual controls. Most CSCs don't have manual mode, but there are advanced CSCs with full manual control. Getting out of auto mode allows better control over the artistry in your image.

DSLRs use interchangeable lenses which are generally better quality than lenses you find on CSC. CSC does not use interchangeable lenses.

Due to sensor size/focal length of lens, getting shallow depth of field is harder to achieve on a CSC. On the opposite side, getting a large DOF on a DSLR is more challenging.

Physical size of camera is a large difference. Carrying around a DSLR is no fun. CSC is way smaller and lighter.

Number of pixels is a mixed bag these days. More pixels doesn't equate to better images. For CSC, anything more than 10megapixels is doing you a disservice by degrading the image since the area of each pixel gets smaller. DSLRs with 1.5x crop sensors are pushing 24MP these days, but somewhere around 16MP is probably the sweet spot. A very popular D700 full frame only has 12MP, but produces amazing images even at high ISO settings due to the very large pixel sites.

Agree with most of what qrk said apart from the description of sensor sizes.

Sony NEX have APS-C sensors the same size and the entry and mid level Sony DSLRs.

The best CSC is the Olympus OM-D E-M5 as it is the most DSLR-like and Olympus lenses are generally very good.

Nikon S5200 is much nicer to handle though, and more reliable and quicker when it comes to focusing.

I would go with Nikon d5200 or d5100. A DSLR is much better at higher ISO. Much much faster auto-focus… And much better at blurring a background. I'm using Nikon d5100 and it rocks! Http://astore.amazon.com/photo-stop-20/detail/B004V4IWKG