What is the difference between a digital camera and an SLR?

I'm looking into buying an expensive camera and I noticed for nikon they offer a 12-megapixel digital camera for $100 dollars less then a 10.2-megapixel SLR camera.

Since I'm Pretty much a camera newbie and really only know the higher the megapixel the better the picture, so my question is what is the difference between the two that I'm missing here.

Which do you believe is the better buy?

The digital camera stores all the pictures on a memory card hence the name "digital"
while the SLR is like a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) but without the digital which means it uses the film which you have to go to the store and get it developed
DSLR's and SLR's take very good pictures
so, if my assumption about the digital camera being a compact camera is correct, you should get better pictures with the SLR, but remember you have to get it developed, so you won't be able to put it on your computer or anything

There's a massive difference in the quality of photos and video when you compare compacts with fixed lenses (regardless of price or brand) and dSLRs. The main reason is the image sensor size not the pixel count.

You can ignore pixel counts because they don't mean better quality images. A 10 megapixel compact and a 10 megapixel dSLR are very different. The image sensor in a compact is so small, that it would take 12 or more of them to cover the image sensor in an entry level dSLR.

That larger image sensor has less noise, can take cleaner shots in low light, has better dynamic range, detail, color and contrast when compared to the tiny sensor in a compacts, or the even smaller sensors used in cell phone cams.

You can also get compact-ish cameras with large image sensors like the Sony NEX line, 4/3rds cameras from Olympus and Panasonic and the new 1 series from Nikon like the J1.So you are paying for the image sensor, that's the big difference.

So if video and photo image quality, speed etc is your top priority go with any kind of camera with a large image sensor. If compact size and low cost are your priority, just get a cheap compact.

If you are a camera newbie, digital camera will be better for you, you can check the site for some reviews about cameras: http://video-camera-reviews.org

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