Interchangeable lens cameras let you choose the best lens for low light.
The digital camera market is constantly changing and evolving, and each year more and more digital cameras enter the market with improvements over previous generations. But not all cameras are created equal --- some types of cameras are much better at shooting in low light. A few factors come into play when dealing with low light. When buying a camera for dim shooting, try to find as many of these features as possible within your price range.
Sensitivity
Light makes photos --- it's as simple as that. In the days of film, cameras used different speeds of film for different light scenarios. Film speed was measured by ISO, and lower ISO numbers meant slower film. In the digital era, ISO is still used to indicate speed, sort of. ISO is now a measure of sensitivity, which is electronically controlled on digital cameras. Cameras multiply and intensify the light in photos at high ISOs (1600 and above), which means you can get a brighter shot in dimmer light. ISO range is a key factor for low-light shooting, but should be considered alongside other camera factors.
Sensor Size
Your camera is only as good as its sensor, and size matters. Most compact digital cameras, or point-and-shoot cameras, have extremely small sensors, especially when compared with four-thirds digitals or digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras. A 6-megapixel sensor that is only a few millimeters wide and a 6-megapixel sensor that is 22 millimeters wide produce incredibly different photos. The pixels are less dense on larger sensors and therefore less sensitive to high-ISO shooting. Shooting at ISO 1600 on a compact point-and-shoot camera in low light creates a lot of digital noise (white flecks of false light across your image); on a larger sensor camera, like a DSLR, high-ISO shooting creates less noise.
Lens
DSLR cameras offer total control over all lens functions, but compact point-and-shoot cameras don't always have manual, shutter or aperture control modes. This means that your shots are only as good as your lens. All lenses have an aperture maximum, which measures how wide the aperture blades open to let in light. Wider apertures equal more light and a shorter exposure, which makes for brighter, clearer shots in low light. Aperture values vary across the market, but look for a camera with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 or lower to get good handheld shots in low light.
The DSLR or Four-Thirds Advantage
Compact digital camera manufacturers often make sacrifices to keep cameras compact and inexpensive. The sensors in these cameras can only get so big due to size constraints. This isn't true of DSLR or four-thirds cameras, which use much larger sensors than compact cameras. These cameras are larger and heavier than compact cameras, but take photos using interchangeable lenses. When you can change your lens, you become a master of controlling light. You can buy and use low light lenses when needed, and use super zoom lenses at other times.
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