Which camera system uses a mirror to view through the taking lens and typically has interchangeable lenses?

• A. Rangefinder
• B. Viewfinder camera
• C. Single Lens Reflex
• D. Twin-lens reflex

Answer: (C)

Viewing through the taking lens with a flipping mirror is a hallmark of single-lens reflex cameras. In these systems, light passes through the taking lens, hits a 45-degree mirror that momentarily reflects the image up to a focusing screen and then to your eye via a pentaprism or pentamirror. This setup means the viewfinder shows exactly what the lens sees, so your composition and focus are accurate for the shot you’ll take. The lens mount is designed to accept interchangeable lenses, which is why these cameras are iconic for their versatility with different lenses while keeping the same through-the-lens view.

Other camera types don’t share this exact path. Rangefinder cameras use a separate viewing system that isn’t looking through the taking lens, and parallax can occur at close distances. Twin-lens reflex cameras use one lens to take the picture and a separate lens for the viewing/ground-glass path, so you’re not seeing through the same optical path that records the image.