3 things you must know about using your DSLR camera

Despite their cost and complexity, DSLR cameras-along with their upstart mirrorless cousins-are everywhere.

Walk down the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, through any major intersection in Manhattan, or past a million other tourist hotspots and you'll probably see dozens of DSLR photographers snapping away.

It's easy to understand why people buy DSLRs. Pros use them. They're bigger and more expensive than point-and-shoots. So they must be better, right?

The real answer is that it depends.

The point of a good DSLR is to give you control over your image. Quality is a factor, but if it were the only factor you'd see your wedding shooter wielding an iPhone.

Here are the three main ways to unlock the power of your DSLR. If you're not at least dabbling with them, you might as well put your camera on eBay.