Also referred to by members of my family as “paparazzi cameras,” these large black beasts seem to YELL “I’m very serious about taking photos.” But there is more to it than simply appearances. They are built like tanks. I’m sure you’ve seen the photographer with the huge white lens on the sideline get taken out by the wide receiver at an NFL game? That’s a pro-body being badly treated. This is what’s inside Canon’s latest pro camera:

That’s magnesium–light, strong, (but not good around open flames.) Most consumer cameras have plastic bodies, although pro cameras and lenses use a lot of plastic as well.