Digital cameras: Is having a viewfinder better or it doesn't matter?
Is having a viewfinder better or it doesn't matter?
by Steve16 - 3/16/07 6:43 PMI am looking for a new digital camera, preferably a point-and-shoot kind. Anyways I wanted to know if I should ook for a digital camera with a viewfinder or without?
Thank you.
A matter of preference
by fionndruinne - 3/16/07 6:59 PM In reply to: Is having a viewfinder better or it doesn't matter? by Steve16It doesn't really matter whether you use a viewfinder or an LCD screen for composing your photos, it is really a matter of which you feel most comfortable with. If you're looking at choices between optical (rare these days) or electronic viewfinders (EV) in point-and-shoot cameras, you'll want to try them both out firsthand. Optical viewfinders in point-and-shooters are a secondary little lens which shows the same amount of area as the camera sees, and zooms the same distance as the lens. This is opposed to an SLR, which uses the camera lens itself to look through (by means of a mirror). EVs on the other hand are a second little LCD screen, and they provide more features (like highlighting overexposed areas, or picking points to focus on), but they also look, in my opinion, kind of cheesy, compared to the "real" look of an optical viewfinder.
If you're looking only at the options of LCD+EV or LCD only, I'd say the EV, since it does the same thing as the LCD, is kind of superfluous, and probably only costs you a little more cash.
Viewfinders have a purpose.
by snapshot2
- 3/16/07 7:30 PM
In reply to: Is having a viewfinder better or it doesn't matter? by Steve16
Many camera LCD screens will wash-out in bright sunlight.
In some, it is so bad that you can not even tell what is on the LCD screen.
Use the viewfinder and get the shot.
Low light shooting on some cameras can be a pain because the LCD does not show the scene well enough. Some cameras will automatically "gain up" to brighten the LCD in low light situations......Some wont.
When shooting "continuous", some cameras will blank or freeze the LCD because the display can not keep up with the continuous speed. This makes it impossible to follow any action in continuous mode.
An optical viewfinder follows the action.
Camera shake (fuzzy images). When you use the viewfinder, the camera is pressed against your head. When you use the LCD, your arms are extended in front of you. Your head is steadier than two outstretched arms. Even better ---- If you use the viewfinder and also lean against a solid object (wall, doorway, tree, pole), your camera will be rock steady.
...
..
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True, true
by fionndruinne - 3/17/07 3:34 AM In reply to: Viewfinders have a purpose. by snapshot2
I personally learned to shoot mainly with the LCD on my point-and-shoot, thus am a bit more disposed towards them. Personally, though, I don't find my camera much steadier when it's up against my face - there's movement there as well - I like to use the LCD while holding the camera against a large object, where often it would be quite inconvenient to position my body so I could look through the viewfinder. Still, they have their place sometimes, such as quick-aimed shots as mentioned before. I plan to practice with point-shooting when I get my SLR, though, so I needn't raise the camera all the way to the eye.
'Point-and-shoot' sounds like an excellent way to get truly
by Kiddpeat - 3/17/07 8:01 AM In reply to: True, true by fionndruinnemediocre shots. It means the photo will not be well composed, and the focus is likely to be on the wrong subject/object.
viewfinders on digital cameras
by Mr Mink - 3/16/07 10:25 PM In reply to: Is having a viewfinder better or it doesn't matter? by Steve16having come to digital cameras from SLRs I must admit that a viewfinder is definitely an advantage. my first digital point and shoot had a viewfinder, the second Ricoh compact dispensed with it in favour of a 2 1/2 inch LCD screen - I now also have a Canon digital SLR. The primary reason for the usefulness of a viewfinder that is that you can quickly frame and grab a discrete shot in a situation where you do not want to be seen to be holding the camera in front of your face to frame the shot (I have done quite a bit of travel in Africa etc where you do not want to draw attention to yourself etc). Think also of the situation where you are taking a quick shot at a concert where cameras are supposedly not allowed -- you can blank out the very visible LCD display and then just frame and shoot with the viewfinder. LCDs also tend to washout in bright sunlight as already pointed out. As a general rule Canon seem to have kept viewfinders on almost all their compact digitals - this is a good thing overall in my view - you do not have to use them after all! And in the situations mentioned above they can actually be useful -- it may only be 5% of your shots but they may be the shots you would not otherwise get. Happy shooting.
Gotta have a viewfinder
by paul dexler - 3/20/07 8:26 PM In reply to: viewfinders on digital cameras by Mr MinkMaybe it's just because I was born in the 1930s, when you either used the optical viewfinder or a ground glass to frame your photos, I find it difficult to get used to a camera without a viewfinder. Seven years ago I graduated from film SLRs to digital, and now have a digital SLR with a suite of lenses. But, that's not something you want to drag around with you every day, in the hopes of seeing something you need to record. So, I recently purchased a "point and shoot" compact camera that fits in my pocket. Yes, it is a Canon, as is my SLR, but I was open to other brands, so long as they had an optical viewfinder. They pretty much don't. Anyway, when other people are holding their cameras out at arm's length, I have mine braced up against my cheekbone, getting nice steady shots. No viewfinder? Not for me.
Viewfinder is definitely good
by froasier - 3/20/07 9:32 PM In reply to: Is having a viewfinder better or it doesn't matter? by Steve16I only use the LCD on my point-and-shoot when I need to frame the image exactly (especially with close-up shots) and then again that's not even important because you can always crop later with all the megapixels current cameras are offering. The viewfinder is easier to use in low light and definitely more stable; one of the reasons why cell phone pictures are often so bad is because it's harder to keep steady when you have to hold it out in front of you. Also you get a more immersive view when using a viewfinder. And, the viewfinder doesn't use up the batteries like the LCD does. Lastly, many people just like looking through the viewfinder to take a picture.
viewfinder is better
by weavercon - 3/20/07 9:41 PM In reply to: Is having a viewfinder better or it doesn't matter? by Steve16I like my viewfinder, if I use the LCD screen it eats my batteries. I use rechargeable batteries. By using the viewfinder I can take all the pic's I want.
save the viewfinder
by valhalla_33 - 3/20/07 10:20 PM In reply to: viewfinder is better by weaverconI love my viewfinder for the same reasons... you really only NEED the LCD screen to setup you presets and to review your shots... With the Preselects done, you can turn off the LCD and shoot a lot more photos without using up the batteries as fast... This allows a significant gain in pictures per battery load-out especially useful if you don't have that extra proprietary $50 battery instead of the AA's...
Keep the viewfinder
by goatdoc - 3/20/07 11:16 PM In reply to: Is having a viewfinder better or it doesn't matter? by Steve16I have a Canon digital slr and while on a trip to Alaska I dropped it out of an open backpack. The LCD was not operable, but thanks to the TTL viewing, it is just like my older film SLR. I don't miss the LCD much anymore(never got it fixed). On my point and shoot, I find I use the optical viewfinder in bright sunlight and for sports. I think the possibility of loosing the LCD and rendering the camera useless is one reason to keep the optical viewfinder.(Especially on a trip of a lifetime)
Photographing in dark places
by im2late - 3/20/07 11:24 PM In reply to: Is having a viewfinder better or it doesn't matter? by Steve16I often take photographs performing arts events (classical music and opera for the most part.) Technically, this is not allowed, but since having a viewfinder allows me to be discreet about capturing photos, I have never gotten "caught." In addition, I often choose to capture a few minutes of concert footage as a souvenir of the performance I'm seeing. If I used an LCD screen to monitor my footage, I'd get kicked out of the concert hall. Although I rarely have an opportunity to use my camera in this way, I love having the option and couldn't imagine myself buying a camera without a viewfinder.
Must have a viewfinder
by decorumforum - 3/21/07 3:12 AM In reply to: Photographing in dark places by im2lateI do a lot of photography in Greece where bright sunlight makes an LCD wash out and virtually useless. Even at home when using the camera outside, daylight often makes the LCD a very hit and miss affair. I want to be able to compose my picture accurately.
I also need to wear reading glasses when looking at something just a couple of feet away and the time needed to put these on to see an LCD is a pain and can mean missing a shot.
I have several cameras including an old Canon G3 where the LCD screen hinges away from the camera which you can then hold at any height and twist the screen to face you. Now that's neat!
But doing away with the viewfinder? Unthinkable!
choose one that also has a viewfinder
by Sidravel - 3/21/07 4:23 AM In reply to: Is having a viewfinder better or it doesn't matter? by Steve16Since the LCD screen washes out under very sunny conditions (in fact, it acts as a mirror then, and all I can see is my own face staring into it), the addition of a viewfinder is very necessary. I am amazed that the manufacturers, such as of the Panasonic LZ I own, don't recognize it. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO LOOK THORUGH AN LCD UNDER VERY SUNNY CONDITIONS.
Would like a viewfinder
by bigdish - 3/21/07 6:07 AM In reply to: Is having a viewfinder better or it doesn't matter? by Steve16I shot alot of pictures outside. And with just a LCD sun washout can be a problem. Even though the camera I have is supposed to be good in the sun an optical viewfinder is better.
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