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Digital cameras: Poll: How often do you use the viewfinder?
- 4/10/09 2:12 PM
Poll: How often do you use the viewfinder?
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 4/10/09 2:12 PM
How often do you use the viewfinder on your point-and-shoot camera?
-- Always.
-- About half the time.
-- Only when I absolutely have to.
-- Rarely.
-- Never.
-- My camera doesn't have a viewfinder.
-- I don't even remember if I have a viewfinder on my camera.
Viewfinder
by snapshot2 - 4/10/09 5:05 PM
In reply to: Poll: How often do you use the viewfinder? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I use the viewfinder when sun glare overpowers the LCD, or when shooting at slow shutter speeds.
Using the viewfinder lets you use your head to steady the camera.
Your head is steadier that two outstretched arms
..
.
(NT) same as snapshot
by kalel33 - 4/10/09 5:13 PM In reply to: Viewfinder by snapshot2
viewfinder?
by jean harrington - 4/10/09 6:44 PM In reply to: Poll: How often do you use the viewfinder? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Not at all.My panasonic tz1 camera doesn't have a viewfinder.
I bought in june 2006, keep waiting for it to break.It's the size I can handle, have only my non-dominant hand to work with.Still, you would be surprised at quality of pix.
Sometimes newer isn't better. This is one of those times.
by sbill - 4/10/09 7:12 PM In reply to: Poll: How often do you use the viewfinder? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
When the first digital cameras came out, they ALL came equipped with an optical viewfinder of some sort, and usually a color LCD as well.
After about 2007, many manufacturers started quietly phasing out the optical viewfinder, obviously in an attempt to lower manufacturing costs. This is similar to the situation when PC makers started phasing out floppy drives to cut costs. Most people seemed not to notice or care about the loss of important functionality that was once taken for granted. And the few who did complain were looked at as "different".
Just as I would never buy or own a PC that doesn't have a floppy drive, I would never buy or own a camera that doesn't have an optical viewfinder. Even though I rarely use the floppy drive on my computer, and rarely use the optical viewfinder on my camera, there are times when I have needed both, and am glad that I had them when they were needed.
Just Loved Your Answer Here
by vin7400 - 4/12/09 9:30 AM In reply to: Sometimes newer isn't better. This is one of those times. by sbillI couldn't agree enough there my friend. Although I have a floppy drive and a batch full of unused diskettes, there are most certainly times you need them and especially saving very small files vs a 750MB rewritable CD or 4.7GB DVD. At first I was using the latter only to discover this was proving uneconomical.
This is the same with viewfinders on cameras as I always use it as I find myself asking the question "do you want a good shot of what your taking"? or "a ("hit and miss") shot of what you thought you may have taken."?
I realise this may not be the case of some members here but this is what I personally find.
Thank you Lee for making this space possible so I could reply to this subject, it is my first time here and some of the topics and answers are invaluable.
Floppy drive/view finder
by hjfok - 4/12/09 11:50 AM In reply to: Sometimes newer isn't better. This is one of those times. by sbillI do respect people valuing old technologies. But there is external floppy disk drive via USB, so you don't really need to limit your computer choice. However you should really archive data in those old floppies to an external drive or other newer media. Data stored in floppy may not stand up to the test of time. If you have small amount of files to save, an external hard drive is a good option. And back up frequently.
Viewfinder is still useful these days. For the more serious photographer, viewfinder is still the proper way to take a good photo. For many, the PS camera is a fun camera for casual shots. I use viewfinder on the D-SLR but seldom on the PS cameras. I can interact with the subjects more easily when using the LCD screen, making the shots more fun and casual. People tend to become more serious when you use the viewfinder, and sometimes lack spontaneity.
Always
by Zouch - 4/10/09 8:44 PM In reply to: Poll: How often do you use the viewfinder? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Much easier to hold the camera still wedged up against my nose than squinting at arms length! But then I do have a Fuji with an Electronic Viewfinder - poor man's SLR, where all the menus are repeated in the viewfinder.
I wouldn't buy a camera without a viewfinder.
How often do you use the viewfinder.
by GeoffDon81 - 4/11/09 12:51 AM In reply to: Poll: How often do you use the viewfinder? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Rarely. Being part paralysed in my right hand at the moment prevents me holding the camera (a Canon 520) close and still operating it. I usually steady it against a solid object anyway, but now have often to rely on a ligthweight tripod, the same as for the Mini DV camcorder. Sadden
Always
by brianlevyesq - 4/11/09 3:09 AM In reply to: Poll: How often do you use the viewfinder? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I'm an old timer and some habits shold not change in my opinion. A key to a good photo is NO camera shake and when viewing through a viewfinder correctly you have a 3-point hold that is far steadier then a 2-point. The shak is further reduced on a 3-point hold by briefly holding your breath as you trip the shutter. With extended hands on the 2-point the shake is not reduced by holding your breath as it is from a different point of your body.
While the screen may give a more accurate framing of the shot as I shoot outdoors, it tends to be washed out too much. With some practice it is not difficult to take into accont the diffferece in viewing through the viewfinder and what the lens sees. The fine detail on the screen is not as good as the viewfinder even when when it is not washed out. I've looked at some cameras where the screen shows a more saturated and contrasty view, a result of the settings but it also detracts from the viewing purpose and that is the composition itself. I can rest the controls for a natural or normal setting but then would need to reset them for the photo.
KODAK m863
by richardf - 4/11/09 7:51 AM In reply to: Poll: How often do you use the viewfinder? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I bought a Kodak M863 not knowing that bright sun would make the LCD useless. I'm trying to get my money back but I cannot. Any ideas?
The poll tells all
by fergusbp - 4/11/09 9:41 AM In reply to: Poll: How often do you use the viewfinder? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
36 percent use the view finder, the largest group in the pole. I now have a D300 and the view finder is just habit with the live view is handy in some situations. For the ones that need a steady camera, either use higher iso, lower f stop or a tripod. Using a view finder to steady a camera sounds lame to me. It is true that bent arms supported by the chest is steadier but you could do the same with the live view. For those that hold the arms at length to take pictures, well, it looks bad and is not good photography. One of the first things I was told about taking pictures, is support your elbows on your chest. So for you folks with steady issues, learn a better technique to take pictures.
PS camera view finder
by hjfok - 4/11/09 2:09 PM In reply to: Poll: How often do you use the viewfinder? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Less than 10% of the time, only if I cannot see the screen due to extreme sun light or darkness. It's simply more fun and cool to use the LCD screen with a PS camera. Otherwise you look like you're still using an APS camera.
Never when I am scuba diving.
Viewfinder vs LCD screen?
by Bkess - 4/11/09 8:28 PM In reply to: Poll: How often do you use the viewfinder? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I use the viewfinder in bright lighting and whenever I want to see clearly what I'm photographing as small unwanted and/or distracting things like tree branches etc are often not seen on the LCD screen because it is so small when viewed at arms length from the eye. The viewfinder, because it is right up at the eye, presents a much larger image that shows these distractions clearly.
Unfortunatly, this benefit is somewhat offset by the fact that many viewfinders on today's cameras don't do a good job of compensating for the differing viewing angles between the viewfinder and the screen. However, with some practice the keen photographer can learn to take this into account, especially when photographing subjects at mid-to-long range as the differences are less noticable.
re:
by jondeitner - 4/12/09 12:37 PM In reply to: Poll: How often do you use the viewfinder? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
i use the viewfinder so there is no glare on my eyes and i can see the subject clearly. so i would say when i have to
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