Community poll forum: How often do you use the viewfinder on your point-and-shoot?

I use the view finder to frame the pictures I'm taking. I find the lag using the LCD annoying and it consumes power. So when I think of it I turn it off to save power.

I always found myself needing to look at the menu and I couldn't see it well enough to make changes while using the viewfinder so I simply got into the habit of using the LCD screen.

I always use the viewfinder to set my focus point & to take my pictures. Then I check out the LCD to make sure the picture is exactly what I want.

I recently sent in my Nikon Coolpix 4300 for warranty repairs and received back a Coolpix L1 ... the latest equivalent model. Great unit, with larger display and 5 mpixels, but no optical viewfinder. I really miss the viewfinder, since the display washes out under most outdoor light conditions and is harder (in my opinion) to line up on a shot. Thanks G*d for Photoshop.

Perry B

I use my LCD often because the optical viewfinder on my Canon is tiny and almost worthless. What do I prefer? Optical! My main reason is age. As a senior my hands aren't as steady as they used to be. So I need the extra support of having the camera against my cheek to reduce camera shake. If it weren't for that, I think the LCD is great! I love the way the LCD gives a big image and makes it very easy to frame the shot.

Hi,
I allways use the viewfinder. I can't see the LCD even if it is big [Glaucoma]. I also find the viewfinder more useful in general. In discussions with friend we found out that the viewfinder seams to bring better results. Somehow people seem to hold a camera more stable. Mug shots, blurry and pictures out of focus seam to occur more often by using the LCD. I couldn't care less if there wouldn't be an LCD on the camera.
Heidi

I have never been so disappointed in a camera as I am with a little Kodak 7590 which I bought for Christmas last year for my son. I didn't realize at the time that ANY serious camera maker would even consider making a camera without the ability to look through the viewfinder and thus allowed him to pick that camera. He has somewhat adjusted, which I'm thankful for, but I wouldn't give a dime for a bushel of camera built that way. I have owned 2 earlier Kodaks, a DC40 (IIRC), a DC265 (which I still have and my daughter uses), an Olympus E10 and now an Olympus EVolt 500 (all of which have viewfinders (which you can SEE through) without all the pixelization bull of the EVF. Maybe its just this camera but I don't think so but the EVF has to be the poorest compositional tool imaginable. Everything shakes and moves but the display is not smooth and the color stinks in live display. The display is fine once the picture has been taken and it doesn't have to redisplay the picture every millisecond. The LCD's in the cameras I've seen just aren't up to it yet.
OT- One other real pet peeve is someone like Canon building a camera as capable as the Rebel and not adding a PC plug and pretending the flash on camera is going to take care of all the situations a larger one would (I guess I shouldn't complain about this since I'm having to deal with the adapter on my new Olympus as well but both should have pc plugs for external flash.)
Just my opinions...............

A poll is more meaningful when the number of votes is also shown.

Just curious - is my son's just bad? You say a 'nice' through the lens viewfinder but this is the same model that I hate because the 'through the lens viewfinder' is NOT optical - it's an electronic viewfinder and I know I can't even stand to look through it, the display in the eyepiece is SOOO bad. Am I missing something?

Most of my photography is done outside and the viewfinder is very hard to see in bright light. I find it hard to really get a clear view of the object I'm taking a photo of so I almost always use the viewfinder.

If you are shooting in a hand-held position, you ALWAYS have the most stability holding the camera against your body--OPTICAL VIEWFINDER.

If you are in bright sunlight, you can't see the LCD display--OPTICAL VIEWFINDER.

Take away the LCD display, and I won't buy it either. Unlike others who have posted here, I find the LCD display to more accurately display what will be captured.

Also, I have become used to having the instant playback to see what I have taken.

So, I insist on both features.

Lee in San Diego

With my eyes I've found that the diopter adjustment on the optical viewfinder has worked best, especially in bright light combined with a ball cap for shade. Now, though the diopter can't quite compensate, so like it or not, am in the process of switching over to the digital.

Interesting! I'd like to point out that the LCD is essentially a TTL (Through The Lens) Viewfinder, a feature we used to pay hundrends of $$$ to obtain with the SLR (Single Lens Reflex) Cameras. I have two of those (film), a viewfinder (film) camera and two digital ones...

My older digital (Sony Cybershot) has both a viewfinder and a 1" LCD Display. I use exclusively the viewfinder on this one.

My new(er) Olympus 720SW has no viewfinder but a big and bright LCD screen I can see it (more later) in bright sunlight. I can compose a picture. I love the small size and the ruggedness of the little camera. I NEED BIFOCALS!!!

When I wear lenses (for sporting activities like skiing) I have a hard time seeing the nice big screen...

I wish I could have a viewfinder...

i always use the viewfinder as i have a nikon d70s.

My camera does not give me the choice, because it only has the LCD display. Inside that is fine for composing a photo, but outside in bright sun I am blind. No OVF and an LCD that cannot be seen - it is point and shoot at its barest. I wish I had a viewfinder on these occasions. They are disappearing fast, but I would not recommend a camera that does not have the optical viewfinder as a backup.