viewfinder or lcd screen brands

The benefits of the viewfinder and LCD screen are often compared with one another. Depending on whom you ask, you might hear remarkably different opinions on the usability of the two.

Let’s go through some of the pros and cons of both and present you with an objective case for why you should pick one over the other. Keep in mind that this isn’t meant to dictate which shooting method you should use. There are valid reasons to use both; it just depends on the situation.

As discussed above, photography is all about precision. Viewfinders have been around long before LCD screens, and therefore many photographers find viewfinders more comfortable to work with.

Viewfinders offer much more precision when you are shooting, especially on a bright day. It allows you to focus on the small details. Viewfinders reduce image distortion and capture an accurate image. That’s why most DSLRs and high-end mirrorless cameras today still have viewfinders.

Running out of battery is a nightmare for photographers, especially if you don’t have any spares. That’s why viewfinders are considered optimal in these situations. Viewfinders use comparatively much less battery than LCD screens.

If you are shooting in an area where electricity is scarce, or don’t have access to a charger or backup batteries, the viewfinder will be a better choice for you.

Viewfinders are very convenient to use and provide smooth handling. When looking through the viewfinder, it’s easy to keep the camera steady. This makes the viewfinder an optimal choice when you need to zoom in or have a slightly heavier camera.

For many people, this extra effort of adjusting your eyeglasses is troublesome. However, some viewfinder cameras have a built-in diopter that can help make it easier to use with glasses.

Viewfinders can be much smaller compared to LCD screens. As a result, you may not be able to see everything you’re capturing in the viewfinder accurately. This drawback is very important for photographers who want to preview every single detail when taking a picture.

To see details on viewfinders, especially the electronic ones, you have to zoom in on the frame. However, this can lower the resolution of the preview. Luckily, if most of your shots consist of zoom shots, this may not bother you much.

What sets LCD screens apart from viewfinders is their ability to provide 100% image coverage to the photographer. In comparison, cameras with a viewfinder offer around 90-95% of the image, sometimes less.

What you see through the viewfinder doesn’t always end up in the final result. Small details can be crucial. That’s why this 5-10% difference in image coverage can be a significant reason why you might choose an LCD screen over the viewfinder.

When you are in a lower field-of-view, framing can be much more difficult. Many people can’t take a picture while lying on the ground using a viewfinder. This is where LCD screens come in. Flexible LCDs make it easier for you to capture images when you can’t reach awkward angles.

LCD screens produce great results for night photography. LCD screens are often used for night photography due to their bright image playback quality. They help you focus on the small details when you are shooting at night.

An evident shortcoming of the LCD screen is its lack of utility on a bright day. Because of the glare, many people cannot use their LCD screen at all on a sunny day. It’s hard to see anything on the LCD except the reflections.

Another drawback to using an LCD screen is its difficulty in handling it. Holding the camera while looking through the LCD screen is difficult and takes a lot of effort, especially when you are zooming and trying to be precise.

Another disadvantage of LCD screens is the fact that they can easily overexpose your image. This should not be a problem for seasoned photographers who can improve the quality of the image with better handling and precision.

Those were some of the benefits and drawbacks of using a viewfinder and LCD screen to consider. So, which one is best? The answer depends on your personal preferences and budget.

If you’re a traditional photographer, you’ll probably be more comfortable with the viewfinder. If you are a photographer who likes to focus on small details and image quality, you should opt for the LCD screen.

Should I use the camera viewfinder or LCD? More importantly, in the age of iPhones and touchscreens, is the viewfinder now obsolete? Read on, and you may just discover a need for both.

Should I use the camera viewfinder or LCD when capturing an image? Indeed, this debate will no doubt continue into the foreseeable future. At any rate, long before the liquid crystal display (LCD) came into the picture, the viewfinder was the only game in town. Thus, it certainly stands to reason why many seasoned photographers prefer the viewfinder over the LCD. However, in light of the miniature camera revolution, one might consider the viewfinder outdated or even obsolete; consequently, many contemporary photographers appear to favor the LCD. In any case, the LCD has changed the game and offers distinct advantages and new possibilities for photography. Regardless of your current preference, a bit of experimentation may help improve your game.

Above all, composition is the most crucial element in any photograph. Indeed, everyone enjoys a stunning well-exposed tack sharp photo. Of course, the methods used to capture an image play an essential role in the quality of the image. For example, during hand-held photography, using the viewfinder draws the camera closer to the body offering a lower profile thus providing a better foundation as opposed to extending the camera forward to compose an image. Naturally, getting the shot is what counts! Deciding between using the LCD or viewfinder boils down to personal preference.

Although wearing eyeglasses can exacerbate the situation, it’s still possible to use the viewfinder. However, whether farsighted or nearsighted, fumbling around with eyeglasses can take the fun out of photography. Fortunately, many cameras offer viewfinders with a built-in diopter that permits one to compensate for optical shortcomings. In fact, some camera models offer additional diopters for those requiring further correction. Honestly, while wearing reading glasses, I do find it a bit cumbersome to bounce back and forth from the viewfinder to the LCD. I sometimes wear my glasses tethered around my neck. At any rate, I find using the viewfinder worth the extra effort.

No doubt, shooting at ground level can make framing an image extremely difficult. Composing a photograph with the viewfinder while lying on wet grass presents an unacceptable challenge for some people. Still, using the LCD does not guarantee the user will remain completely dry, even with a tilting LCD. Plus, not all cameras have an adjustable LCD. Nevertheless, the increasing popularity of the adjustable LCD suggests many people may favor the LCD over the viewfinder. Although I prefer the viewfinder in most situations, the LCD occasionally has its advantages. Regardless of one’s preference, an adjustable LCD has an undeniable ergonomic benefit when shooting at low levels. On the other hand, for the diehard viewfinder fan, it is possible to retrofit many camera models with an angled viewfinder.

While composing an image, a mindful photographer pays careful attention to every detail in the frame, especially distracting elements near the edges. Unfortunately, excluding high-end cameras, most DSLR viewfinders do not offer 100 percent coverage. For example, when using a DSLR with only 95 percent coverage, during post-processing one is likely to discover overlooked articles near the edge of the image. Whereas the articles would have been visible if composed on an LCD. In other words, unlike the LCD, what you see in the viewfinder isn’t necessarily what you get in post-processing. As for myself, this is an outright deal-breaker. Although many camera models offer viewfinders with greater than 95 percent coverage, nothing beats 100 percent. On the other hand, is five percent more coverage worth the added expense? Honestly, the deciding factor comes down to personal preference and budget.

Viewing an image on an LCD in brightly illuminated situations may prove difficult indeed. When shooting under extremely bright conditions, one may find it impossible to actually see the image on the LCD. Although I certainly prefer the viewfinder in bright situations, purchasing an LCD hood or shade provides a simple solution. Though an LCD hood will help reduce glare, these devices are bulky and require removal to use of the viewfinder. Honestly, the LCD has its benefits, but in this case, why add an additional device if it’s not necessary.

I occasionally hear the notion that bright light from an LCD impairs night vision. Of course, staring at any bright light source will affect one’s night vision. Be that as it may, I would not rule out using the LCD for night photography. In fact, I often use the LCD at night for image playback, and I’m yet to stumble over my gear from loss of night vision. In any case, both the viewfinder and LCD are beneficial for night photography. Incidentally, while shooting a moonbow at Cumberland Falls State Park near Corbin Kentucky, I found the LCD indispensable in reviewing the color span captured in the moonbow. Due to sparse lighting, the human eye has a difficult time discerning the colors of a moonbow, and thus it appears white to the naked eye. Nevertheless, during image playback on the LCD, the colors in the moonbow are evident. See the moonbow here.

Depending on the camera model, the information available in both the viewfinder and LCD will vary. Regardless of the camera data, with today’s technology, most people have no trouble pointing and shooting a camera with satisfactory results. However, being acquainted with the exposure triangle can open new possibilities with the potential for boundless creativity. Hence, the ability to observe shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and exposure is paramount. One advantage of the LCD is the ability to view a live histogram in live view. Indeed, a live histogram is pretty impressive, but not available on all cameras. In any case, I prefer to use the histogram during image playback.

Now, this is extremely important for those that need to squeeze every ounce of life from a battery. I often hike and camp in primitive areas where electrical power is a luxury. That being the case, the difference in battery life is monumental! An LCD requires far more energy compared to an optical viewfinder. In fact, the LCD requires 100 percent more energy. However, poor battery life is easily mitigated in most cases. For example, carry extra batteries and take advantage of charging opportunities while traveling near power sources or while dining in a restaurant. Also, consider investing in a battery grip.

Depending on the type of photography, both the viewfinder and LCD have distinct advantages. For example, live view employs contrast detection to analyze image contrast pixel by pixel, thereby significantly improving focusing accuracy. Furthermore, live view provides additional focusing points allowing more versatility, especially handy when the camera is mounted on a tripod. Utilizing the LCD, one can zoom in and precisely focus on a specific detail. Consequently, a landscape photographer may favor using the LCD to enhance the focus of still subjects. However, the focusing speed is at a snail’s pace compared to using a viewfinder which employs phase detection for focusing.

For this reason, a sports photographer would likely opt for the benefits of the viewfinder. In fact, because of its quick and reliable focusing, phase detection yields better results for fast-moving subjects. Indeed, a sharp image is the benchmark of any serious photographer. With this in mind, understanding the fundamentals of phase detection and contrast detection is instrumental.

Indeed, whether using the LCD or viewfinder to compose an image, covering the viewfinder eyepiece on a DSLR is an excellent idea. In fact, in backlit situations, light can enter through the viewfinder and appear on the image as a solar flare. Moreover, light entering through the viewfinder can fool the camera’s light meter resulting in an underexposed image. Despite manufacturing attempts to protect against light leakage, even the most expensive cameras can leak light back to the sensor. In fact, with the mirror in the up position, the light may still pass through and find its way to your image, especially during a long exposure. Consequently, and for a good reason, many manufacturers deploy the use of built-in eyepiece shutters or external eyepiece covers. Why leave your masterpiece to chance?

A DSLR utilizes a mirror to reflect an image through the lens and onto the sensor. Obviously, a “mirrorless” camera does not use a mirror to reflect an image to the viewfinder. Instead, a mirrorless camera projects an electronic or “digital” image to the viewfinder. I think an electronic viewfinder (EVF) is much like an LCD only smaller. As a matter of fact, an EVF is analogous to having a tiny TV screen extremely close to your eye. Alternatively, an optical viewfinder (OVF) allows the user to look straight through the lens via the mirror. Nevertheless, both the OVF and EVF provide the user with a practical view; however, the two views are entirely different.

Viewing an image through an EVF is much like living in the Matrix. The world seen through an EVF is an electronic reproduction of reality. “You’ve been living in a dream world, Neo.” Despite my poor attempt at a little Matrix humor, there is much truth in that statement. Indeed, I would rather view the real world through an OVF as opposed to a replica through an EVF.

Nevertheless, the EVF does have a few advantages. For example, like the LCD, the EVF offers 100 percent coverage, so what you see in the viewfinder is what you get in the image. Also, the EVF is illuminated and thus beneficial in low-light situations.

Despite having a few benefits, none outweigh the advantages of the OVF in my humble opinion. Honestly, zero lag time and image clarity alone provide sufficient reason to opt for the OVF. At any rate, it’s important to note that no two photographers are alike, and every situation is unique. As a landscape photographer, I truly appreciate the magnificence of nature and embrace any occasion to connect with it. Therefore, unlike the EVF, the OVF allows me to view a composition in its true color and natural brilliance. Still, the choice resides with each photographer to decide what works for their particular circumstance. In the end, it’s all about having a grand experience and possibly heading home with a magnificent image!

Although I do my best to remain objective when writing, I’m sure it’s apparent that I prefer the viewfinder over the LCD. Despite that being the case, you may have noticed that I practice both in my photography. Honestly, I suspect many people do the same. Indeed, I very much enjoy the connection to nature that photography affords. Although an LCD has its benefits, I prefer viewing my subject through the sharp clarity produced by an optical viewfinder. In short, if forced to decide between one or the other, I choose the OVF. At any rate, these are mere opinions and should be taken with a healthy portion of common sense and personal experience. As I always like to say, it’s genuinely a matter of personal preference.

This Meike brand Viewfinder magnifier fits DSLR/SLR cameras. It brings clear vision to photography. This compact viewfinder adapts to most camera models on market.

This Viewfinder magnifier comes with viewfinder connection eyepiece and a bundle of viewfinder frames to fit a large number of cameras, which come with rectangular shaped viewfinder. It turns your video enabled DSLR LCD screen into a huge electronic viewfinder for precise image evaluation - it"s like viewing a 42" screen from 140cm (4.6 feet).

I teach media at the high school level. We received some great new Canon XA40 camcorders. They’ve been working great. We have only had them for about two weeks.

Once trying to use one of the camcorders today, we noticed the LCD flip screen wouldn’t turn. I checked to make sure the obvious things were done: checked to make sure the viewfinder was pushed in properly, made sure the caps weren’t on, made sure we were in camera mode, and made sure the battery and all were working. The screen still shows absolutely nothing. When I pull out the eye piece viewfinder, I can see everything as usual. I just cannot see anything on the screen when I’m trying to use the flip screen.

The camera is less than a month old. I’m just wondering if this is something that was accidentally turned off or moved into a position I’m unaware of at this point, OR is this a defect or problem with the camera itself.

A lot of camera manufacturers have started to move away from including or even making EVFs. There are lots of reasons why. Some of these reasons presumably range from:

I have always used an EVF when shooting and I always will. I still find it the best way to judge exposure, focus, and composition. My eyes are not as good as they once were and I can not use a small-sized LCD screen that comes on a lot of cameras.

EVF choices are extremely limited. If you compare monitors to EVFs there are lots of options to choose from. With an EVF you either have to buy a proprietary model that only works with one or a couple of cameras from that same manufacturer, or you choose an EVF that can be used on any camera that has an HDMI or SDI output.

Proprietary EVFs tend to be expensive, but on the flip side, they have been specifically designed to work with a particular camera or cameras from that manufacturer. They are also a one-stop-shop where power and the video signal are sent over one cable. With a lot of these EVFs, you can also control operational aspects of the camera directly from that EVF.

What you need to be aware of is that with a lot of these third-party EVFs is that you need to be able to power them and run either an HDMI or SDI input.

A lot of mirrorless cameras come standard with a built-in EVF. While this is great they are almost always fixed and therefore their usefulness is limited. You can only really use these types of EVFs if you are hand-holding the camera and have it right up against your eye. This makes it virtually useless when trying to shoot at a low angle or when you are using a camera on a tripod.

A lot of smaller-sized digital cinema cameras and camcorders, at least up until recently, came with a rear-mounted EVF. With this type of design, you could normally move the EVF up, but not down. Again this severely limits its usability and if you wanted to use a rear in-built EVF like this you were forced to use the camera in a certain way or place it at a certain height on a tripod.

With cameras such as the C200B, Panasonic EVA1, Canon C70, Sony FX6, Sony FX3, and all of the BMPCC offerings there is no EVF. The main reason for this is that manufacturers will tell you that from their own market research people weren’t using rear EVFs. The main reason for this is probably because of where they were positioned and their lack of movement or adjustability.

The problem with almost all of these cameras that don’t have an in-built EVF is that their LCD screens are not nearly bright enough to be seen correctly outdoors. They are also so small in size that you can’t see anything in any real detail.

I have tried so many cameras that didn’t have an EVF of any kind and found them all to be completely unusable outdoors in a lot of situations. Everything from focus, to exposure, to composition, to color, has to be judged by what you are monitoring with. I personally can’t understand how so many people seem to be ok with getting all of this correct by looking at a tiny LCD monitor that you can’t see correctly outdoors when it is sunny. Are people actually ok with working this way or is that just what they are used to dining and they have become accustomed to working that way? I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts in the comment section.

Well, as I previously mentioned in this article there are lots of reasons why this can be just as problematic as not using an EVF. The small size of a lot of cameras has made it harder to utilize a proper EVF that can be moved around positioned correctly depending on how you are shooting.

It isn’t necessarily a problem with the EVF itself, it is a problem with mounting it, powering it, and sending a video signal to it. By the time you do all of these things, you start down the frankenrig path. I am sure there are a lot of shooters out there who would gladly buy an EVF if it was easy to mount, didn’t take up too much space, and didn’t cost a small fortune.

I have always used EVFs with cameras, and that has presented its challenges over the years when using certain cameras. The first digital cinema camera I ever owned was the Sony F3 and I bought the Kinotehnic LCDVFe in 2012 to use with that camera. I also used it with the Sony FS700 as well. I loved using this EVF because it came with a clever mounting solution and you could power it with AA batteries. This meant you only had to hook up one cable to use it.

Now, both of the F3 and FS700 were mid-sized cameras so an EVF this size actually worked reasonably well, however, it wouldn’t work with a smaller sized camera.

The gratical is a really nice EVF with a lot of features, but it is large, you need to power it from either a Canon battery or a dummy battery, you have to run either an HDMI or SDI cable to it, and it can be tricky to mount on some cameras. Above you can see how I had to mount it to a Panasonic EVA1.

Recently we have seen Portkeys come out with a range of more affordable EVFs and these are arguably your best option if you are in the market for a third-part EVF, but can’t afford a Zacuto.

Two EVFs made by camera manufacturers that can be used on other cameras are the Z CAM 2.89″ EVF101 Electronic Viewfinder and the Blackmagic Design URSA Viewfinder. Now, you need to be aware that technically both viewfinders can be used on other cameras, but neither solution is ideal. The Z CAM option is not a bad one, but you do need to be able to power it via a 2-pin LEMO power input. Again this makes using it problematic with some cameras.

The Blackmagic URSA Viewfinder does have an SDI input so you can technically send a feed and use it, however, it requires a 4-pin 12V power input, and good luck mounting it on any other camera other than an URSA.

There is a reason that most of the good EFVs are proprietary. This is mainly due to the fact that they only utilize one cable that sends power, the video signal, and all the necessary camera information without tying up any of the camera’s outputs. They are also purposely designed for a particular camera so you don’t have to frankenrig up anything to use one.

When I owned a Sony F55 I used the DVF-EL100 .7″ OLED Viewfinder. this was a great viewfinder, but it was expensive. I saying that for me personally, it was worth every cent.

When I bought an ARRI Amira that camera came with a very good EVF. This is what I almost always use with the Amira unless I am indoors doing long interviews and then I hook up a monitor.

I have used proprietary EVFs with the Panasonic Varicam LT and the Kinefinity MAVO LF. Both of these options were also excellent choices for both respective cameras.

The new ARRI ALEXA Electronic Viewfinder EVF-2 is the best EVF I have ever used, but it is expensive and it only currently works with the ALEXA Mini LF. If I could buy it for my Amira I would do so in a heartbeat. To me personally, a good EVF is worth its weight in gold.

That totally depends on you. While an EVF may be a requirement for one person, another person may have no need for one at all. What your requirements are will depend on how you like to operate, what type of work you are doing, and what camera you are using.

You may not like using an EVF and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. There is no wrong or right solution when it comes to equipment because if that equipment works for you then it is the right choice.

If you just work indoors under controlled conditions then I can see why people may not want or need to use an EVF, but from my experience, if you are outdoors you really do need an EVF with most cameras. I often come across a lot of vision that was shot handheld where someone was just using a camera’s in-built small LCD screen where a lot of the material is out of focus. If you are using fast lenses and shooting at higher resolutions then good luck trying to nail focus from a small LCD screen outdoors.

Looking into a crystal ball it is hard to see anything changing when it comes to EVFs. We will still see proprietary EVFs for more expensive cameras, but it is unlikely that smaller-sized digital cinema cameras will come with anything more than an LCD screen. When it comes to mirrorless hybrids, there really isn’t that much more you can do other than to include a built-in EVF. Their small size makes it problematic to add anything else and if you were to use an EVF with a camera like that you almost have to go down that Frankenrig path. While there is nothing wrong with doing that, in my personal opinion, it defeats the purpose of buying a small camera in the first place.

I definitely believe there is a market for an affordable, good quality EVF that works well with smaller-sized cameras, but the question is, who will make one? Making an EVF that is suitable for use with a wide variety of cameras is not an easy task.

The Nikon D60"s viewfinder is an optical through-the-lens type, with the LCD monitor being used for image playback and menu access only. (That is, there"s no live image preview available.) A pair of horizontal infrared sensors just below the viewfinder, which we"ve highlighted with a green rectangle in the image at right, detect your eye as it approaches the viewfinder, turning the internal viewfinder display on and deactivating the LCD shooting information display if you have the Shooting Info Auto Off option enabled. This reduces annoying glare from the LCD, and increases battery life. We"ve seen similar eye-detect systems on other brands before, but this is a welcome first for Nikon.

Nikon says D60"s viewfinder provides a magnification of 0.8x and a coverage of about 95% (coverage was actually a little higher than that in our tests). The D60"s dioptric correction adjustment (for eyeglass wearers) has a range from -1.7 to +0.5 diopter. Some of us had a hard time reaching the dioptric adjustment, a slider on the right side of the viewfinder eyepiece housing. Those of us with fingernails on our thumbs found that they worked quite well as dioptric actuators though. :-) The viewfinder has an eyepoint height of 18mm at -1 diopter. This is enough that most eyeglass wearers should be able to see the full viewfinder area without having to mash their glasses against the viewfinder bezel. The D60"s viewfinder is a pentamirror design, rather than the more costly, but brighter pentaprism.

The viewfinder is actually one of the bigger distinguishing features between the D60 and D80: The D80 uses a pentaprism design, has a magnification factor of 0.94x, a higher eyepoint of 19.5mm, and a diopter adjustment range of -2.0 to +1.0. While the D60"s viewfinder is every bit as capable as those on many competing DSLRs, the D80 clearly wins on size, brightness, comfort, and flexibility.

The Nikon D60"s viewfinder readouts do a good job of communicating camera status and exposure settings: They"re a slightly trimmed-down list of information from that found on the D80, making for a simple and relatively uncluttered display. The readout display is identical to that of the D40x, except Nikon has added a very nice focusing rangefinder readout using the analog scale, to assist in more accurately focusing lenses that do not autofocus on the D60. (As mentioned in the Optics section, the D60 will not autofocus with lenses that do not have a built-in focus motor.) Off by default, you can turn on the focusing rangefinder display via custom settings menu option 19. Because it uses the camera"s AF sensor, the rangefinder will only work with lenses having a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or wider.

The Nikon D60"s optical viewfinder proved quite accurate, showing about 98% coverage at wide angle, and about 97% coverage at telephoto zoom settings. This is above average coverage for a consumer digital SLR, especially an entry-level model, though there is a slight tilt and vertical offset with respect to the imaging sensor.

As is the case with other entry-level Nikon digital SLRs, the LCD panel on the D60 can"t be used as a viewfinder. It does, however, provide a great deal of information about your pictures after you"ve shot them. A variety of playback options are offered, including image-only, four flavors of overlaid information, a 4- or 9-image thumbnail display, and a zoomed playback mode with variable information. The screenshots below show several of the information displays that are available.

Of the various screens, one of the more interesting options on the Nikon D60 is the histogram screen. Histogram displays are common on professional digital cameras (and many amateur models now as well), regarded as almost mandatory by many pros for evaluating exposure levels. A histogram is simply a graph of how many pixels there are in the image at each brightness level. The brightness is the horizontal axis, running from black at the left to white at the right. The height of the graph shows the relative number of pixels having each brightness level. This sort of display is very handy for determining under- or overexposure. Ideally, the histogram would stretch across the entire width of the display, using the full range of brightness values available. An underexposed image will have a histogram with all the data lumped on the left-hand side, with nothing reaching all the way to the right. Likewise, an overexposed image will have all the data lumped on the right hand side.

A histogram display is very helpful in telling whether you"ve got the exposure right, but to my mind isn"t adequate by itself. With digital cameras, it"s very important not to blow-out the highlights in a picture (they"re similar to color positive film in that respect), since once you hit the maximum brightness, the image just saturates, and any highlight detail will be lost. A histogram display does a pretty good job of telling you how the image as a whole is doing, but what if there are just a few critical areas that you"re worried about for the highlights? If only a small percentage of the total frame is involved, it won"t account for many pixels. That means any peak at the "white" end of the histogram graph would be pretty small, and easy to miss (or just plain invisible). What to do? The folks at Nikon recognized this problem some time ago, and so have provided another special display mode on the D60 (as on most of their dSLRs) that they simply call "highlights," accessible via the Playback settings menu, under "Display Mode." This mode blinks any highlights that are saturated in any of the color channels. It does this by taking the nearly-white areas on the LCD and toggling them between white and black. The shot above left shows the blown highlights blinking on an otherwise uninteresting shot.

On the D60, a luminance (brightness) graph is the only option for the histogram display in playback mode, the RGB+L histogram display option from the D80 having been dropped. We here at IR like being able to see what"s going on in the individual color channels, but for the novice user the D60 is aimed at, the individual red, green, and blue histogram displays might have been more confusing than useful. One trick we learned with previous models is that an RGB histogram can be accessed in the Retouch Filter Effects menu, as seen in the screen shot on the right.

The D60 also offers the D80"s excellent options for display magnification. You have the normal thumbnail or normal-sized displays available, but can also enlarge the display up to 25x (for maximum-resolution images) to examine critical focus and framing. Pressing the Magnify button enables zoomed playback, and each subsequent press of it zooms in a step closer. Pressing the "unmagnify"/Thumbnail button zooms you out. Any time you"re zoomed in, you can scroll around the magnified image by using the Multi-controller. A particularly nice feature is that you can use the Command Dial to scroll between images on the memory card, at the same zoom level, and with the same relative position in each. This is especially helpful when you want to check the same detail in multiple versions of the same shot.

An articulating or vari-angle LCD – commonly called a flip screen – is a useful addition to a camera. The screen is mounted on a swivel, allowing you to flip the screen away from the camera body and rotate the LCD 360 degrees.

Flip screens have traditionally been useful for taking photos at unusual angles. For instance, framing a bug’s-eye view from ground level used to mean setting your camera down low and awkwardly trying to see through the optical viewfinder. There was usually a lot of guesswork involved.

With a vari-angle, or flip screen, you can now set the camera up at ground level and angle the articulating LCD up towards you and frame the scene in live view.

Likewise, a flip screen allows you to shoot overhead by swivelling the screen down. Street photographers might also appreciate a swivel screen because it can let you shoot more discreetly. Shooting from the hip is a lot easier with a flip screen and gives you more control. Hold the camera against your body and angle the swivel screen upwards so you can frame your shot, then shoot discreetly.

Despite all these advantages for shooting stills, it’s probably the rise of vlogging that has seen the popularity of cameras with flip screens soar. Like shooting self-portraiture, vlogging requires placing yourself on the other side of the camera, and before flip screens were a thing this required a lot of careful setup and trial and error.

But swivel LCD touchscreens mean you can now place your camera in front of you, frame your shot accordingly and simply tap the screen to take a picture or start recording. If you have even modest ambitions to post videos on YouTube, a camera with an articulating screen will undoubtedly be the best option for you. In this guide we’ll round up the best cameras with flip screens.

Metering: 384-zone metering with Evaluative metering (linked to All AF points), Partial metering (approx. 6.1% of viewfinder at centre), Spot metering: Centre spot metering (approx. 3.1% viewfinder at centre), Centre weighted average metering

Maximum video resolution: Uncropped, internal raw recording 8K video at up to 29.97fps in 4:2:2 10-bit in Canon Log (H.265) or 4:2:2 10-bit HDR PQ (H.265), Uncropped internal recording 4K video at up to 119.88fps in 4:2:2 10-bit in Canon Log (H.265) or 4:2:2 10-bit HDR PQ (H.265) 4:2:2 10-bit in Canon Log or 4:2:2 10-bit HDR PQ, 4K output over HDMI at up to 59.94fps

Autofocus: Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Advanced Animal AF (recognising dogs, cats and birds) supported in all video modes with 100% coverage and up to 1053 "AF segments"

The Canon EOS R5 leaves little doubt that Canon is now serious about the mirrorless camera market. It has phenomenal specification with features like a 45Mp full-frame sensor, phase detection autofocusing that covers the whole frame, eye AF for humans and animals that works in video and stills mode and a class-leading viewfinder paired with a vari-angle touchscreen.

The Canon EOS R5 is built to a similar standard to the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and has a magnesium alloy construction along with weatherproof seals. Its handling is also similar, but the control arrangement has changed to accommodate the vari-angle screen.

It’s great to have a vari-angle screen on the EOS R5. It makes it much easier to shoot video from above or below head-height while keeping the kit size and weight down. Also, as the screen is touch-sensitive you can control the camera with a few taps.

Autofocus: Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Advanced Animal AF (recognising dogs, cats and birds) supported in all video modes with 100% coverage and up to 1053 "AF segments"

While the R6’s viewfinder is the same size as the R5’s (it’s a 0.5-inch type), its resolution is lower at 3.69million dots instead of 5.76million. That’s the same as in the EOS R and on par with the electronic viewfinders in the Sony A9 and Nikon Z7. It’s a great EVF specification for a camera of this level.

If the display performance is set to ‘Power saving’ in the Shoot8 section of the menu, fast-moving subjects look a bit jerky when you shoot them. Switching to the ‘Smooth’ setting makes the movement look more natural.

There’s also a 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen with 1.62million dots. We’re a fan of vari-angle screens because they make shooting portrait or landscape format images from above or below head-height much easier than a fixed screen. And a tilting screen is only of help with landscape format images.

Both the viewfinder and the screen provide an accurate preview of the image as it will be captured. Overall, Canon’s control arrangement on the R6 and use of touch control is excellent and the vari-angle screen is a real asset.

Movie functions: Audio Level Display, Audio Rec Level, PAL/NTSC Selector, Proxy Recording (1280 x 720 (Approx. 6 Mbps), 1920 x 1080 (Approx. 9 Mbps), 1920 x 1080 (Approx. 16 Mbps)), TC/UB, Auto Slow Shutter, Gamma Disp. Assist

After we reviewed the Sony A7 III, a flip-out touchscreen was at the top of our wishlist for improvements we’d like to see on the next iteration of Sony’s full-frame all-rounder. Sure enough, Sony has given the A7 IV a vari-angle screen that can be flipped face forward or be angled to help compose low- or high-level shots in either landscape of portrait orientation.

What’s more, the A7 IV’s 3-inch 1,036,800-dot screen is touch-sensitive and users can now navigate the menus and settings with a tap. In previous Sony touchscreen LCDs, you were limited to setting the AF point via touch.

Sony has also carefully thought through the design, as well, placing the A7 IV’s mic port just above the screen on the side of the camera so it can still move freely when an external mic is plugged in.

OM System has given the OM-1 a very bright 1.62-million dot vari-angle touchscreen. It’s a 3-inch screen and like on the OM-D E-M1 III and OM-D E-M1X and it’s mounted on a vari-angle hinge. This vari-angle hinge means the screen can be angled for clear visibility whether you’re shooting in landscape or portrait orientation.

Like the screens on existing Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras, the OM-1’s screen is touch sensitive. It responds quickly to a tap and it’s a shame that OM System’s hasn’t extended the touch control to the new main menu.

In overcast conditions and indoors, the OM-1’s screen gives an excellent view it also performs well in brighter conditions. my toughest test for this was when skiing on a bright sunny day trying to video my companions ahead of me. Keeping them framed as we all moved over the piste was challenging, but thankfully, I was able to see them on the screen.

Key video specifications: 4K (3840x2160) 4:2:2 10-bit LongGOP H.264 29.97/23.98p/25p and 150Mbps for up to 30mins, 4K (3840x2160) 4:2:0 8-bit LongGOP H.264 29.97/23.98p/25p and 100Mbps unlimited, Full HD (1920x1080) 4:2:2 10-bit LongGOP H.264 59.94/29.97/23.98p/50/25p and 100Mbps unlimited

Although Panasonic Lumix S5 is smaller than the GH5, it has a well-proportioned and ergonomically shaped grip. A rubber-like coating also ensures that the camera feels secure in your hand. It’s also weather-sealed so you don’t need to worry if the weather changes when you’re out on a shoot.

Despite the shrinkage in size and weight, the Panasonic Lumix s5 has both a 3-inch 1,840,000-dot vari-angle touchscreen and a 2,360,000-dot OLED electronic viewfinder built-in.

The Panasonic GH5 has a vari-angle screen and it was high on the request list for the S-series camera when their development announcement was made. However, the S1 and S1R have 3-way tilting screens. These are useful if you’re shooting in landscape and portrait format images, but they’re not as intuitive or flexible to use as a vari-angle screen and they can’t be seen from in front of the camera.

Happily, the Lumix S5’s screen delivers what many were hoping for and it can be flipped around to face forwards. It means that the S5 could also be a good full-frame vlogging camera.

Further good news is that, like the viewfinder, the S5’s screen provides an excellent preview of the image. If you’re shooting outdoors in bright conditions it’s worth activating the Live View Boost to brighten screen to make the scene easier to see. The screen is also very responsive to touch.

Sensitivity range: Stills (normal): ISO 100-25600 (expandable to ISO 50-25600), (V-Log) ISO 250-12800 (expandable to ISO 125-12800), Video: (Normal) Dynamic Range Boost OFF (Base ISO 100): Auto / 50 (Extended ISO) / 100-12800 Dynamic Range Boost ON (Creative Video Mode) (Base ISO 800): Auto / 800-12800 (V-Log) Dynamic Range Boost OFF (Base ISO 250): Auto / 125 (Extended ISO) / 250-12800 Dynamic Range Boost ON (Creative Video Mode) (Base ISO 2000): Auto / 2000-12800 (Hybrid Log Gamma) Dynamic Range Boost OFF (Base ISO 250): Auto / 250-12800 Dynamic Range Boost ON (Creative Video Mode) (Base ISO 2000): Auto / 2000-12800

The Panasonic GH6 has a 3.0-inch 1,840K-dot tilt and free-angle touchscreen with an aspect ratio of 3:2 on its rear. The tilting aspect of the screen isn’t immediately obvious, but pressing the button underneath the monitor’s bottom left corner releases the mechanism so the screen can be tilted up from the bottom.

There are two stop points in the screen’s tilt movement. The first one is at the right point to enable the screen to be flipped out to the side of the camera without catching on the viewfinder while the second one at about 45° gives a more comfortable viewing able when shooting at waist-height.

To the uninitiated, the tilt and free-angle combination may seem a bit over the top but it means that the screen can be flipped out and twisted to face forwards, up or down, without fouling on any of the cables that may be connected to the ports on the left side of the camera (mic, USB-C and full-size HDMI).

With 1.84-million dots, the 3-inch screen gives a good view of the scene and doesn’t suffer to badly from reflections even in sunny conditions (at least not in March in the UK). However, even when shooting video, there are times when it’s preferable to use the 3,680k-dot 0.76x OLED viewfinder. This has a contrast ratio of 10,000:1 and gives a sharp, accurate preview of the scene.

The GH5 is Panasonic’s flagship compact system or mirrorless camera and it has a mini-DSLR design, featuring a high-quality electronic viewfinder and vari-angle touch-screen. As a Micro Four Thirds camera it’s compatible with an extensive collection of Micro Four Thirds mount lenses from Panasonic and Olympus as well as third-party manufacturers.

While its viewfinder is still a 21mm OLED device, its resolution has been bumped up from 2,360,000 dots to 3,680,000 dots from the GH4 and the magnification is 0.76x rather than 0.67x. It provides a very clear and detailed view of the scene.

Panasonic has also upgraded the rear screen and it now measures 3.2-inches across the diagonal and has 1,620,000 dots. It’s still a vari-angle unit but instead of an OLED screen it’s an RGBW LCD. It provides a nice sharp view and the revised menu, which has fewer pages but more lines, is clear. The screen also responds quickly to tap of your finger.

The GH5 is a complex camera and it will take some getting to know, but all the main controls that you want on a shot-by-shot basis, for example to adjust exposure and white balance or to set the AF point are within easy reach. There are also plenty of customisable buttons to help you get it working as you want.

Autofocus system: Hybrid with 759 phase detection points and 425 contrast detection points, Real Time Eye AF (Human and Animal for stills, Human for video)

Maximum continuous shooting rate: 10fps with mechanical or electronic shutter for up to 1000 uncompressed raw files when a CFexpress Type 1 card is used

Like previous A7S models, the Sony A7S III has a full-frame sensor with 12.1 million effective pixels. Keeping the resolution down benefits its low-light capability by keeping noise levels down.

As well as a host of improvements to its video specification, the Sony A7S III introduces the highest-resolution electronic viewfinder we’ve seen to date and it’s the first Sony A7-series camera to feature a vari-angle screen.

According to Sony, the 3-inch vari-angle screen wasn’t a request for the A7S III, it was a demand. It’s certainly something I’ve mentioned on many occasions.

In the past, the argument against one has been that a vari-angle hinge is less robust than a fixed screen and that ‘most dedicated videographers use an external monitor’. Those two points may still be true, but one of the key benefits of using a camera like the A7S III is its small size. If you start having to add an external monitor it makes it bigger and heavier.

Sony is also at pains to point out that the A7S III is for new videographers as well as experienced shooters and many of those people are unlikely to want to also lash out on a monitor.

It’s good to see that there’s an option to show a red outline around the on-screen image when the camera is recording. There are times when this is more useful than the usual flashing red dot.

After the 8K-capabilities of the Canon EOS R5, the Sony A7S III might seem a bit of an anti-climax. We’re sure some videographers were hoping for a big jump in resolution from the 12mp A7S II. However, Sony already has the 61Mp A7R IV and the 24Mp A7 III, so sticking with 12Mp means that the A7S III has even better low-light capability than its predecessor but with a much better autofocus system, a vari-angle screen and the highest-resolution viewfinder around.

As with Canon’s full-frame mirrorless cameras, including the flagship Canon EOS R3, the R7 has a vari-angle touchscreen. This is great for composing low- and high-level shots in landscape or portrait orientation. Because Canon has embraced full-touch control, it’s also useful for changing camera settings with a tap.

Overall, Canon’s new flagship APS-C mirrorless camera has a layout and design all of its own, yet it retains some of those signature Canon design marks that will help people quickly adapt to using it.

Although the 0.39-inch 2.36million-dot electric viewfinder on the Canon EOS RP doesn’t match those in recent high-end mirrorless cameras for resolution, it still provides a decent preview of images. And let’s not forget, the RP is much more affordable than other new full-frame mirrorless cameras.

With Exposure Simulation activated, you get an accurate view of the final image’s brightness as well as the colour. However, if you want to see the depth of field, you’ll need to customise one of the camera’s buttons to that purpose. Or of course, you can take a quick shot. That could be avoided, however, if Canon showed the preview with the selected aperture applied.

Like the EVF, the 3-inch screen’s 1.04-million-dot resolution doesn’t really wow these days, but the fact that it’s mounted on a vari-angle hinge is great. That means you can twist it around to give you a clear view whichever angle you’re shooting from. And unlike a tilting screen, it’s useful if you’re shooting in portrait or landscape orientation.

We love that Canon has enabled the RP’s touchscreen to be used for browsing the Quick and main menu, selecting settings and browsing through images as well as setting the AF point. It really speeds using the camera and makes it more intuitive. It’s also good that this isn’t at the expense of physical buttons and dials.

Autofocus system: Intelligent Hybrid with up to 425 points plus subject detection for humans, animals, birds, automobiles, motorcycles, aeroplanes and trains

Max continuous shooting rate: Electronic shutter: 40fps for 184 jpegs, 170 lossless compressed raw or 140 uncompressed raw, Mechanical shutter: 15fps for 1000+ jpegs, lossless compressed raw or 1000 uncompressed raw

Max video resolution: 6.2K (6240x4160) 29.97/25/24/23.98p, DCI 4K (4096x2160) 59.94/50/29.97/25/24/23.98p or 120/100p in High Speed mode, 4K (3840x2160) 59.94/50/29.97/25/24/23.98p or 120/100p in High Speed mode

Viewfinder: 0.5 inch 5.76 million-dot OLED Color Viewfinder with 100% coverage Eyepoint: approx. 24mm Diopter adjustment: -5~+3m-1 Magnification: 0.8× with 50mm lens

Among the many improvements Fujifilm put into the X-H2S over the X-H1 is an upgrade of the LCD screen. Instead of the 3-way tilting screen of the X-H1, the X-H2S has a vari-angle screen that can be flipped out and rotated to face forward for vlogging. This means it’s useful when the camera is above or below head-height in landscape or portrait orientation.

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