electronic viewfinder vs lcd screen in stock

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.

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.

LCD screens are great, and the quality improves with each new generation of DSLR cameras appearing on the market. But, many professional photographers prefer to use a camera"s viewfinder. We explain the benefits and disadvantages of each.

LCD screens have advantages, but so do optical viewfinders. When it"s time to frame a photo with your DSLR camera, you need to decide which side of the viewfinder vs. LCD debate you lean. Unlike the optical viewfinder, the LCD screen displays the entire frame that the sensors capture. Optical viewfinders, even on a professional level DSLR, only show 90-95% of the image. You lose a small percentage on the edges of the image.

Digital SLRs aren"t light, and it"s easier to produce a crisp, sharp image when you hold the camera up to your eye to use the viewfinder. That way, you can support and steady the camera and lens with your hands. But, viewfinders are generally smaller than LCD screens. Viewfinders are also less convenient to use, especially if you wear glasses.

At the end of the day, though, as intelligent as digital cameras are, the human eye can resolve more detail than an LCD screen. You get a sharper and more accurate view of your image by using the viewfinder.

The biggest drawback with LCD screens is probably shooting in sunlight. Depending on the quality of the screen, you may not be able to use it in bright sunshine because of the glare. All you see are reflections off the screen. Also, the crystals contained within LCD screens tend to flare in bright sunlight, making the situation worse.

Holding the camera at arm"s-length while looking at the LCD screen—and then keeping the camera steady while zooming in on a subject—takes effort. When you use the LCD screen this way, you often end up with a blurry image.

No matter how good an LCD screen is, it"s unlikely to give an accurate overview of the image you took. Most overexpose an image by as much as one full stop. It"s best to acquire the technical knowledge about photography, rather than rely on the LCD screen to determine image quality. With this technical knowledge, you"ll have the confidence your settings are correct, and your images are properly exposed. So, in most cases, it"s best to use the viewfinder. But, if you like the convenience of an LCD, or you wear glasses, use the LCD. It"s mostly a matter of personal preference.

While some photographers like the natural view offered by an optical viewfinder, an electronic viewfinder brings the advantage of being able to see the effect of the exposure, white balance and Picture Style settings being applied. If you apply the Monochrome Picture Style, for example, the image you see in the EVF will be mono, while with an OVF it will remain colour. This means you can use the image in an EVF to assess whether your settings suit the scene and to be confident you will get the result you want before pressing the shutter button. That"s especially helpful if, for example, the subject is backlit and you might need to use some exposure compensation.

Another advantage of an EVF is that it can compensate for low light levels, which means you always have a clear view of the subject. Conversely, with an optical viewfinder you"re seeing the scene with the ambient light level, which means that in dark conditions it can be difficult to compose a shot or to focus.

In addition, when you"re using an EVF you"re actually looking at a small screen, and even though this has a very high refresh rate, an OVF can be more comfortable over a long period of usage. This means that if you"re shooting wildlife or sports where you have to keep your eye to the viewfinder for a very long time waiting for the action to happen, an OVF could be preferable.

Most modern digital cameras have two ways to let the user see what he/she is going to shoot and to compose their images. The first way is using the viewfinder, and the second way is using the LCD screen on the back of the camera.

A viewfinder is one of the most basic elements of any camera, it is the part of the camera that you hold up to your eye and look through it to preview an image before you take your shot. There are two types: Optical Viewfinder (OVF), which is usually found only on DSLR cameras, and electronic viewfinder (EVF), which is common in a compact, bridge, and mirrorless cameras.

Optical viewfinders (OVFs) are part of the known design of the DSLR cameras. It presents an unfiltered and unaltered view of the scene as you compose your shot. A DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex camera) is so-called because it has a reflex mirror. This reflects light coming in through the lens up into an optical viewfinder (OVF) via a pentaprism that ensures you see the scene the right way round through the camera’s eyepiece. This means that with an OVF you are seeing what the lens sees, reflected but unprocessed.

Looking through an optical viewfinder is no different than looking through a window: nothing is changed in any way, shape, or form. An OVF lets you see exactly what your shot will look like, and it shows you a world that’s clear and contrasty, and real.

OVFs have no issue with accurate color rendition or screen refresh rates, nor do they struggle in low light; they are just like windows. Camera manufacturers provide the viewfinders with information along the bottom of the screen, such as an exposure bar, key camera settings, etc. OVFs also have indicators for focus points as well as framing guides.

A phenomenon is known as viewfinder blackout (You can’t see the image while pressing the shutter button), because, the mirror in a DSLR camera flips up and out of the way to let light pass through to the image sensor. During this process, the OVF goes completely dark. It is not an important issue, but when you are shooting fast-moving subjects, the short viewfinder blackout period can be enough for the subject to move around quite a bit.

In a mirrorless camera design, the mirror and the pentaprism are removed from the design, so there is no optical viewfinder. Instead, an electronic viewfinder (EVF) is adapted.

The electronic viewfinder (EVF) uses the information from the imaging sensor to display an image on a small LCD or OLED screen. This means that an EVF shows the image that the sensor outputs, which can be significantly different from the view through the lens.

Electronic viewfinders will show exactly what your scene will look like when photographed, and let you see instantly, in real-time, whether your shot is exposed correctly or not.

Viewfinders are 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.

However, it is a completely different matter when it comes to DSLR, although it is still possible to compose images on the rear screen in what is known as

When you switch a DSLR to Live View mode, the reflex mirror is lifted out of the way and the shutter is opened. Light can now pass through to the CMOS sensor, where the image is formed, and this is displayed live on the rear LCD display. In this way, Live View works just like using a mirrorless camera.

When using the LCD screen you can zoom in close on a specific area to make sure it is focused and can easily judge whether it is tack sharp or just a bit fuzzy. For most DSLRs, there will be an option in one of the menus to enable a button on your camera to zoom in during Live View and even set the percentage of zoom which tells you how much it will magnify the image.

When you are shooting at a lower or higher angle (not at eye level), 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.

Some modern cameras have the ability to do various types of effects like selective coloring, miniature, and black-and-white, among many others. Think of them as though you are adding filters, but in real-time. Using the LCD screen allows you to experiment with different types of creative image effects, and see how they can affect your photography before you even click the shutter.

The LCD screen has a distinct advantage in low light where the image on the LCD will be brightened so it is easier to see your subject and compose, whereas the viewfinder will become dim as the light fades.

The biggest drawback with LCD screens is probably shooting in sunlight. Depending on the quality of the screen, you may not be able to use it in bright sunshine because of the glare. All you see are reflections off the screen. In addition, the crystals contained within LCD screens tend to flare in bright sunlight, making the situation worse.

Holding the camera at arm’s length while looking at the LCD screen, and then keeping the camera steady while zooming in on a subject takes effort. When you use the LCD screen this way, you often end up with a blurry image. It is better to use

In most cases, it is best to use the viewfinder. However, if you like the convenience of an LCD, or you wear glasses, use the LCD. It is mostly a matter of personal preference.

Using an LCD screen is most useful when shooting static subjects as looking at the rear LCD panel at arm’s length and trying to take pictures is not recommended. Instead, the camera should ideally be placed on a tripod to allow the full benefits to be attained. This makes the LCD screen perfectly suited to still life, landscape, architectural photography, and EOS Movie shooting.

The LCD screen on digital cameras cuts out the need for this process as images can be viewed immediately after they are taken and adjustments can be made to improve your shots straight away.

One question I get asked a lot by readers is whether they should use their digital camera’s LCD screen or viewfinder to frame their shots. I suspect that the majority of camera owners do use the LCD but there are a number of arguments both for and against it. Let me explore a few:

Convenience – Perhaps the main reason that people use the LCD is convenience. Rather than having to fire up the camera, raise it to your eye, squint through it (on many point and shoot models it’s quite small) etc… using the LCD means you simply switch the camera on and from almost any position you can snap a shot.

Size – As I hinted above – many models of digital cameras have very small view finders and when compared with the LCD (usually between 1.5 and 2.5 inches these days) there is really not that much of a comparison.

Instant Playback – shooting with the LCD means that after you take your shot you will immediately see the shot you’ve taken flashed onto the screen. You can see this if you use the viewfinder too by lowering the camera but it adds another action to the process.

Creativity – using the LCD opens up all kinds of creative opportunities for your photography by meaning that you don’t have to have the camera at eye level to be able to get your framing right. You can instead put it up high or down low and still be able to line things up well.

Framing Inaccuracy of Optical Viewfinders on Point and Shoots – one of the most common complaints about using the viewfinder on digital cameras is that what you see through it is slightly different to what the camera is actually seeing as the view finder is generally positioned above and to the left of the lens which means it is slightly different (a problem called parallax). Most viewfinders that have this will give you a guide as to where to frame your shot but it can be a little difficult – especially when taking close up/macro shots. (note that not all point and shoot cameras have optical viewfinders – some have electronic ones (see below).

Obstructed View – on some models of point and shoot digital cameras a fully extended zoom can actually obstruct the view from your viewfinder. This can be quite frustrating.

Glasses Wearers – if you wear glasses you might find using the viewfinder of your Digital camera more difficult. Many these days do come with a little diopter adjuster to help with this.

Battery Killer– the LCD on your camera chews up battery power faster than almost any other feature on your camera. Use it not only for viewing shots taken but lining them up and you’ll need to recharge a lot more regularly.

Camera Shake – when shooting with the LCD as a viewfinder you need to hold your camera away from your body (often at arms length). This takes the camera away from your solid and still torso and into midair (only supported by your outstretched arms) – this increased the chance that your camera will be moving as you take the shot which will result in blurry shots.

Competing Light – one problem that you will often have with framing your shots using the LCD is that for many cameras, shooting in bright light will make it difficult to see the LCD – leaving it looking washed out. Digital camera manufacturers are trying to overcome this with brighter and clearer screens but using the viewfinder instead of the LCD will generally overcome the problem.

DSLRs – most DSLRs do not give you the opportunity to use the LCD as a viewfinder at all. I suspect that this feature will become more available however as I hear it being asked for quite a bit. I’m not sure I’d ever use it though as DSLR view finders are generally larger and are a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) meaning you can be sure that what you’re looking at through the view finder is what the image will be when you shoot.

Electronic View Finders (EVF)– another type of view finder that is found on some point and shoot digital cameras is the EVF one. This overcomes the problem of your viewfinder and camera seeing slightly different things by giving you an exact picture of the scene you’re photographing in the viewfinder. This happens simply by putting a little LCD in the viewfinder.

Ultimately the choice in using the LCD or viewfinder will come down to personal preference. I have used a variety of digital cameras over the past few years and find myself using both methods depending upon the shooting situation and the camera. Some cameras have large and clear viewfinders (like my DSLR) and so I use them. Others have tiny viewfinders (in fact my latest point and shoot, the Fujifilm Finepix F10, doesn’t have one at all).

Given the choice between a great viewfinder and great LCD I’d probably opt for the viewfinder – call me a traditionalist but it just feels right for me.

While some photographers like the natural view offered by an optical viewfinder, an electronic viewfinder brings the advantage of being able to see the effect of the exposure, white balance and Picture Style settings being applied. If you apply the Monochrome Picture Style, for example, the image you see in the EVF will be mono, while with an OVF it will remain colour. This means you can use the image in an EVF to assess whether your settings suit the scene and to be confident you will get the result you want before pressing the shutter button. That"s especially helpful if, for example, the subject is backlit and you might need to use some exposure compensation.

Another advantage of an EVF is that it can compensate for low light levels, which means you always have a clear view of the subject. Conversely, with an optical viewfinder you"re seeing the scene with the ambient light level, which means that in dark conditions it can be difficult to compose a shot or to focus.

In addition, when you"re using an EVF you"re actually looking at a small screen, and even though this has a very high refresh rate, an OVF can be more comfortable over a long period of usage. This means that if you"re shooting wildlife or sports where you have to keep your eye to the viewfinder for a very long time waiting for the action to happen, an OVF could be preferable.

use the viewfinder may become impossible when the view gets worse as with presbyopia. in spite of the trouble that sunlight has on lcd, I can not use the viewfinder, for a variety of reasons that complicate and prevent it from being ready to take the photo,

If you still find a way to support his glasses, you have another problem, when you take glasses and look in the viewfinder, you have visual mismatch for a few seconds, then return the glasses, yet the visual mismatch, if you do studio photography, perhaps ok not a problem, but if you"re on the road, you have to seize the moment ..

I use lcd from many advantages for action photo, I see both the image and all the controls of the camera, I am always ready to make photo adjustments a snap.

if I need to move area of focus, with lcd touch and very easy, I can take the photo, when in doubt click again with different setting, with memory card we have many great variation with, with the film was the most expensive ..

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.

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.

The viewfinder is your window to the world as a photographer – despite advancements in camera technology, the humble viewfinder remains relatively unchanged.

An electronic viewfinder is a small display that shows the scene you have in front of the camera. With an electronic viewfinder (EVF), you can see exactly what your sensor sees.

This means that you have a live version of the image you’re about to shoot. If you change the settings, the exposure changes on the viewfinder before you take the picture.

With some cameras, you can connect an external camera screen (see our guide) which mimics the EVF’s display, allowing you to see fine details and colours even clearer.

With optical viewfinders, the image may be different from the view because you’re not seeing the effect of the settings. In other words, if you change camera settings like aperture or shutter speed, it won’t be reflected in the viewfinder.

They display the settings information and focus points though, so you don’t have to take your eye off the viewfinder while focusing and taking your shot.

When the light comes in through the lens, it hits a mirror that sits in front of the sensor. Thanks to the angle of the mirror, the light bounces up towards a pentaprism. Here it’s directed towards the eyepiece to show the scene in front of the lens. Electronic viewfinder

When the light comes in, the sensor registers and processes the scene, which then sends it to the electronic viewfinder’s small display. Because it’s an electronic representation, you can see the exposure settings live.

It depends on the type of photography that you do, but the general answer would be yes. We’re getting used to taking a picture using only an LCD screen because of our smartphone cameras. However, in most situations, a viewfinder will help you improve your framing and composition.

Most DSLR cameras have an optical viewfinder. That means that you see the same thing as your lens, which means that it’s not affected by the exposure settings.

Photographers look through the viewfinder to get a better view of what they are shooting. For example, when you’re shooting on a bright sunny day, you can’t see many details on the LCD screen.

Normally, photographers use their dominant eye. That’s to say that a right-handed photographer will look through the viewfinder with the right eye, and a left-handed photographer will use the left eye. Of course, you’re welcome to use whichever one you prefer.

Yes, you can buy an external viewfinder for your camera. There are electronic and optical viewfinders on the market, and they can be attached to your camera via the hot shoe.

The main difference between viewfinders and LCD screens is in the way you see the scene that’s in front of you. On the LCD screen, you can see a digital representation of it, like looking at the tv. With an optical viewfinder, you’re seeing things through a piece of glass – it can be compared to looking through a window or a pair of binoculars.

Also, with a viewfinder (both OVF and EVF) you don’t have to deal with glare, you have a steadier hold of the camera, and you get better peripheral vision when you shoot.

The viewfinder helps you to frame and compose in the best possible way. Many photographers can’t live without a viewfinder on their camera, whether it’s electronic or optical.

It depends on the camera brand and model. Most entry-level mirrorless cameras don’t have a viewfinder. However, if you can spend a little bit more, you’ll find mirrorless cameras with built-in electronic viewfinders.

Hopefully, this article cleared up some of your doubts about viewfinders and how they can be used to take the possible image with your camera – whether it be analogue or digital.

I know it’s a lot of information and it can be confusing, so if you have any other questions about viewfinders, feel free to post them in the comments section below.

The LED view-screen is wonderful; you hold the camera at reading distance and compose. If the situation allows, you make an effort to enrich the picture you are about to take by scrutinizing the view. Often, outdoors in bright sunlight, the screen on the back of the camera is washed-out and impossible to review.

We went from no viewfinder to wire-framing, then to a crude optical setup resembling a backwards telescope view. Next came the rangefinder viewfinder, still a backwards telescope with a focusing aid. Some sported an illumined white frame, maybe several each for a significant focal length. We were overwhelmed when the SLR came out (late 50’s). Now we could compose and focus inspecting the image the camera will soon see.

The electronic viewfinder, while not as good as the SLR view, restores the SLR view. Digital cameras have grown out of infancy, now in the toddler stage, and tomorrow’s viewfinder will be even better. Who knows, soon you might be interconnected, mind’s eye with camera. We never know what this “pixie dust” era will bring.

Shooting with the rear LCD screen on your camera may be convenient, but you"re also peering through a filter of colors and shades that you may not have been aware are altering the way you perceive your shots.

There are several reasons why you might want to take photographs using the rear LCD screen on your digital camera. It could be to overlay information such as a spirit level, camera settings, or to utilize the rule of thirds grid in order to achieve better composition. Perhaps you wear glasses or have an issue with vision in which using the viewfinder may detrimentally impact your ability to compose or shoot. It might even be that you"re shooting with your camera at awkward angles, maybe holding the camera down low to the ground to capture a macro shot of a flower or perhaps overhead at a crowded concert, where a tilting or vari-angle screen can be articulated to help with composition.

Camera brands use different LCD screens, so you and a friend could be taking a picture of the same scene and end up with wildly different-looking results when doing an image review together. Even models within specific manufacturers use different screens, so the reliability and uniformity of each screen for things such as color can be over-emphasized.

With the advent of mirrorless cameras and the introduction of the electronic viewfinder (EVF), we now have digital cameras where we literally can"t avoid shooting and reviewing photographs through a screen. The benefits of using an EVF over the rear screen is that the screen is sheltered from reflections and extraneous light, which can affect the perception of photos when using the rear screen. However, these tiny little screens inside a small box in the camera still don"t produce an ideal picture of your photographs.

Whatever the reason, it"s important not to rely on the scene on your rear screen. An assumption that what you see is what you"ve taken is tempting but a little foolish. That"s because the screen has a limit to the light and shade it can display. It also has a color balance, which can affect the white balance or color profile you attribute to shots. This unintentional filtration can have a negative effect on how you capture images. Some cameras have the option to turn the brightness of their screen up and down, which also affects how images on the rear screen are seen (whether using live view or to display photos already taken) as well as altering color balance of the rear screen manually. One way to mitigate this is to turn on the histogram and use that.

Notwithstanding these options and difficulties in the limitation of the screen technology, where you view your photos also has a big impact on what you see. Looking at a screen at night, for example, you might need to turn the brightness down to avoid blinding yourself. The vivid lower frequency colors of sunset or sunrise light may be cascading warm tones across and around the screen, forcing you to perceive the color temperature in the photograph differently. If you don"t believe me, have a look at color theory illusions online, and you"ll see just how easy it is for the eye to be tricked into perceiving things as the same, even though they"re different, or seeing the same colors or shades in a scene when in fact they"re completely different (remember the dress from 2015?).

That"s why I suggest you can maintain a healthy balance between relying on your rear screen for certain aspects of shooting such as composition, leveling, framing a scene, and getting a rough visual idea of how the photograph is coming together. But I would advise against relying on the screen to discern color, brightness of highlights and shadows, and other such optical aspects. For this, I would recommend the use of the histogram in camera, especially when needing to check if highlights or shadows have been over/underexposed and have become clipped. Your camera may also have a dedicated function to alert you to this. This and combining the approach with color swatches and gray cards can be a very good way to attain accurate color and exposure values in photographs.

It"s good practice to take stills in raw format, where the color and exposure is much more flexibly editing in post-production image editing software and study images on a decent monitor screen that can display a wide color gamut with deep shadows and bright highlights to get the most accurate view of what your photographs actually look like.

Try to view them in a low-light room with minimal reflections. You might want to consider using a screen hood to remove unwanted reflections further from obscuring your view (think of viewing shots on the rear screen outside during the midday sun and how difficult it is to see what"s going on without putting your hand round to screen to shade it from the bright light). So, although the rear screen is incredibly useful, it"s important not to rely on the rear screen for color rendition and exposure accuracy and instead look for more reliable methods for balancing your digital photos.

If you"ve had a shoot ruined by the color or brightness bias of your rear screen or perhaps think that the rear screen is the better way to compose shots over the optical viewfinder or relying on a good photographic computer monitor, then I"d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

The two main types of viewfinders are pentaprisms and pentamirrors. A pentaprism, found on professional-grade DSLRs, uses a prism to redirect the light from the lens to the viewfinder. Pentaprisms are a higher quality than pentamirrors, which redirect the light through a series of mirrors. Pentaprisms provide a brighter image in the viewfinder than pentamirrors. Pentamirrors are generally found on entry-level DSLRs and are constructed of plastic (instead of glass) because it is cheaper to mass produce.

Viewfinders can be either optical or electronic. DSLRs have an optical TTL (through the lens) viewfinder, which allows you to look through the lens and see precisely what the lens projects onto the sensor. (Sometimes on compact cameras, the viewfinder is parallel to the camera’s lens so that what you see is different from what the lens projects onto the sensor.) Optical viewfinders do not consume any power. Electronic or digital viewfinders are usually the LCD (liquid crystal display) screen on the back of the DSLR.

For photographers who wear glasses, the optical viewfinder also has a diopter. The diopter acts in the same way as eyeglasses to correct your vision and bring everything in focus. The diopter can help you dial in the focus and get a sharp image with or without your glasses. Diopters can be in the eyepiece or snap or slide on. Most diopters have a standard correction ranging from -3 to +1. To adjust your diopter, focus the camera on an object and look through the viewfinder. Adjust the diopter until what you are seeing is sharp. Another way is to look through the viewfinder and make sure your digital readings look in focus.

Viewfinders also have an associated magnification number. When the spec sheet says the viewfinder has a 1X magnification, that means when you look through the viewfinder using a 50mm lens, you will see the same image as you would if you were standing next to your camera and simply using your eyes. The image size will be different depending on the focal length of the lens: wide angle lenses make objects in the foreground appear very large while mid-ground objects appear small and far away. Zoom and telephoto lenses bring objects up close and large.

I shoot most of my photos using the LCD screen on the back of my cameras rather than looking through the eyepiece viewfinder. I prefer the LCD screen, especially if it"s an articularing or side-swiveling monitor, for several reasons. I think other photographers should seriously consider how the rear screen can actually make photography easier and your images better.

Especially today, the value of the LCD monitor shouldn’t be overlooked. As people who have shot pictures with their smartphones “upgrade” to “real” cameras they bring with them the experience, if not the habit, of shooting with the rear screen.

It may look "amateurish" since we see so many non-photographers taking photos with the screens on their smartphones but trust me on this one. Using live view to compose photos on your camera"s rear screen is better than peeping into the eyepiece. Here"s why.

A primary factor in deciding whether to use the rear screen monitor vs. the eyepiece for me has to do with my eyes and how well they work or don’t work.

Try this. Look at a distant scene and then quickly look at the rear screen LCD monitor and see how quickly your eye refocuses on it. Do you refocus instantly? Now try the same thing with a camera with an eyepiece. You might discover that your eyes focus more quickly and easily on the LCD screen than with the eyepiece. That’s my experience and one of the reasons I use the LCD screen.

Additionally, I have worn eyeglasses since I was 12 and I have a problem with most of the eyepiece displays. With my glasses I cannot see the entire frame in the eyepiece. My glasses have progressive lenses and that sometimes makes iit even harder for me to see the eyepiece screen. My eyes demand that I shoot most of the time with the LCD screen.

I began my photographic career with a Leica M2 and learned to frame rapidly with the camera’s optical viewfinder/rangefinder. This was a glass window at the upper left-hand corner of the body with a fixed angle of view.

The LCD screen works like the Leica glass viewfinder window because it doesn’t limit my peripheral vision. I can see the monitor at the same time as I can see the world around it. This also allows me to see things happening outside the frame and lets me anticipate what may be entering the picture. It is a real help photographing fast moving animals and children and sports.

My first digital camera was a Konica Minolta Dimage A2 and it had a horizontally moveable monitor screen. At first, I didn’t know what to make of this moveable screen but with some experimentation I grew to love it.

Modern LCD screens are far better than the primitive one on the A2 and now an articulated (swivel) LCD monitor can be rotated through almost 360 degrees, and that gives me a lot of new angles for my images.

Today in the same situation all I have to do is hold the camera over the crowd with the screen facing down at me and watch until I see the framing I want. I can also rotate the screen to face up so that I can shoot at low angles without blowing out my back. This helps me get interesting perspectives of people (see image above), flowers, insects and such literally at ground level.

Another advantage of the LCD monitor is its easy-to-see gridline screen display that is available on LCD monitors. This screen display is made up of two horizontal and two vertical lines that divide the frame into thirds. These third lines can be used as a guide for composing images. Placing people and things along the grid lines or at their intersections--instead of the dead center of the frame -- makes stronger images.

To find the gridline screen go into the device’s menu pages and click on Settings>Display>Grid (or Gridlines). Best of all while the lines appear on the LCD screen or EVF they do not appear in the pictures. (Yes, you can do this with many eyepiece electronic viewfinders but I"ve found it to be much clearer and more successful using the rear LCD.)