viewfinder vs lcd screen quotation

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.

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 ..

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.

Whether you"re shooting with a DSLR or a mirrorless camera, there are times when it"s easier to use the camera"s viewfinder rather than the LCD screen, and vice versa. For example, it"s usually easier to hold the camera steady when it"s held to your eye because it"s braced against your face. It"s also easier to follow a moving subject in a viewfinder than it is on a screen with the camera at arm"s length.

However, when you"re shooting landscape, still life, macro or architectural photography with the camera mounted on a tripod, the larger view provided by the LCD screen is extremely helpful. Similarly, when you want to shoot from above or below head height or at an angle, it"s very convenient to frame the image on a tilting or vari-angle screen instead of trying to use the viewfinder.

It"s also very helpful to use the LCD screen when you"re focusing manually because the Live View image can be zoomed in to 5x or 10x magnification. This provides a very detailed view of any part of the image, making critical focus adjustments much easier.

Bear in mind, however, that using your camera"s rear screen for extended periods will have an impact on battery life. Using Live View on a DSLR is also not recommended when you want to take fast bursts of shots, because it will usually reduce the continuous shooting speed. At the other extreme, if you"re shooting an exposure that lasts for multiple seconds or minutes, an optical viewfinder can cause a particular problem: stray light can enter the viewfinder and interfere with the exposure. To prevent this, use the eyepiece cover provided on your DSLR"s strap.

EOS cameras with an EVF have a proximity sensor that will automatically switch from the rear screen to the viewfinder when you raise the camera to your eye (although you can optionally disable this).

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.

Enables 200% (2X) magnification Suitable for most 3" LCD screens with up to a 2.4 x 1.8" (60mm x 45mm) viewable area. Stabilizes the camera when shooting video handheld Allows the use of the camera"s LCD display in bright daylight Magnification of 200% (2x) specially tailored to most 3" LCD screens 180° design allows instant left or right eye usage Flat mounting interface allows easy cleaning of the LCD screen Package Includes: LCD viewfinder Magnetic mounting plate Carrying pouch Lanyard

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).

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.