viewfinder vs lcd screen pricelist

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.

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.

Which is better for photography, optical or electronic viewfinders? It’s a tough question, one that’s been argued about for years, even as EVF technology has been introduced, upgraded, and upgraded some more.

In this article, I aim to give a thorough overview of OVFs vs EVFs. I cover the pros and cons of both viewfinder options, and I explain why you might prefer one over the other. The truth is that neither EVFs nor OVFs are obviously superior; instead, it’s about determining what will work best given your particular photographic interests and needs.

A viewfinder is one of the most basic elements of any camera; it’s what you use to look at the scene you plan to capture. When you hold your camera up to your eye, whether you’re photographing with a DSLR, mirrorless, film camera, or point-and-shoot device, the tiny little hole you look through is known as the viewfinder.

Now, not all cameras offer viewfinders. Some forego it altogether and just have a giant LCD screen on the back (in fact, you almost certainly own one of these models – a smartphone!). But it’s common for cameras to include a viewfinder along with the rear LCD screen, especially higher-level models designed for serious enthusiasts and professionals.

Optical viewfinders (OVFs) use decades-old technology that allows you to view a scene directly through the lens. (Or, well, through mirrors that reflect the light directly from the lens.) When you look through an OVF, you see the scene as your lens sees it, just the same as if you were looking through a window; nothing is changed in any way, shape, or form.

Therefore, an OVF lets you see exactly what your shot will look like, and the view is not dependent on any type of fancy technology in order to function. OVFs work even when your camera is turned off! Note that optical viewfinders generally come on DSLRs and notmirrorless cameras.

An electronic viewfinder (EVF) is a tiny, high-resolution screen that you hold less than an inch from your eye, which shows data captured by the camera sensor. When you look through an EVF, you see the scene as the camerasees it. It’s similar to Live View mode, except the screen is designed to be viewed up close so it more closely mimics the experience of optical-viewfinder shooting.

Also – and perhaps most important of all – electronic viewfinders show exactly what your scene will look like when photographed, notwhat the world in front of the lens looks like. The data is captured by the camera sensor so you can view accurate exposure information in real time. If your shutter speed is too fast and you’re therefore underexposing the scene, the EVF preview will look dark. And if your aperture is too wide and you’re therefore overexposing the scene, the EVF preview will look bright.

Note that EVFs aren’t offered by DSLRs, only mirrorless cameras. Unfortunately, not all mirrorless cameras possess EVF technology; it’s one of the first features that gets sacrificed to keep product prices down, so some beginner mirrorless models include only a rear LCD.

Since most cameras these days include some sort of LCD display – even if they also offer an optical viewfinder or an electronic viewfinder – you may be wondering: Why do we even need viewfinders in the first place? Can’t you just compose using the rear LCD?

Well, even in today’s fast-paced, tech-centric world, there are plenty of reasons why you might prefer to compose your shots with the viewfinder instead of the rear LCD screen. Here are a few of the major ones:

The scene appears much larger in a viewfinder compared to an LCD, which gives you a better sense of how your picture will look, improves your ability to compose, etc.

As I mentioned above, optical viewfinders work even if your camera is turned off, in much the same way that looking through binoculars, a telescope, or even a paper towel roll can be done without a battery.

Consequently, OVFs have no issue with accurate color rendition or screen refresh rates, nor do they struggle in low light; they’re windows, and your eye is simply peering through the glass.

Electronic viewfinders rely on the camera sensor, which isn’t quite so effective. In dark rooms, EVFs tend to get very grainy, and this can certainly make shooting in low-light conditions far less enjoyable.

One of the most important OVF drawbacks is that you can’t see the image when you take a picture, a phenomenon known as viewfinder blackout. When you press the shutter button, 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.

Viewfinder blackout isn’t very noticeable when using fast shutter speeds, but if you’re shooting at about 1/30s or slower, you will see a big, blank box of nothing – just for a brief moment when you take a picture. In most situations, this blackout period is not going to make or break the photograph, but it can cause issues if you are shooting fast-moving subjects. In those cases, the short viewfinder blackout period can be enough for your subject to move around quite a bit.

Another disadvantage of optical viewfinders? They show you the world as it really is, not as it will appear in your final photograph. The OVF sees what your eyes see, which is notnecessarily what your camera sensor sees.

A handful of years ago, electronic viewfinders (EVFs) couldn’t compete with optical viewfinders – but EVF technology has come a long way, and they’re now used by plenty of professionals. What makes them so valuable?

Electronic viewfinders are completely digital. You’re not merely stuck looking at the scene as your eye would see it; you can program the EVF to simulate the exposure in real time so you know precisely how an image would be exposed if you pressed the shutter button. You can make adjustments on the fly and fix exposure mistakes before they manifest.

As you might expect, there are some important downsides to EVFs. For one, they consume a lotof power; cameras that rely on electronic viewfinders tend to have much shorter battery lives compared to their OVF-laden counterparts, and many photographers who use EVF cameras are in the habit of carrying spare batteries.

Also, though electronic viewfinders show you a good representation of how your final image will look, they’re not perfect. As I discussed above, EVFs can get pretty grainy in low light, which is problematic for frequent night and indoor shooters.

Plus, while EVF clarity is decent (and getting better all the time) and the refresh rates are often lightning-fast, there’s a difference between EVFs and OVFs in everysituation. This can be especially problematic if you shoot action and need to follow your subjects with pinpoint accuracy, or you shoot detailed landscape and cityscape images and you need to see every little detail in the viewfinder.

Like many aspects of photography, it all comes down to what will suit you and your needs as a photographer. Some people prefer the analog precision and clarity of an optical viewfinder, while others like the high-tech features offered by electronic viewfinders. At the end of the day, what really matters is that you use the right tool for the job.

So now that you’re familiar with OVF vs EVF technology, ask yourself: does one option suit my shooting style better than the other? If the answer is “Yes,” then by all means, go for that one!

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.

With sensor prices dropping and leading manufacturers keen to get consumers on board with their latest mirrorless offerings, increasingly budget-friendly options are expected to emerge. However, would you buy an affordable camera that is cheap because it doesn’t have a viewfinder?

If all of these seem incremental, where else is the $700 being chopped out of the RP? Some of the biggest savings in price probably come through downgrades to the rear display and the electronic viewfinder. The RP has half the number of dots on its slightly smaller rear LCD and almost 40% fewer dots in its smaller OLED EVF. In addition, it’s likely Canon made some savings by borrowing this EVF from the M50, able to transfer existing technology without having to do too much work.

With rumors emerging that Nikon is plotting an entry-level Z-series camera, there’s speculation as to how this will manifest and how the price could be kept so low. Two ideas stand out: one suggestion is that it will feature an APS-C sensor, which brings its own complications for lenses. Another suggestion is even more dramatic: Nikon will ditch the EVF completely, with users relying solely on the rear LCD display.

Nikon’s video capabilities have progressed significantly since the company"s foray into the world of mirrorless, and I wonder whether the next step would be to offer a fully articulating screen. What a vlogging tool this could be: take the IBIS performance of the Z 6 and the Z 7, and a full-pixel sensor readout for some tasty 4K video, and squeeze this inside a stripped-down body that no longer has an EVF. To finish it off, shove a flippy screen on the back. If this is too much of a stretch, leave out the 4K or stick with the articulating screen and you still have a camera that’s destined to make an impact.

I’m probably dreaming. Ditching the EVF might not be enough to offset 4K, a flippy screen, IBIS and still give a saving that’s the best part of $800. Furthermore, Nikon is an extremely conservative brand that’s not known for making bold moves. However, it does raise the question of how far the industry is from seeing an ILC that lacks an EVF.

Having trouble making focus and framing decisions based on what you see in your DSLR viewfinder or LCD screen? You may need to think about an external version.

But using what was initially designed as a replacement for 35mm film cameras is not without drawbacks. The very nature of SLR cameras with their moving mirrors means that the built-in viewfinder of a DSLR is useless when capturing video – the mirror is flipped aside to allow the sensor to capture the light – so videographers have to use the onboard LCD to monitor exactly what they are recording. These built-in screens drain camera batteries, have relatively low resolutions and are often all but unusable when used in strong ambient light. While they’re fine for a quick check of framing and exposure or to review footage once you can get into the shade, you really have to consider an external monitor or viewfinder to view video clearly and consistently at a resolution and scale where you can be certain what you have captured.

Monitors are LCD screens powered either by a built-in battery or, in some cases, the same batteries you use for your camera via adaptor plates (which means one less thing to pack). They attach to the camera using cables (HDMI, Composite, Component 3G or SDI) and can be mounted either on the camera or wherever is most convenient. The flexibility of mounting is especially important when using stabilisers, jibs, shoulder rigs, or any other arrangement where the camera may be placed at a distance from the operator. These screens, being self-powered, reduce the load on the camera batteries, giving you more shooting time between charges/changes. They can be larger than the built-in screens so you can review footage without straining your eyes, and often also have a higher resolution, allowing for a truer representation of what’s being shot.

Monitors also come in a range of sizes. The smaller units are more tailored to on-camera use and can be mounted on the hot shoe. Primarily designed to replace the built-in screens, they provide additional focus and exposure feedback. The larger units offer more features and are designed for mounting elsewhere. They tend to offer HDMI pass-through, as well as audio monitoring via 3.5mm headphone sockets and waveform monitoring.

As you can see there is a huge range of prices, resolution and features, and these are just a small sample of the monitors available. From this selection though, if you are looking for a smaller monitor, the ikan VL5 or Marshall Monitors V-LCD51 are your best bets. If you’re looking for something on a jib or in another application where weight and size are not issues, then the ikan VH8 with its larger screen and greater features might be suitable.

Viewfinders are a hood and eyepiece that can be attached to a monitor, blocking out ambient light. Some models are designed to attach to external monitors, while others connect directly to the LCD screen built into the camera.

Kinotehnik provides a range of viewfinders and appropriate mounting frames for most popular camera makes and models ranging in price from $135 to $165. Zacuto also offers viewfinders for use with or without their monitors. The Z-Finder Jr ($345) and Z-Finder Pro ($515) can be used without a monitor via a baseplate that screws into your DSLR’s tripod mount and uses the built-in screen. They can also be used in conjunction with the EVF Snap (US$641) or EVF Flip (US$736) monitors.

Regardless of whether you choose to use a monitor, a viewfinder, or a combination of the two, anything that helps ensure you’re getting the highest quality video is a worthwhile investment. After a day of shooting, there’s nothing worse than finding talking shadows or a polar bear in a blizzard.

In simple terms, a live view LCD is the large LCD on the back of the digital SLR camera that lets you preview the photo you"re about to take. This provides you with a second way of composing your photos - the first would involve looking through the viewfinder. Thus, Live View is the alternative (electronic) viewfinder to using the (optical) viewfinder on a DSLR camera that you would normally use.

Scroll through images swiftly with the all-new frame advance bar, or easily trim an area of the image by pinching it out. The touch feature lets you make adjustments to a pre-assigned camera setting using your thumb, without looking away from the viewfinder, including auto sensitivity control on/off switching.

The camera features a vari-angle touch screen LCD monitor, which not only allows users to shoot self-portraits, but also makes low-angle and high-angle shooting easier, even when holding the camera in a vertical orientation.

Handy and economical, the Sony Alpha 24.3MP Digital SLR Camera lets you take your imaging beyond the capability of a DSLR. Ideal to be carried for your hiking and trekking trips, the Sony mirrorless camera has a large image sensor and bright lenses that make the best use of the light you have. The smart image processor ensures sharp, low-noise images even without a flash. The rechargeable battery, tiltable screens and customization make it an easy upgrade for any image enthusiast.

Sony A5100 is a perfect camera for travellers due to its amazing quality of pictures and videos. Moreover, its rotating screen helps to provide a good reference while selfies.

It works in real-time, which means that you can check details, such as the degree of background blur (bokeh), brightness and color vividness on the rear LCD monitor before you press the shutter button.

Because of its large size, the sensor processes a high amount of light and helps produce impressive shots. For precise focusing, the DSLR comes with an OLED viewfinder with 2360k-dor high resolution and the three buttons with it let you have easy access to the menu.

The 502 onboard monitor he SmallHD 502 on-camera monitor features a Full HD, 1920×1080 LCD display. According to SmallHD with a pixel density greater than the iPhone 6, the 502 is the sharpest 5-inch camera-top monitor in the world. The 502’s LCD display is able to produce 85% NTSC Color

The Sidefinder is a fully featured HD viewfinder with a flip-out 1080p display. It’s the union between the SmallHD 500 Series Monitor and a cleverly designed, patent-pending, EVF loupe. The Sidewinder gives shooters all the benefits of using a field monitor AND an EVF, withoutcompromising speed, agility, or quality of the image. The Sidefinder represents the highest resolution EVF and the highest resolution 5-inch on-camera monitor in one device. The Sidewinder is available for pre order for $1499 US.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I just got one of these and though impressed overall, the diopter is ridiculously loose, i mean just gravity alone will cause it to turn. If i point the viewfinder up, the diopter unscrews, down, it screws the other way. Crazy.

The construction on it is very loose. To easy to turn it. As written above, it does crop the viewfinder in corners in a circular way.. Very bad constructed and not very well though about..

Every aspect of the VF-3 is well conceived and well-made. The LCD is clear, it fits snug on my camera, it"s easy to adjust, and the eyepiece is comfortable.

I received this the other day to fit onto my 60d. I do like that it"s a solid build, and the flippy thingy is pretty cool when you need to see the lcd screen without taking it off. However......I absolutely HATE the diopeter thing!! It creates a rather annoying vignette when viewing through the eye piece. I now have to physically move my position to see the upper right corner of the screen to see if I"m recording or not. With the older Carry Speed viewfinder that used magnets, I was able to see the whole LCD screen. I would be an extremely happy camper if Carry Speed created a Mark 2 version WITHOUT the diopeter.

I picked up the SWIVI a few weeks ago for my 60D & it fits perfect on the LCD. The bracket has a good range of movement which should accomodate battery grips. The bottom plate has 3 threaded holes for mounting direct to equipment but attaching a QR system will next for me.

@Kirk Stromberg - Yes, it will fit over the LCD but the buttons on the left side are slightly obstructed. You can still access this if your fingers aren"t very big, or just slide the VF back with it"s QR plate.

Correct me if I"m wrong, but this setup, as is, cannot be used on a shoulder rig. The base plate doesn"t allow the camera lens to be centered in the rail system, and the width of the base plate prevents use of the follow focus. Which viewfinders, with base plates are designed for railed shoulder rigs?

Hola... so, I got this in the mail today. It arrived quickly and shipped in a very small box. Immediately I noticed its quality construction. I like so many things about this and only there"s really only 1 thing I don"t... which is because I have it on a 5D mark II, so, here"s my Pro & Con list (vs. the Z-Finder I"ve been borrowing from a friend for about 3-months):

- Built-in iris for closing off from accidental sunshine melting the camera"s LCD (the Z-Finder has a damn little cap that flops around on a string). Just flip the switch back-n-forth and the iris opens & closes

- Better mounting mechanism (in my opinion)... because it"s low-profile AND does NOT include the LCD frame. Instead of clipping onto a frame (like the Z-Finder), this one simply slides into the mount, screw-locks, and then slides out by loosening the same thumb-twist screw lock. VERY COOL.

I just picked one of these up myself and really like this. Selling the other 2 that I have and using this from now on. This in my opinion is much better than the Zacuto finder. My buddy has that one and when you look through it you see way to many pixels on the LCD. Also the Zacuto only snaps on tot he frame so you can still knock it off. With the Swivi its locked in and will not come off but still has the quick release which is nice. I really like the lens hood built in nice touch there. I will be doing a review on this myself soon after I have used it a bit. This is all medal and not plastic like all the other LCD finders out there. Get one you will love it.

@Magikman53 - Yes, I was able to test this early on and verified it did not work with the GH2. Seems like this is a popular camera that people want a viewfinder for.

- Also the construction is indeed quite wide, the way its mounted, so access to control keys left of screen on my 5D II is a bit constrained, still accessible though. As mentioned on this site"s video review, the on/off switch of the 5D II becomes very hard to reach.

- If the Optics would show the entire screen (even with distortion) this would be a no brainer. In all fairness though, the price of this viewer warrants some compromise in construction.

After three hours of Jerry rigging, I actually managed to get it to fit. I had to attach the sliding clip to the bottom of the u-bar (screws on top instead of bottom). The u-bar is mounted with the longer edge of the vertical lip facing out. Next I added a rubber pad to lower the baseplate just a mm or so. Doing all of this got the u-bar/loupe within 3mm of the screen without jamming into the grip. Screwing in the q-release plate also moved the loupe op and further away from the screen (due to the pin pushing the trapezoidal sliding plate up) so I compensated by bending the sliding clip, and voila, it fits rather well and I"m received to retire my sticky frame.

That said, the optics are not on par with my ancient lcdvf as the corners are cropped from the rather narrow opening at the front, and there"s also considerable distortion which sucks. All in all, it"s still better than the flimsy sticky frames now that at least it"s fitting my 7D with battery grip and won"t pop off every time someone picks up the camera.

Mine showed up today and I"m thrilled! It takes a few minutes to adjust and align everything up, but once you set it up, you"re solid from there on out. The only thing that bugs me is that the diopter (when turned enough) kind of gives you a vignette effect when looking through the viewfinder. I don"t require glasses or have any sort of eyesight problems, so I"m not sure where I should set the diopter. Any advice on this Emm? Other than that, I"m stoked that this product is priced very well and built very well.

Just got mine in the mail and I gotta say that it"s phenomenal. It"s the best viewfinder I"ve owned and I"ve owned quite a few. Amazing deal for the money since most other companies charge for the riser and quick release. It works with 60D and battery grip or without. Totally adjustable for many cameras. It"s even got a built in iris to protect the lens. Outstanding!

My suggestion is keep the DP4 and spring for the Swivi LCD VF. The DP4 is a quality piece of gear and will out last and out perform a cheap 7" monitor.

@rick olivier - The diopter is +-3. The 1:1 standard mode is suggesting that you lift the viewfinder up, and just use it as a normal sunshade (no magnification).

@mad - Hmm. I think you"ll find situations where an external monitor works better than an attached view finder, and some situations where the viewfinder is just easier to work with if you"re very mobile. Eventually you"ll need both a good view finder, and a good external monitor. Which you need first is dependent on the work you do and how much equipment you want to mount to the camera.

I get lazy sometimes and I don"t want to mount an extra LCD, HDMI cable, and charge up extra batteries. Then usually mounting an external monitor means mounting an additional bracket or cage. Sometimes you just want to get right to shooting and getting the job done handheld with a good viewfinder, and also pack very small with minimal gear.

I bought one of the glue-on ones from Amazon and the frame came off the camera the first time that I attached the viewfinder. What a waste of money! Since this one works with the D7000 with an auxiliary battery pack, I ordered it this morning. It"s shipped already. I have high hopes for it and will report back after I try it.

My two 5DII"s already have the Zacuto frames stuck to the screens (original Zacuto Viewfinder here!) and I"m reluctant to take them off so the flexible mounting design of this new device is very welcome.

Anyone tested this on a 60D? I"ve read that 2.5 x is better for 60D, 3x makes the view too large to see all at once. Good for 5D though. Hopefully better than the Carry Speed sticky LCDVF which was crap this end. Mount screw wouldn"t go in, magnets would let in light near the frame, focus out by 1/8" even with glasses. For me it was a throw in the bin.:-/

Does the quick plate for the viewfinder cover the battery door on the T4i? I would hate to have to take the quick plate off every time I change batteries.

Aside from the great innovation and building upon existing viewfinders, the built-in sunshade that you can open and close with a simple switch is simply ingenious. It"s one of the little touches that matter.

I can"t say that I"ve gotten the viewfinder yet, but I can attest to having picked up that same little scarecrow this weekend. We must shop at some of the same places.