viewfinder vs lcd screen free sample

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).

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

Live View is a neat function that uses the LCD screen to display exactly what the camera sees at any time. This tool is available in the majority of modern digital cameras, though additional functions or modes might vary from camera to camera.

This might sound similar to the Optical Viewfinder but when using Live View, you can see the real-time impact adjusting a camera setting has on the photo. For example, if you change to a quicker shutter speed, the Live View displays a darker image than before. This is a real-time change.

Exactly how great Live View works will depend on the camera you’re using. It’s no secret that some cameras (often entry-level cameras) don’t have high-quality LCD screens. Monitors of low quality may lack detail and have a lot of grain, making it hard to exploit many of its advantages.

Since the quality of the LCD screen has such a big impact on how well the Live View work, it’s important to understand that it might not perform as well in dimmed light.

You might be wondering how a visual representation of the image displayed on the back of your camera will affect the sharpness of an image. Well, a benefit of Live View is that you’re able tozoom in on the LCD screen.

This allows you to take full advantage of manual focus and make slight adjustments until you find the sharpest point. That would’ve been very difficult if you were using the Optical Viewfinder.

At that time I didn’t have a camera with Live View so, naturally, I relied on the viewfinder. This became a habit and when I years later purchased a camera with Live View, it took a long time for me to start using it.

It’s extremely convenient to have a live representation of the image on the camera’s display. This allows me to see the changes I make to the composition live and without having to stand in an awkward position while adjusting the tripod and looking through the viewfinder.

Grid Viewis an excellent tool to use when working on your composition. A grid is placed on the LCD screen which allows you to align elements in your image and work with the composition.

This is even more true for mirrorless cameras that have an EVF and LCD, but no Optical Viewfinder. In other words, Live View is on all the time and you can’t turn it off.

A suggestion to those with a DSLR or camera with an Optical Viewfinder is to turn Live View off when it’s not being used. You can even turn it off after you’ve found your composition and camera settings. There’s no reason to leave it on if you’re sticking to that shot for a while.

The beauty of photography is that every photographer has their own habits, preferences, and workflows. There are many who still swear to the Optical Viewfinder and their photos are not less because of it. At the end of the day, it comes down to what feels right for you.

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.

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.

OLED screens are becoming increasingly common on enthusiast cameras. So, what’s all the fuss, and why should you care about the technology behind your camera’s screen?

Unlike LCD displays, OLEDs do not require a backlight. In an OLED display each ‘pixel’ is a small light emitting diode (or, more commonly, three: red, blue and green). This means that the basic structure of an OLED is simple (no need for backlighting, filters and polarizers) and so OLEDs are ultra-thin and lightweight.

The biggest advantages of OLED displays are the things that photographers are most likely to appreciate. Firstly, the color gamut is wider than that of an LCD display, allowing more accurate reproduction of the colors of your images. Secondly, thanks to the totally unlit black pixels, the contrast is really high, allowing a more realistic impression of how your images will look. OLED displays have greater viewing angles, allowing more flexible use of the camera, both for shooting and reviewing images, or showing them to others.

Perhaps the feature that makes OLED most attractive for use in photography is its speed. With refresh rates about 1,000 times quicker than an LCD, it can be used to represent the increasingly fast live view output from the latest cameras with ever improving realism. This is particularly important where the technology is being used for electronic viewfinders, and a rapidly updating, smooth representation of movement can help re-create the optical viewfinder experience.

In the first generation OLED panels visibility under sunlight was poor indeed (mostly because of light reflection from the metal cathode used in OLEDs). In touch panels the problem was even worse. But since then the technology advanced and the panels are brighter and behave better in such conditions. For touch displays, Samsung developed the Super AMOLED technology which embeds the touch sensor into the OLED panel. Super AMOLEDs are pretty much equivalent to a touch enabled LCD and some consider these displays to be the best mobile touch displays available today.

OLEDs are indeed more expensive than LCDs – about 20% more for a small sized display, although the gap is closing quickly. Some say that eventually OLEDs will be cheaper than LCDs, especially if/when manufacturers are able to adopt a printing process. Making large sized OLED is still very costly – mostly because current OLED fabs are small, and scaling the manufacturing process is not easy. It is expected that the 55” OLED TVs unveiled at CES 2012 by Samsung and LG will cost around $8,000.

Sony"s OLED microdisplays are the highest resolution electronic viewfinders currently in use but French company MicroOLED hopes to use the even finer resolution models it has just unveiled.

OLED microdisplays are starting to be used as electronic viewfinders, with Sony being the clear OLED EVF pioneer, In August 2011 they unveiled four cameras that use an XGA OLED microdisplay (which are made by Sony themselves): the A77 and A65 SLRs and the NEX-7 and NEX-5N mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras.

Reviews of this Sony EVF have been very favorable, as the OLED microdisplay offers better color, refresh rate and brightness compared to an LCD viewfinder (they should be more efficient, too). OLED EVFs are likely to be especially important for the development of mirrorless cameras – as some consider the lack of an optical viewfinder to be the biggest drawback of these cameras. OLED EVFs are starting to close that gap.

DSLRs with their optical viewfinders allow a photographer to see what the lens is actually seeing without even turning the camera on. The viewfinders do not suffer from any kind of lag and refresh rate is not an issue. Meanwhile, with their electronic viewfinders or a rear LCD screen, mirrorless cameras allow a photographer to see what the sensor is seeing. Any changes in camera settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, camera effects for example) are immediately reflected in the viewfinder and the photographer can exactly see what the final photograph will look like. With electronic viewfinders, “what you see is what you get”. But, as mirrorless cameras have an electronic viewfinder, you will not be able to see through the viewfinder unless the camera is turned on.

The bigger body size of DSLRs allow them to house a bigger battery. Combine that with the optical viewfinder which does not use any power and you have a perfect system for long battery life – hence more shots. Mirrorless cameras are at a disadvantage here because they tend to house a smaller battery to keep the form factor of the camera small, and the viewfinder and the LCD screen both suck good amount of battery juice. Recent cameras from Sony like the A9 and A7III have tried to eliminate this problem by upping the camera size a little bit to accommodate a larger battery.

The viewfinder is the device you look through when taking a picture. It shows you what is in your frame, alongside your settings and other helpful information.

In old twin-lens reflex cameras, viewfinders were a small Galilean telescope placed in the camera body. It gave you a general idea of the scene you wanted to capture, but it had no connection to the lens.

There are two types of viewfinders: optical and electronic. The optical system is almost the same in both, as you can see the autofocus points and the same field of view.

The viewfinder was at waist level. Unlike SLR cameras, they remained open during exposure. This allowed photographers to apply effects while the exposure was in progress.

Most cameras used nowadays are SLR cameras. They use a mirror to reflect the image, which is then transferred through the pentaprism. The image going through the prism is what the photographer sees in the viewfinder.

SLR cameras meant a huge technical development from TLR and rangefinder cameras. With this technology, the picture taken could be different from the one in the viewfinder.

In the case of SLRs, the mirror and prism allowed the introduction of optical viewfinders. This resulted in getting accurate and non-distorted final images.

The viewfinder is what we use to compose an image. For this reason, we would expect it to show the exact scene in front of us. This is almost the case, but there are a few things we have to look out for.

We have to deal with the viewfinders’ magnification. It is 1x, which means the viewfinder shows our subject in the exact size we see it. There may be minor differences with different cameras. The photographer has to count on this when framing their image.

What happens when you look through the viewfinder (optical) or EVF screen (electronic)? You see a lot of information. Some of this information is your camera settings.

We use the viewfinder not only to frame but also to direct our focus and metering values. A flashing or blinking dot lets us know where the focus lies.

Your viewfinder shows you the scene in which you are metering light. Different metering modes take different parts into account when determining the correct exposure.

Battery Level: You can see your battery level in the viewfinder. You will see a battery shape filled with three diagonal blocks. As your battery loses its full charge, the blocks will disappear one by one. Flashing means you are running on fumes and can expect to need a new battery very soon.

The optical viewfinder is the part of the camera you look through when composing and taking a shot. It is ‘optical’ because what you see comes from the image that the camera sees. As light enters the camera, it hits the mirror, then gets reflected up to go through the pentaprism. The eyepiece, thus the viewfinder, shows the exact image that the camera sees. There are no electronic elements involved.

It is not uncommon for modern digital cameras to have optical and electronic viewfinders. In that case, the LCD screen’s Live View functions as the electronic viewfinder.

The problem with this system is that the viewfinder gets blocked when you capture an image. This is not a big deal when capturing an image at a few thousandths of a second. But for time-lapses and long exposures, it can be frustrating. As soon as you press the shutter, the mirror flips up to reveal the sensor, blocking out the light.

The electronic viewfinder in mirrorless cameras is equal to the LCD screen in DSLRs. It gives you all the advantages of Live View mode. This means that it shows you an active preview of what is in your frame.

Electronic viewfinders have some benefits over optical viewfinders. You can use them for focus peaking to reach the most accuracy during manual focus. There is also various live information available. You can see the histogram in the electronic viewfinder. It will help you notice under or overexposure. There is also a possibility to use grids to level your images.

Due to their digital nature, they do not perform well in low light situations. They also have a worse resolution than optical viewfinders and drain the battery more.

The two main types of camera viewfinders are optical and electronic. They both have advantages and disadvantages worth considering before buying a camera.

You will not choose a camera type only based on the type of viewfinder it has. We recommend you go through more significant features when making a decision. After that, you can get familiar with its type of viewfinder.