topic Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers? in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

jborel — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 02:25:50 GMT

I have tried the flip out screen that content creators and vloggers rave about and can say that I am completely turned off by this design. My camera is now wider when flipped out, I have extra steps to take when positioning the screen for viewing, gets in the way of my strap, etc. It's just awkward and fiddly. The tilt screen on my Sony RX100iv is quick, easy, and non-obtrusive. I find this much better for someone who uses a camera from behind the lens. I own Canon DSLRs and L lenses so it's safe to say I am invested in this brand. Mirrorless cameras are becoming appealing but the screen Canon offers is a major turn-off. Is Canon planning to offer a high-end camera specifically for photographers that will have a tilting screen? Sony is out the question but the Z9 and the soon to be released Z8 is looking better and better. I will definitly change brands over this one issue. Some can call it petty but a small annoyance eventually becomes a big problem.

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

shadowsports — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 21:25:44 GMT

Greetings,

I don't know if Canon will ever offer the limited function of Nikon's delicate hinge articulating "Whatchamacallit" LCD. I sure hope not. 🤣 Its 4 axis, except for the one you need - front. I am not a vlogger.

This is the Z9, their "flagship"

My wife would get her hair so tangled up in that mess. Its not for me, neither is a G-Master.

Canon does have the worlds market share for camera sales for the last 20 yrs. I'm sure they know what they're doing. I was hooked the very first time I used a camera with an articulating LCD. Maybe they aren't for everyone, but their design works well for me.

I use my EVF 75% of the time. Rarely am I flipped out to the side. I don't use live view often either, except for video. But.... Every once in a while I shoot from a funky angle and then I can stand or squat down comfortably, tilt or angle my screen and compose my shot without having to contort my neck or head to see the screen. It's easy and I am relaxed. I could never buy a camera without a fully articulating LCD now. It has built in screen protection too.

Nikon has been trying to catch up for years. It took them forever, and I mean forever and a day to finally make a camera with an articulating screen. Today they still have this janky hinge thingy. It's ultra caveman, but hey they're trying. I have seen so many Nikons whose flip out screens no longer sit flush on the back of their cameras because the hinges wear out, get lose or bent. I prefer the flip out and tilt, tucked in flush or closed design of a Canon body personally. I also won't need a mirror the one time a year I might need to see myself, nor will I have to deal with a LCD that doesn't sit flush on the back of my camera.

My straps... those connect to the bottom of my body. There is no interference. Flip in or out in a fraction of a second. I'll take the Canon advantage over the Nikon hingey contraption. If that's innovation Nikon wins. Maybe try a new carry system? I know several Nikon owners and almost all of them say the same thing to me. Man, I really like the way you can flip and tilt your screen. Nikon innovation. A screen that is susceptible to bumps, scratches, hinge issues and fingerprints 100% of the time. Make sure you get a good screen protector.

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

jborel — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 23:47:34 GMT

I do not need a front facing screen and the rare time I would want one I can use a remote monitor, or my smartphone as a monitor. I do need quick and ease of use, the arcticulating screen (floppy screen) will always add an extra step or two to do the same thing.

Thankfully my wife doesn't use my camera, she prefers her iphone.

I don't really care about who owns the most market share, this isn't the best indicator of what's best for me. Wasn't Nikon the King back in the 80s when EOS came out? Isn't Sony set to out do Canon despite ergonomics, color science, and having a tilt-screen!

I haven't tried the Z9 and can't speak to the functionality but I did use the Z7 for a brief moment. I did prefer the tilting screen and did not see a problem with it.

It would be nice to know what the Canon R1 will have, you are probably right in that it will have the articulating screen. Such a pitty.

I could always just epoxy the screen shut and consider the problem solved, lol. I seriously contemplated this when I had the Fuji X-T4 but decided just to ditch Fuji all together.

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

shadowsports — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:56:29 GMT

Greetings,

I understand what you're saying. I don't follow Nikon or Sony closely. I just watched several z series videos, then visited Sony's website. I just can't get excited about either. When I think about their offerings vs. Canon, Canon has so many more home runs comparatively. A colleague of mine got the D850 at release. That was a nice camera. Its since been eclipsed. Nikon is no longer producing cameras in Japan. Just Thailand now. Sony is Canon's only competitor. Canons cameras are not perfect, no camera is, but I prefer them over the other two. I also have over 40 yrs with the brand.

Gluing the screen. Your the first person I've heard this from. My only comment. Not recommended.

I keep reading articles that say they are going to put sensors into smart phones that will allow them to take photos as nice as a body and lens. We'll see. It took Google, Samsung and Apple half my life to somewhat rival the IQ of a point and shoot camera. I'm sticking with my gear for the time being because photography is something I enjoy.

I'll get another camera too. Its going to be a Canon for sure.

Good Luck and Cheers,

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

pauld67 — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 10:58:32 GMT

Completely agree with you, I can't express the level of frustration it brings to me not having at least one option other than the Canon M6 ii . D850 looks amazing except the weight of it although D780 a tad lighter. I have some good (expensive) Canon lenses I would like to keep but looking more now towards Sony who seem to have this covered. Infuriatingly for me Sony have just stuck a flip screen on the A7 iv when I was all set to go.

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

Tronhard — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 20:57:34 GMT

Given it appears that Canon have settled on a more standardized approach to their gear - common battery grips (so far), and all the models I see seem to have the fully-articulated screen except for the very cheapest R100 that is fixed. While I recognize and respect your preference, and sympathize with you, I personally prefer the fully-articulated screen as I have it reversed to protect the LCD when I don't need it. I have no issue with the current mechanism.
Honestly, if it really means that much to you, I would suggest going to Nikon or the Fuji X-T5, which is an excellent APS-C camera and has the tilt-shift screen you want.

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

jborel — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 03:22:07 GMT

I also have Canon L lenses that I would hate to let go and fortunately I won't have to. Fringer makes an adapter (Fringer EF-NZ (FR-NZ1)) that will allow Canon EF lenses to mount to Nikon Z cameras and according to reputable sources it works very well. Have you checked out the Nikon Z8?

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

normadel — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 06:21:04 GMT

You twice said "Is Canon planning to offer a high-end camera specifically for photographers that will have a tilting screen?"

Umm....aren't we ALL photographers?

I'd say that Canon, the market leader, must be satisfying the market.

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

Tronhard — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 06:57:23 GMT

I interpreted that the OP sees a fully-articulated screen as being more inclined to videographers, but I agree, as a stills only photographer, I actually prefer that format over the tilt screen. That said, I have bought numerous cameras that don't have that feature because, to me, it is not critical. For example, all of the pro-grade DSLRs had a fixed screen: no articulation of any kind, and that never made me want to change brands - all cameras have their drawbacks and strengths, but I never considered that something like a screen articulation was critical enough to my photography to abandon a brand. I value other features more - like dynamic range, resolution, control interface, buffer and card configuration.

I have watched the same passionate debate within the Fuji community - when the X-T4 came out there were screams of derision when it changed from the tilt screen to a fully articulated one. Now, the X-T5 has gone back to the original, and guess what - there are complaints.

The only way to avoid that may be to have the combined tilt + articulated screen, but then people will fear it is too fragile.

Still, each to their own... Perhaps there is a type of photography that demands this feature, but I have yet to encounter it as a game-changer in any genre I have been involved with.

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

normadel — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 15:33:13 GMT

Same here. I have no real need for articulating, tilting, whatever. My EOS 60D's articulating screen has been acting-up, even though I never articulate it. It is always open flat, just like my T1i, 50D, 7D and 6D. It is just an unneeded potential point of failure to me.

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

Tronhard — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 20:33:55 GMT

I actually value the articulation when it is available. Because I cannot sometimes get to an angle: either high up or low down to see what is going on, then the feature is a benefit. I think because I started in the era of film (1980's), where there were no screens whatsoever, and one could not see what images were being shot, any kind of screen is appreciated. Still, I rarely use an LCD for composition, I use an optical or electronic viewfinder - not just out of habit, but because holding the camera to my eye provides a critical 3rd point of contact for stability - I generally shoot hand-held.

Digital natives have engaged with a market in which LCD screens, amongst many other features, are standard, and I can understand why that is expected to be available. However, I suspect that unless one is doing something like street photography where the camera is held at waist level, or videography, then using the LCD has become a trope, an extension of the habit of those coming from cell phones. A critical difference is that a dedicated camera, with a hefty chunk of glass, is much less stable than a cell phone, so how it is held becomes much more significant. Furthermore, the longer the lens focal length, the heavier it is likely to be, and the more the captured FoV will magnify the tiniest instability in the camera.

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

Stephen — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 13:39:33 GMT

Some of our cameras have different styles of articulating LCDs, depending on their target audience. Our EOS lineup typically have a screen that you can flip out and fold back, so that it is just like a non-articulating screen when it's closed (either with the LCD viewable or not). Some of our PowerShots and have a specially designed LCD for vlogging.

Which Canon camera(s) have you tried?

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

jborel — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 02:12:09 GMT

I'm aware of Canon's current offerings. The purpose of my posting was to gain insight of a possible tilt screen in Canon's future.

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

jborel — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 02:19:59 GMT

I use the rear LCD mostly for taking pictures of my children, it allows me to get to their eye level without having to stoop down. I can quickly tilt the screen and hold the camera at waist level. This also works very well for video.

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

Tronhard — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 02:26:21 GMT

Absolutely understand, although when I want to do the same kind of thing, I just flip out and rotate the screen, which works for me. What I understand from my video-centric colleagues is that they actually prefer to use the fully-articulating screen as they can position themselves in front of the camera, or at any angle when videoing.

As I understand it you have tried this and found it wanting?

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

jborel — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 02:32:57 GMT

"I'd say that Canon, the market leader, must be satisfying the market."

Or is it possible that herd mentality has taken over?

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

Tronhard — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 09:07:24 GMT

I am fairly sure that Canon, like all other companies, go to some effort to find out what the market wants. Without doubt, there will be a constituency that has differing opinions. I know of some who want a fixed screen, some who want a tilt, some who want the status quo and some who want tilt combined with fully-articulated screens.

The challenge that camera manufacturers have had is a proliferation of variations that, while salifying some of the variations desired in this and other contexts, it created a lot of different tech solutions that were costly. As I have observed (not just for Canon) is that manufacturers are trying to rationalize their range of components - I mentioned the use of a single model of battery grip for those R-series bodies that are compatible with one - which was certainly not the case with the DSLRs.

I also shoot with Fuji, Nikon, Olympus and Sony, and have watched the former brand switch back and forth between tilt and fully-articulated screens on the X-T3, 4 and 5 model cameras, with each version of the screen being both lauded and criticized strongly and simultaneously. In the latest variation the X-T5 has reverted to a tilt screen, while the HS-series cameras have the fully articulated ones - and again, both have had split reception.

Thus I would say that people are clearly not so much suffering from herd mentality as an expectation of a camera configured to their expectations, and not shy about expressing that.

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

raavikant — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 06:20:15 GMT

Hi,

As a Canon user, I haven't heard that Canon will offer a tilt screen for photographers. But, as per users' demand, there are chances that they may do so in the future.

Thanks

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

shadowsports — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 13:46:52 GMT

This doesn't mean in any way that I want or would use a tilt screen. As I said in my original reply. I think the articulating screens on my T6s, 6D2 and R5 C are wonderful. Its the sole reason I skipped buying a 5D4.

Here's a patent. Doesn't mean it will happen, but it could:

I would still prefer an articulating screen over a tilt any day, but we all use our cameras differently.

Re: Will Canon offer a tilt screen for photographers?

normadel — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 14:26:04 GMT

Which came first...the chicken or the egg?

When does the "market" become "the herd", or vice versa?

Either way, Canon sells a lot of cameras.