topic Re: Shooting with just the lcd screen? in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Do you shoot with just the LCD screen?

Ovacheerdad — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 14:23:46 GMT

So I picked up an R6Mii recently. I used to shoot with a 60D but it was never sports, just family and landscapes so this is a whole different animal. This weekend was the first real time out with it. I know I want the 70-200 2.8 and the 24-105 2.8 just not sure which to get first. So I rented the 70-200 for my daughter's cheer comp this weekend since I'm not as close to the stage. Well it got canceled this weekend due to snow, but I did end up being able to go to a middle school basketball game and shoot some pictures. After watching 2 other full time photographers at this game im trying to figure out how they shoot the way they do. I know camera's that one guy shoots with are both r6miis and he mainly uses the rf 24-105. The guy never used the viewfinder the whole game. Always held the camera low and used the back screen. He posted some of the photos to his page today and they are perfect.

Does anyone else shoot like that? How do you keep focus like that? Are you always holding down the focus button while taking pictures?

Re: Shooting with just the lcd screen?

Waddizzle — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 15:21:04 GMT

I have only seen a handful of event photographers only use a rear screen. Most of the time they are shooting still subjects, indoors, and usually with a flash.

I have never seen it done by a sports photographer before, except for this guy on YouTube with a big Fro.

Re: Shooting with just the lcd screen?

March411 — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:09:45 GMT

For sports I only use the EVF, old dog new tricks and I just find it easier to follow the action and zone.

The only time I use the rear screen is for landscapes and when I want to shoot low on an upward angle. It's whatever you used to and how you trained yourself to use your gear.

Re: Shooting with just the lcd screen?

ebiggs1 — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:21:59 GMT

"I have only seen a handful of event photographers only use a rear screen."

I've never seen any pro use the LCD screen and I never did either. None of my 1 series even has one. I am not sue if the R1 has one or not since I haven't used one yet. When you shoot NCAA basketball you are assigned a certain place and you aren't allowed to move form it. Most use two zoom lenses. A 24-70mm f2.8L and a 70-200mm f2.8L are extremely popular but some guys use others. I bought my Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports Lens from a pro NCAA photographer that was switching over to Sony. It is another popular lens with them for basketball.

"... since I'm not as close to the stage."

That is a problem and it is well more important than the lens you buy. Being a long way form the subject or play makes everything more difficult. As they say the three most important things in photography are location, location and location. Where you shoot from is by far the most important thing. Second thing is know your sport as knowing what is going on and what is likely to happen next is invaluable to get good shots. And don't forget to d/l DPP4 form Canon. It is free. Learn it and use it. "He posted some of the photos to his page today and they are perfect."

I double dog guarantee you, he used a post editor probably Photoshop but PS is not free. Whether you decide to use the LCD or VF it is not as important as the three things I listed above.

"I know I want the 70-200 2.8 and the 24-105 2.8 just not sure which to get first."

As to which to buy first I would go for the 24-70mm f2.8L Not the 70-200mil or certainly not the 24-105mil there is no value in duplicating 35mm in both lenses. The 24-70mm will be by far your most used lens not just for BB but in general.

Last tip always, always shoot raw never jpg. Good luck.

Re: Shooting with just the lcd screen?

March411 — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:41:34 GMT

@Ovacheerdad wrote:

He posted some of the photos to his page today and they are perfect.

ebiggs nailed it on the post production. I would be willing to bet that the images you are viewing are not SOOC.

Let’s not be mistaken a good or great image starts with the photographer and camera, a quality capture always rules. Post production is a tool to help refine, most if not all professionals will tighten images in some type of editor like Adobe or ON1 as well as using something like DXO or Topaz to remove noise and sharpen the images.

Re: Shooting with just the lcd screen?

Ovacheerdad — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:52:46 GMT

So what lens would you suggest for here? Most generally you are about this far from the stage. You can see the team camera man along the rail. I could get up there but did not have a camera at this point in time.

Re: Shooting with just the lcd screen?

LeeP — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:29:32 GMT

I am always suspicious of "perfect" pictures because they are often "Frankensteined" through software trickery. The result is an image but not a photograph.

Re: Shooting with just the lcd screen?

Waddizzle — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 20:05:54 GMT

"I have only seen a handful of event photographers only use a rear screen."

I've never seen any pro use the LCD screen and I never did either. None of my 1 series even has one. I am not sue if the R1 has one or not since I haven't used one yet.

——————-

They were capturing both stills and videos. It seems to have become a trend among some MILC shooters. In most cases, these were not private events. The person I spoke to worked for Getty Images.

Re: Shooting with just the lcd screen?

March411 — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 20:27:19 GMT

I would ask Lee, when someone used sodium sulfide to create a Sepia print or burning and dodging to improve range, improve shadows and heights, were those prints Frankensteined? Enhancing film and print in post production has been occurring in a lab/darkroom for as long as I can remember, how is that any different then what occurs today?

Re: Do you shoot with just the LCD screen?

ebiggs1 — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 15:05:38 GMT

"... how is that any different then what occurs today?"

It's not any different. A big chocolate sundae is good but a cherry on top is even better. 😁

Re: Do you shoot with just the LCD screen?

ebiggs1 — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 15:15:22 GMT

"...what lens would you suggest for here?"

My recommendation is as I suggested above buy the 24-70mm f2.8L and the 70-200mm f2.8L. I know that is a heavy lift for most of us for an all in one purchase, so I would get the 24-70mm f2.8l first. It will be your most used lens of any you will ever get. However, will it do it all in your situation, no, I doubt that is why you will need to add the 70-200mm f2.8L to your bag.

At the same time or why not right now go d/l DPP4 and start the learning process. DPP4 can be as easy as you want it or it can be as difficult as you want. That all depends on how deep into the editing process you want to dive. Simple crops or exposure, perhaps some WB adjustments are very simple. You will learn them in a few minutes.

Re: Do you shoot with just the LCD screen?

ebiggs1 — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 15:34:26 GMT

"...camera man along the rail. I could get up there..."

That's where you want to be. As close as possible, right in front of the action. Keep in mind others that have kids in the event so you don't become a nuisance. Most of the auditoriums I shot this type of work in had a sound and light booth at the back of the venue. Most of them were near the top or at the top of the room. This made a perfect place to set up my tripod with my Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Lens. I was the Arts Dept photographer so I had complete access to these areas. Where you shoot from is so very important so keep that in mind.

Re: Do you shoot with just the LCD screen?

ebiggs1 — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 15:39:03 GMT

"...great image starts with the photographer and camera,..."

I would rather edit a diamond instead of a lump of coal.

Re: Do you shoot with just the LCD screen?

Ovacheerdad — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 16:23:44 GMT

I have DPP4 already but never have used it. I already have lightroom but never have really used it. The only thing i did with these was change the WB on them and save them as a JPEG. These are a few i shot that i thought the focus was ok on.

Re: Do you shoot with just the LCD screen?

ebiggs1 — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 16:46:16 GMT

If you have taken my suggestions to heart and you are satisfied with the results that you are getting there is little else I can offer. The end product you make is totally up to whether you are satisfied not anybody else.

Personally I see this shot like this .................

A little WB adjustment and a crop with a touch of unsharp mask. The photographer in the background is priceless.

I guess I do have another word for you and that is composition. When you edit and especially when you crop make sure you don't leave distracting items in the shot. The half girl on the right and the half flag on the top left for instance. You don't want things that tend to pull the viewer's eye off the main most important thing in the shot. And you as the final editor make that decision.

Re: Do you shoot with just the LCD screen?

Ovacheerdad — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 16:55:23 GMT

Thank you. I'm not satisfied with these pictures. They could have been sharper. That shot was 8000 ISO F4 1/1000 sec. I guess I'm still not used to seeing high iso yet. I feel like these could have been a lot sharper. I need to get out to some more games and practice not using ISO set to auto? I'm at work so i cant really mess with anything but i want as much advice and criticism as possible. When i dive into something i strive to be the best i can be at it. This is something i have great passion for and i want to perfect it. I will play around with DPP4 this week at home.

Re: Do you shoot with just the LCD screen?

March411 — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:09:08 GMT

LR is a great tool as well as DPP4, I run both.

Depending on lighting you may have no choice but to shoot with a higher ISO to hit the shutter speed you need to stop action and get sharp images. I grabbed the same image ebiggs did and ran it through a denoise program, a bit tighter of a crop and sharped it just a bit in Adobe.

There is zero shame finishing and image in post when you like the original frame but need to tighten things up a bit.

Re: Do you shoot with just the LCD screen?

ebiggs1 — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:10:01 GMT

I think the photo I did the little edits on is fine, in fact i really like it. I would be satisfied if I had shot it. But in the end you are the only one that counts not me, not uncle Bob, or the neighbor not anyone but yourself.

When you use Auto ISO you should set a upper and a lower limit. I used to not like or use Auto ISO but lately I have embraced it more and more but with the limits. I still prefer fixed ISO because you almost always know what the lighting is and where the ISO needs to be. If you don't have that eye for that yet you will as you get more and more experience and time shooting various conditions.

Re: Do you shoot with just the LCD screen?

ebiggs1 — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:11:25 GMT

Nice!

Re: Do you shoot with just the LCD screen?

Ovacheerdad — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:11:42 GMT

Thanks, I appreciate all the help!