topic Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN in General Discussion

EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

PETENOW — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 03:16:19 GMT

I don't know what they called it but in the old days when you wanted to take a picture you put the camera up to your right (or left) eyeball. You looked at your subject and you took a picture. With most of todays cameras there is an LCD screen on the camera. Now you hold the camera away from your head and take the picture. While there are advantages to this like being able to view the image from remote locations and also being able to work controls on the same screen, there is a big disadvantage that makes me want to go back to the eyeball view finder.

The first is that on a bright sunny day with an eyeball VF you can see the subject. With the LCD screen the sunlight and glare hits the screen and it's anybody guess what the camera is pointing at. My wife took a picture of me and all she got of me was my hat. I stared at the picture a long time until I figured out it was a picture of me.

Also with an eyeball VF it is easier to hold the camera steady. Since it's braced with at least one arm and my head there is very little camera shake as apposed to holding the camera out about a foot away from my face.

Since both have advantages I want to see more cameras with both eyepieces. I will settle for a camera with a eyeball VF and use it for the bright sunlight while I use my Canon Vixia HFS200 video camera for all other uses.

Any comments on this would be appreaciated. This is my first post and I don't know how I will know if anybody responds. My email is [Removed personal information per Forum Guidelines].

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

RobertTheFat — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 11:04:09 GMT

Most entry-level cameras have abandoned the eye-level viewfinder in favor of the LCD screen. Most of the more expensive cameras have both.

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

ebiggs1 — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 15:18:04 GMT

I never use the LCD screen. As far as I am concerned they can stop putting one on the camera. I rarely chimp either but admit doing so once in a while so I guess it can stay. Don't do video either. I am a stills photographer.

If you grew up in the olden days when the 1D and 1D Mk II was king the LCD display was of little to no help even for chimping. Just never got use to depending on it.

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

TCampbell — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 15:52:38 GMT

For a DSLR camera, most people do use the optical viewfinder ... and not the LCD screen. There are a few exceptions and types of photography where the screen is handy ... but those are corner cases. The majority of uses favor the optical viewfinder.

You are right about the stability... holding a camera out in front of your body with your arms isn’t nearly as stable as bracing it against your face with the camera supported by your arms ... elbows tucked in low toward your stomach so they “brace” the camera (especially useful when it’s a heavy camera).

But few “point & shoot” style cameras still have optical viewfinders (there are a few). Also, many of these aren’t “single lens” (there’s a seperate small finder lens for the viewfinder in most point & shoots that still have an optical viewfinder ... whereas in an SLR (DSLR) it’s a “single lens” ... a series of mirrors means you are actually looking through the camera lens and not a seperate lens.

If you want a camera that still has an optical finder but you want a point & shoot style camera instead of a DSLR, there are a few of the Canon Powershot “G” series models that either have an optical finder *or* you can attach an EVF (Electronic View Finder) to the hot-shoe port. This is basically a mini video monitor that you put your eye up to (just like a true optical finder) except it is electronic (it’s showing you what the LCD screen would have shown you).

A couple of the Powershot “SX” series models also have the eye viewfinder. But most models do not. You can quickly see it in most images if you browse the marketing info ... because you’ll see the viewfinder in any images that show the back of the camera. But keep in mind some “G” series cameras that have a hot-shoe, but no optical finder, can take an optional accessory that gives them a viewfinder (it’s an electronic viewfinder).

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

kvbarkley — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 15:26:16 GMT

http://learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2018/canon-af-optical-viewfinder.shtml?categoryId=121

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

PETENOW — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 22:42:29 GMT

I will read this article with much interest.

Thank you

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

PETENOW — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 22:45:32 GMT

"you can attach an EVF (Electronic View Finder) to the hot-shoe port. This is basically a mini video monitor that you put your eye up to (just like a true optical finder) except it is electronic (it’s showing you what the LCD screen would have shown you)."

This is of interest to me howerer, The hot shoe on my video camera is not hot. It's just a shoe. I guess you could call it a cold shoe. Will the EVF work with that?

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

PETENOW — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 22:46:44 GMT

Love your name. You echo what I suspect.

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

PETENOW — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 22:49:43 GMT

What is chimping?

@ebiggs1 wrote:
I never use the LCD screen. As far as I am concerned they can stop putting one on the camera. I rarely chimp either but admit doing so once in a while so I guess it can stay. Don't do video either. I am a stills photographer.
If you grew up in the olden days when the 1D and 1D Mk II was king the LCD display was of little to no help even for chimping. Just never got use to depending on it.

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

RobertTheFat — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 01:06:09 GMT

Chimping is looking at the picture(s) you just took to see whether you should a) celebrate with a glass of beer, b) attempt to do them over, or c) throw the camera in the river.

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

RobertTheFat — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 01:11:55 GMT

@PETENOW wrote:
"you can attach an EVF (Electronic View Finder) to the hot-shoe port. This is basically a mini video monitor that you put your eye up to (just like a true optical finder) except it is electronic (it’s showing you what the LCD screen would have shown you)."

This is of interest to me howerer, The hot shoe on my video camera is not hot. It's just a shoe. I guess you could call it a cold shoe. Will the EVF work with that?

No, the EVF has to be able to communicate with the camera. What it shows you is what the sensor sees.

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

ebiggs1 — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 05:14:12 GMT

"... a) celebrate with a glass of beer, b) attempt to do them over, or c) throw the camera in the river."

Been there done that!

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

John_SD — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 18:19:38 GMT

If you are an outdoor photographer (not just shooting at the bird bath or hummingbird feeder), you will demand an articulating screen. When it is time for me to upgarde my camera, you can be sure I'll have that feature.

Many a time while shooting wildflowers, lizards, snakes, scorpions, insects, etc. which I prefer to do eye-to-eye, requiring me to shoot on my belly, I wished that I had an articulating screen. I am not interested in shooting such things from a standing position and the articulating screen would allow me a greater range of position as well as a more convenient view, if you will. Till then I will continue on with my lowly T6, from which I have learned much -- both in making the best use of what I have and also what I would like to have next time around. YMMV.

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

PETENOW — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 20:59:52 GMT

I am really kicking myself for forgetting about the how the lcd screen get washed out in sunlight. I made a big deal about a camera that could take in audio for a source other than the internal mic but I comletley for got about the view finder. I have an idea about some kind of attachment that would hook up to the lcd screen. It would taper off to an eyepiece that is adjustable. I have to find the eye piece and and the material and somehow make it stick to the lcd screen.

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

TCampbell — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 21:39:00 GMT

@PETENOW wrote:
I have an idea about some kind of attachment that would hook up to the lcd screen. It would taper off to an eyepiece that is adjustable. I have to find the eye piece and and the material and somehow make it stick to the lcd screen.

there are companies that make these.

There are LCD "hoods" (to protect the LCD from getting washed out with the sunlight)

There are also LCD "viewfinders" (covers the LCD but provides an eye-cup and loupe so you can put your eye up to it and treat it like a viewfinder on cameras that only have an LCD screen.)

I've seen versions of the "hood" that are hinged so you can swing them out of the way when not using it. Typically they attach to the tripod socket.

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

PETENOW — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 02:51:02 GMT

Could you tell me the vendor or make and model of these hoods? That would save me gobs of money buying a camera just to get an eye piece.

Thanks

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

PETENOW — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 19:19:56 GMT

I received an email stating that somebody replied today.. but I don't see anything new or dated today.

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

Tronhard — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 00:11:20 GMT

I suspect the move to elimenate the viewfinder from many cameras is because so many users are used to using a cell phone and don't feel comfortable or consider using the viewfinder. I experienced this one day when I was shooting some wolves in a reserve. I was using a EOS 60D DSLR equipped with both a viewfinder and a LCD, a lady beside me was using a Powershot SX50HS, which has both an EVF (Electronic View Finder) and a LCD, but she was using the LCD exclusively.

We were both shooting fairly long and I was not filling the frame (I was using a EF 70-300 MkI). She was shooting around a 500mm Equivalent and was frustrated by her results because they were all blurred. A quick look at her images told me her problem was camera shake, which I believed was her holding the camera at arm's length. So I explained how to use the camera with stable posture and the viewfinder, and immediately her images improved dramatically. She had never even considered the viewfinder before and confirmed she had only had previous experience with cell phones.

One way I explain the need to users to brace properly is to get them to hold a broom by the bristle end, and not let the tip of the handle move. Holding the broom like a cell phone was not very effective, and quickly they move to bracing the camera by the handle (like holding a rifle). If one considers the broom handle to be the line of sight of the camera, and considering that long lenses can weigh a bit, this is a simple demonstration that is pursuasive.

With that thought in mind, if people are going to use the camera using the cell phone technique, it makes sense they would not bother with the expense of putting in an EVF. This will be ok for people taking shots at shorter focal lengths, but for me, as a wildlife photographer, I could never take the camera away from my eye because (hand held) I need all the stability I can get.

For that reason I find it frustring that Canon's mirrorless offerings have so few models with an EVF. I have got a EOS 5M which DOES have an EVF.

Re: EYE BALL VIEW FINDER VS. LCD SCREEN

PETENOW — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 02:33:19 GMT

I found a vendor that sells hoods so I am going to give that a try. It's not the eye piece that I want but I can alway use a mono pod or the stabiling feature which works quite well

Thanks for all the replies.

When I get the hood. I will give a review.