Is there a way to adjust brightness of readings in viewfinders? (6D and others)

[WookiesDad]

Hello, all...

Wondering if anyone else has experienced this issue and maybe even found a hidden "fix."

I'm finding that when shooting in a sunny environment, the green figures at bottom of viewfinder are too faintly illuminated to make out. 

FWIW, battery charge is fine, and diopter is dialed in precisely for my vision. Additionally, when I check indoors, the brighness does change as designed - i.e., dims when ambiant light is low and brightens if, for example I point it at shade of a lamp with 150-w bulb. It's just that outside in bright conditions, it's a struggle as read-outs are too dim.

This is the case with several of my EOS bodies, including EOS-1 and 1N RS film SLRs or 5D Mk IV and 6D - Read-outs just too DIM to be useful when shooting in the sun!

Noteworthy fact: It is NOT an issue with my 40D, which has been a pleasure to use on sunny days.

Nor, I find, is it an issue with my trusty old EOS 620 film SLR.

Sure hoping someone else has struggled with this brightness issue and might even have found a fix!

Thanks in advance.

Steve

[FloridaDrafter]

As far as I know, with the 5D4, R6, and several rebel models that I own, there is no way to brighten up the info in the VF or EVF. This is one of those topics where you will find people that think they are fine, and others have trouble seeing the info. I don't have a problem, and in fact, think it's perfect. I do a lot of shooting in full sun and just don't have a problem reading the info, and, I depend on it. I do however, think it should be an option. Maybe Canon doesn't see it that way.

There are third party attachements, but they ar expensive.

[WookiesDad]

Thank you, FloridaDrafter.

I do hope it's not a matter of aging eyeballs, although I do not have any difficulty with seeing what I'm actually shooting.

Perhaps I need to add a hand to shield the VF from the ambient light. What still puzzles me is why the 40D does indeed have adequate brightness in its VF displays. 

Anyhow, if I get desperate over this - and I well could - can you elaborate regarding those third party attachments?

Many thanks!

[FloridaDrafter]

---

@WookiesDad wrote:

"Anyhow, if I get desperate over this - and I well could - can you elaborate regarding those third party attachments?

Many thanks!"

---

Check into Hoodman products or other similal eye cups. You can also get them to fit over your LCD. Finding one to fit your camera is the trick though, LOL

[Waddizzle]

---

@WookiesDad wrote:

Thank you, FloridaDrafter.

I do hope it's not a matter of aging eyeballs, although I do not have any difficulty with seeing what I'm actually shooting.

Perhaps I need to add a hand to shield the VF from the ambient light. What still puzzles me is why the 40D does indeed have adequate brightness in its VF displays. 

Anyhow, if I get desperate over this - and I well could - can you elaborate regarding those third party attachments?

Many thanks!

---

Do you wear eyeglasses?  Sometimes the angle at which you are looking can make a significant difference in the apparent brightness of the OVF display.

[WookiesDad]

Thanks, Waddizzle. I just wear glasses for reading. And my Canons are all adjusted via diopter control so that the settings in VFs are entirely sharp. Therefore, I do not use glasses when shooting.

The puzzle remains that the 40D's display is simply much brighter and easier to see in bright surroundings that those in the other D-SLRs and film SLRs mentioned.

[wq9nsc]

I don't have an issue seeing the info but I do notice the high difference in brightness between the optical display and viewfinder information when shooting sports on sunny days. 

I shoot a lot of outdoor sports with my 1DX 2 and 1DX 3 bodies and typically have f2.8 telephoto glass on them.  These bodies provide a very bright optical display which is needed for shooting nighttime sports in less then perfect lighting but in bright sun the display is on the edge of being too bright.  At times I will wear sunglasses when shooting baseball and I had to choose carefully to find a pair that provides decent glare reduction without too much light attenuation, fortunately the same setup that works well with the head up displays in my cars works well with the cameras.

Rodger