Which Viewfinder for Digital?

What viewfinder is recommended for a NON SLR
digital camera. There are LCD and optical, on the
non SLR digital cameras when you look through a optical
viewfinder the image is very small. Can one compose
accurately with these?
Does a LCD viewfinder substantially drain the battery
and can you see the focus well with these?
What is the norm regarding viewfinders?

Thanks
Denny B

"Denny B" wrote in message
...
What viewfinder is recommended for a NON SLR
digital camera. There are LCD and optical, on the
non SLR digital cameras when you look through a optical
viewfinder the image is very small. Can one compose
accurately with these?

Sure, many of us grew up using optical vf and it is quite natural. Holding
the camera close to your eye helps eliminate a lot of shake also.


Does a LCD viewfinder substantially drain the battery
and can you see the focus well with these?

Mine will show the focus once I hit hte AF buton. It shuts off after a
minute to save battery drain. IMO, that is not a big deal.

What is the norm regarding viewfinders?

Don't know for sure, but some compact cameras no longer have an optical
finder so that will start a trend to save money.

Denny B wrote:
What viewfinder is recommended for a NON SLR
digital camera. There are LCD and optical, on the
non SLR digital cameras when you look through a optical
viewfinder the image is very small. Can one compose
accurately with these?
Does a LCD viewfinder substantially drain the battery
and can you see the focus well with these?
What is the norm regarding viewfinders?

Thanks
Denny B


As long as there is enough light to create a good image in the LCD
viewfinder (usually called an EVF...Electronic View Finder), I much
prefer it to an optical finder.
1.) Composing is a snap with an EVF because it displays "exactly" what
the camera captures.
2.) Optical viewfinders have SERIOUS parallax problems when shooting
close ups. You pretty much have to guess what you are going to capture.
EVFs are spot on, no matter how close you get to the subject.
3.) Because you can compose your picture so precisely with an EVF, you
don't have to allow for a margin of error by capturing a larger image
than you really need. I figure that is like getting about 1 extra MP of
image resolution.
OTOH, in very low light situations the EVF may not be bright enough to
allow you to compose your picture......Bummer.
Bob Williams

Denny B wrote:
: What viewfinder is recommended for a NON SLR
: digital camera. There are LCD and optical, on the
: non SLR digital cameras when you look through a optical
: viewfinder the image is very small. Can one compose
: accurately with these?
: Does a LCD viewfinder substantially drain the battery
: and can you see the focus well with these?
: What is the norm regarding viewfinders?

: Thanks
: Denny B

As with many other such questions in Photography (and Life) "the Best"
will be defines by several factors. In this case:

1. What specific equipment? Some manufacturers and some models are better
at making the most of their particular style of device. Not all optical
viewfinders are the same. Not all Electronic View Finders are the same.
Some will naturally be more effective than others (somewhat dependant on
the materials and manufacturing, and thus price of that particular part of
the camera).

2. What intended use? Some types of finder are more effective with a
particular type of intended use. One that is great for macrophotography
may not be effective in outdoor, variable condition use. For example, a
LCD display can be very difficult to see in bright light conditions. On
the other hand it is hard to put a backlight on an optical VF to boost the
ability to use it in poor lighting. In addition, some devices lend
themself naturally to configurations that are just not possible with the
other. An electronic display can easily be on a swivel base that allows
the photographer to be at a wild angle or distance from the camera. This
flexability is just not possible (without large homemade devices to
conduct, magnify and bend the optical path) with a purely optical VF.

3. Personal history/preference. Some people who began their photo hobby
(even pros normally began as a hobbiest) in the days before electronics
find it hard to get used to the peculiarities of electronic finders.
Others, of the same era, find the use of electronic displays to be the
most natural thing to do. Also there may be physical limits that will
effect the usefulness of a particular design. For those of us who's arms
seem to be getting too short to hold the camera far enough from our eyes
to effectively focus on a display, the EVF displays are very hard to use.
While we can easily look through an optical VF and the image is clear
(optical adjustments on the eyepiece make this even easier).

There may be even more factors to the decision that I have not thought of.

So as you can see, there is definately no "one best" solution to the
problem of aiming a camera. Each of us have to compare, research and
decide what is best for our own particular situation. Sometimes there is
no one best for even the same person. I have multiple cameras that each
are "best" for a particular use. When I want high quality, very detailed
images that I can manipulate durring and after the shoot, I tend to use my
DSLR with its many lenses, filters and adjustments. But I rarely carry it
when I am just running to the store for a loaf of bread. So I have a small
"pocket" camera that I have found gives me useable "snapshot" images that
can easily constantly ride in my pocket for those unexpected shots that
beg to be caught (traffic backed up for blocks while mama duck leads her
new brood across the highway from the nest to the pond, etc). If I was
stuck with either camera alone, I would frequently be disapointed. I would
either begin to resent the large DSLR that I carry around everywhere, or
miss great shots because I left it home. Or I would be disapointed that I
just can't capture the subtle nuances of a spectacular scene because I am
limited by what the pocket cam can do.

Randy

==========
Randy Berbaum
Champaign, IL

Denny B wrote:
What viewfinder is recommended for a NON SLR
digital camera. There are LCD and optical, on the
non SLR digital cameras when you look through a optical
viewfinder the image is very small. Can one compose
accurately with these?
Does a LCD viewfinder substantially drain the battery
and can you see the focus well with these?
What is the norm regarding viewfinders?

Thanks
Denny B

The early digital point-'n-shoot cameras were very battery-hungry when used
with the LCD screen, but more recent cameras seem to have overcome this
problem. If your camera is less than 2 years old, you should be able to use
either LCD or VF without a vast difference in battery usage, although
obviously the battery will consume less power when using the VF.

Dennis.

"Denny B" wrote in message
...
What viewfinder is recommended for a NON SLR
digital camera. There are LCD and optical, on the
non SLR digital cameras when you look through a optical
viewfinder the image is very small. Can one compose
accurately with these?
Does a LCD viewfinder substantially drain the battery
and can you see the focus well with these?
What is the norm regarding viewfinders?

Thanks
Denny B



Personally, I much prefer the LCD on a digicam. The optical viewfinders are
small, optically poor, and more inaccurate the closer to the camera you get.
My 2nd digicam, Canon G1, and current one, Canon S2IS, both have a flip 'n
twist LCD making it that much easier to use. The S2IS has a through the
lens EVF, but compared to the view I'm used to seeing on my DSLR it's
terrible so I use the LCD.

Mark

Denny B wrote:
What viewfinder is recommended for a NON SLR
digital camera. There are LCD and optical

My 2 cts : there should be BOTH on a good P&S camera.

The EVF (or backpanel LCD) are great for their 100% coverage, and they
also give you an very interesting idea of the exposure of the shot.
But, I haven't seen yet any EVF/LCD usable in high lighting conditions.

I was working in the French Riviera with a CoolpixS1 lately, and under
the sun I had to do a LOT of guess framing. I also tested an (old now)
dimageA1 while backcountry skiing, and the EVF was as useful as off
with snow & sun (.
In both cases, I did deeply regret not to have an innacurate optical
finder.

Note intended for Kodak sales' executives only : that may prevent me to
buy the (otherwise very desirable with its WA ability) V570 ;o).

Sorry for my English,
Nicolas

wrote in message
oups.com...

Denny B wrote:
What viewfinder is recommended for a NON SLR
digital camera. There are LCD and optical

My 2 cts : there should be BOTH on a good P&S camera.

The EVF (or backpanel LCD) are great for their 100% coverage, and they
also give you an very interesting idea of the exposure of the shot.
But, I haven't seen yet any EVF/LCD usable in high lighting conditions.

I was working in the French Riviera with a CoolpixS1 lately, and under
the sun I had to do a LOT of guess framing. I also tested an (old now)
dimageA1 while backcountry skiing, and the EVF was as useful as off
with snow & sun (.
In both cases, I did deeply regret not to have an innacurate optical
finder.

Note intended for Kodak sales' executives only : that may prevent me to
buy the (otherwise very desirable with its WA ability) V570 ;o).

Sorry for my English,
Nicolas

I'd go for both on a P&S too - only use the LCD if framing is important
though. Optical doesn't cut it for long lenses though (talking 6x+ zooms
here), EVF every time.