View finder or Image display

I am shopping for a replacement digital camera.
I much prefer taking picture with a view finder.
To my dismal the camera I have my eyes set on only has an image display.
At first sight I think it will take me more time to view my subject and take
picture looking at the image display instead of the view finder. I may be a
little old fashion and I should get use to the image display. But I have a
feeling that it is not as effective as the view finder. What do you think?

wrote:
I am shopping for a replacement digital camera.
I much prefer taking picture with a view finder.
To my dismal the camera I have my eyes set on only has an image display.
At first sight I think it will take me more time to view my subject and take
picture looking at the image display instead of the view finder. I may be a
little old fashion and I should get use to the image display. But I have a
feeling that it is not as effective as the view finder. What do you think?

I greatly prefer a viewfinder. On the top of the list would be a
digital SLR with an actual through lens viewfinder. I couldn't afford
one so I bought a Kodak P850. It uses an LCD viewfinder that shows the
same thing that is on the larger image screen. Allows me to have the
best of both worlds.

wrote:
I am shopping for a replacement digital camera.
I much prefer taking picture with a view finder.
To my dismal the camera I have my eyes set on only has an image display.
At first sight I think it will take me more time to view my subject and take
picture looking at the image display instead of the view finder. I may be a
little old fashion and I should get use to the image display. But I have a
feeling that it is not as effective as the view finder. What do you think?

I like optical viewfinders too and both digital cameras I bought
have them. But there are pros and cons of the optical vs. electronic
view finders (EVFs).

Advantages of optical:
No blanking or freezing after a shot.
Does not turn off when the camera turns off.
Always in focus no herky jerky while focusing.
Follows action fine - no herky jerky motion.
Follows zooming fine - no herky jerky motion.
No battery drain.
Most EVF advantages are still accessible using the
LCD on the back of the camera.

Advantages of EVF:
See an accurate image. Optical finders usually show less than
the sensor actually sees.
See computer outputs on the screen, e.g. exposure data.
See actual focus.
"Gain up" in some EVFs in low light.
Handles super-zoom lenses which can't be accomodated with
reasonable size/cost optical finders.

One way to think about it is, for fast action shooting, optical
viewfinders are superior. For superzoom lenses, EVF is
superior - the largest zoom optical finder I've seen is 6:1 on
the Canon A700.

Alan

After writing my reply, it dawned on me that you weren't
comparing optical vs. electronic view finders, you were
interested in comparing optical vs LCD on the back only.

I mistakenly wrote about EVFs, which are eye level
finders that look like optical finders but show an image
from the sensor rather than through an optical view.

If you're just thinking about whether to buy a camera
that has an optical finder plus LCD on the back vs. one
that only has an LCD on the back, I think there's no
question that the camera with both optical and LCD
is more versatile than one with LCD only.

The only advantages I can think of of LCD only a
1) they cost less and 2) they may have more room for
a larger LCD - which is nice. The disadvantages are
all the ones Iisted in my previous post, plus some of
them are difficult to use in bright sunlight.

I probably use the optical finder more than the LCD on
my cameras that have both, though I'm learning to
use the LCD more an more because of its more
accurate framing.

Alan

Alan Meyer wrote:
wrote:
I am shopping for a replacement digital camera.
I much prefer taking picture with a view finder.
To my dismal the camera I have my eyes set on only has an image display.
At first sight I think it will take me more time to view my subject and take
picture looking at the image display instead of the view finder. I may be a
little old fashion and I should get use to the image display. But I have a
feeling that it is not as effective as the view finder. What do you think?

I like optical viewfinders too and both digital cameras I bought
have them. But there are pros and cons of the optical vs. electronic
view finders (EVFs).

Advantages of optical:
No blanking or freezing after a shot.
Does not turn off when the camera turns off.
Always in focus no herky jerky while focusing.
Follows action fine - no herky jerky motion.
Follows zooming fine - no herky jerky motion.
No battery drain.
Most EVF advantages are still accessible using the
LCD on the back of the camera.

Advantages of EVF:
See an accurate image. Optical finders usually show less than
the sensor actually sees.
See computer outputs on the screen, e.g. exposure data.
See actual focus.
"Gain up" in some EVFs in low light.
Handles super-zoom lenses which can't be accomodated with
reasonable size/cost optical finders.

One way to think about it is, for fast action shooting, optical
viewfinders are superior. For superzoom lenses, EVF is
superior - the largest zoom optical finder I've seen is 6:1 on
the Canon A700.

Hi...

As an old guy who recently upgraded to a camera with an optical
viewfinder (and regrets it), may I add a couple more?

The evf shows you realistically what you're gonna get in low
light situations, and let's you tweak things to get what you're
hoping for without multiple shots (grandkids around the campfire)

The evf automagically doesn't introduce parallax error
(close up pics of flowers in bright daylight [too bright
to see the lcd well or at all])

The evf can be used to review pics by yourself or passed
around to those you've photographed on a bright day.

The evf frames your pic as the lcd would...

The evf shows you (is this good or bad?) other info in the viewfinder.

Just my two cents worth, for consideration.

Take care.

Ken

Good points Ken.

Alan

wrote:
I am shopping for a replacement digital camera.
I much prefer taking picture with a view finder.
To my dismal the camera I have my eyes set on only has an image display.
At first sight I think it will take me more time to view my subject and take
picture looking at the image display instead of the view finder. I may be a
little old fashion and I should get use to the image display. But I have a
feeling that it is not as effective as the view finder. What do you think?



The image display does show a better idea of the final image, especially
in the case of closeups. However, it promotes a very BAD way of holding
a camera which can result in blurry images. I will NOT buy a camera
without a viewfinder, period.

On Tue, 03 Oct 2006 23:51:05 GMT, wrote:

I am shopping for a replacement digital camera.
I much prefer taking picture with a view finder.
To my dismal the camera I have my eyes set on only has an image display.
At first sight I think it will take me more time to view my subject and take
picture looking at the image display instead of the view finder. I may be a
little old fashion and I should get use to the image display. But I have a
feeling that it is not as effective as the view finder. What do you think?


I've got an evf camera. It's also good for reviewing the pictures
you've just taken, even in bright light. I can check a picture and
zoom in on it to see if it's sharp and in focus. (10x zoom lens,
sometimes the image stabilizer and autofocus work, sometimes they
don't) You also get the little dialed eyeball corrector working for
you (whatever they call it diopter correction ?

Add the better framing you get esp zoomed to 10x and is there ANY
question what you want ?

"Alan Meyer" wrote in message ups.com...
Good points Ken.

Alan

Though some (better) EVF finders do not show "herky-jerky"
effects with panning or zooming...
--
David Ruether


http://www.ferrario.com/ruether