P&S optical viewfinders

Some months ago, I retired a 35mm Yashica T5 in favor of a Sony DSC W5,
which takes better pictures and is in many ways a more versatile
camera. However, in one particular respect, the Yashica was superior to
the Sony; its optical viewfinder was much better. My number one
aggravation with the Sony is that its viewfinder is about 25% smaller
than the actual picture. I like to photograph architecture (see
flickr.com/photos/cbrace), and I spend an inordinate amount of effort
trying to frame the pictures correctly, since normally it is a tight
fit, and it exasperates me no end that that what I see throught the
optical viewfinder doesn't match the final image.

At this point, buying a different camera is not an option but just out
of curiosity: are there digital P&S cameras with better optical
viewfinders? I for one just can't get used to shooting pictures by
means of the TFT screen, like I see many people doing.

--
Colin Brace
Amsterdam

Colin Brace wrote:
Some months ago, I retired a 35mm Yashica T5 in favor of a Sony DSC
W5, which takes better pictures and is in many ways a more versatile
camera. However, in one particular respect, the Yashica was superior
to the Sony; its optical viewfinder was much better. My number one
aggravation with the Sony is that its viewfinder is about 25% smaller
than the actual picture. I like to photograph architecture (see
flickr.com/photos/cbrace), and I spend an inordinate amount of
effort trying to frame the pictures correctly, since normally it is a
tight fit, and it exasperates me no end that that what I see throught
the optical viewfinder doesn't match the final image.

At this point, buying a different camera is not an option but just out
of curiosity: are there digital P&S cameras with better optical
viewfinders? I for one just can't get used to shooting pictures by
means of the TFT screen, like I see many people doing.

Colin,

For your next camera, look at those with an Electronic Viewfinder (EVF).
This is small LCD, which is fitted into an SLR-like viewfinder enclosure,
so you use it like an SLR and bring the camera to your face. Being
electronic rather than a "best-attempt compromise" optical finder, it can
be 100% accurate. However, the image quality is not as high as the finder
on an SLR.

For my architectural stuff, I like my Nikon 8400 with its 24 - 85mm zoom,
coupled with a long-zoom camera (the Panasonic FZ5) for details. I hope
you have already discovered combining images automatically for a wider
view, and using programs such as Paint Shop Pro for "perspective
correction".

David

"David J Taylor"
wrote:
Colin Brace wrote:
Some months ago, I retired a 35mm Yashica T5 in favor of a Sony DSC
W5, which takes better pictures and is in many ways a more versatile
camera. However, in one particular respect, the Yashica was superior
to the Sony; its optical viewfinder was much better. My number one
aggravation with the Sony is that its viewfinder is about 25% smaller
than the actual picture. I like to photograph architecture (see
flickr.com/photos/cbrace), and I spend an inordinate amount of
effort trying to frame the pictures correctly, since normally it is a
tight fit, and it exasperates me no end that that what I see throught
the optical viewfinder doesn't match the final image.

At this point, buying a different camera is not an option but just out
of curiosity: are there digital P&S cameras with better optical
viewfinders? I for one just can't get used to shooting pictures by
means of the TFT screen, like I see many people doing.

Colin,

For your next camera, look at those with an Electronic Viewfinder (EVF).
This is small LCD, which is fitted into an SLR-like viewfinder enclosure,
so you use it like an SLR and bring the camera to your face. Being
electronic rather than a "best-attempt compromise" optical finder, it can
be 100% accurate. However, the image quality is not as high as the finder
on an SLR.

SLR snots such as myself often turn up their noses at these, but I really
enjoyed the Sony F707's EVF.

The only problem is that you should try before you buy; a lot of the EVFs
aren't as nice as the Sony's was.

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

David J. Littleboy wrote:
"David J Taylor"
wrote:
Colin Brace wrote:
Some months ago, I retired a 35mm Yashica T5 in favor of a Sony DSC
W5, which takes better pictures and is in many ways a more versatile
camera. However, in one particular respect, the Yashica was superior
to the Sony; its optical viewfinder was much better. My number one
aggravation with the Sony is that its viewfinder is about 25%
smaller than the actual picture. I like to photograph architecture
(see flickr.com/photos/cbrace), and I spend an inordinate amount
of effort trying to frame the pictures correctly, since normally it
is a tight fit, and it exasperates me no end that that what I see
throught the optical viewfinder doesn't match the final image.

At this point, buying a different camera is not an option but just
out of curiosity: are there digital P&S cameras with better optical
viewfinders? I for one just can't get used to shooting pictures by
means of the TFT screen, like I see many people doing.

Colin,

For your next camera, look at those with an Electronic Viewfinder
(EVF). This is small LCD, which is fitted into an SLR-like
viewfinder enclosure, so you use it like an SLR and bring the camera
to your face. Being electronic rather than a "best-attempt
compromise" optical finder, it can be 100% accurate. However, the
image quality is not as high as the finder on an SLR.

SLR snots such as myself often turn up their noses at these, but I
really enjoyed the Sony F707's EVF.

The only problem is that you should try before you buy; a lot of the
EVFs aren't as nice as the Sony's was.

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

David,

The best EVF I've ever seen was that on the Minolta A2 - full VGA
resolution, unfortunately advertised as 900,000+ pixels. No it's just
over 300,000 pixels! Nevertheless, I wish all were as good as that. It
was a pleasure to use, and a great pity that more manufacturers didn't
take it up.

Completely agree on try before you buy - precisely why I said "look"
rather than "consider"!

David

I hope you have already discovered combining images automatically
for a wider view, and using programs such as Paint Shop Pro for
"perspective correction".

I've stitched images together using gimp (I am on linux), but I haven't
figured out how to do perspective correction, which is defintely a
problem with the geometrical shapes of buildings and the like. If
anyone here knows how to do this with gimp, I'd be interested in
hearing about it..

--
Colin Brace
Amsterdam

I also have the W5 and in 3000+ shots have used the viewfinder maybe 5
times, I use it for accurate exposure and composition . I wont buy a
Dslr till there is Lcd preview.

m Ransley wrote:
I also have the W5 and in 3000+ shots have used the viewfinder maybe 5
times, I use it for accurate exposure and composition . I wont buy a
Dslr till there is Lcd preview.

There already are DSLRs with LCD preview:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympuse330/

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0602/06...cl1handson.asp

David

I am hoping to wait out a Canon, since I have alot of Canon glass., The
Panasonic isnt out yet but is worth a consideration if reviews rate it
extremely high, but their present sensors dont leave that a sureity. My
lenses and Canon reviews make Canon my first choise.

On 3 Apr 2006 03:39:11 -0700, Colin Brace wrote:
I hope you have already discovered combining images automatically
for a wider view, and using programs such as Paint Shop Pro for
"perspective correction".

I've stitched images together using gimp (I am on linux), but I haven't
figured out how to do perspective correction, which is defintely a
problem with the geometrical shapes of buildings and the like. If
anyone here knows how to do this with gimp, I'd be interested in
hearing about it..

Get a copy of hugin (hugin.sourceforge.net); it's designed for stitching
multiple frames together, but it can also do all sorts of perspective
corrections on single frames.

-dms

Colin Brace wrote:
Some months ago, I retired a 35mm Yashica T5 in favor of a Sony DSC W5,
which takes better pictures and is in many ways a more versatile
camera. However, in one particular respect, the Yashica was superior to
the Sony; its optical viewfinder was much better. My number one
aggravation with the Sony is that its viewfinder is about 25% smaller
than the actual picture. I like to photograph architecture (see
flickr.com/photos/cbrace), and I spend an inordinate amount of effort
trying to frame the pictures correctly, since normally it is a tight
fit, and it exasperates me no end that that what I see throught the
optical viewfinder doesn't match the final image.

At this point, buying a different camera is not an option but just out
of curiosity: are there digital P&S cameras with better optical
viewfinders? I for one just can't get used to shooting pictures by
means of the TFT screen, like I see many people doing.

--
Colin Brace
Amsterdam

Something very overlooked in viewfinder P&S camera. You can try the
Canon G6, higher end than the Sony. Not sure even that will be as good
as the T5, one of the best bang for the buck cameras ever made. How
about the Epson RD-1s, what's a few $, right? I always found EVFs to be
annoying ( I'm a Leica M, and SLR user). So I gave up and bought a
DSLR.

Tom