Optical vs Electronic Viewfinder

c.hammett · Oct 31, 2006

Since it seems that on most (all ?) p/s cameras with viewfinders, the optical v/f is not through the lens, it would be a less accurate depiction of the scene to be captured than those with EVF's (even though the latter is kind of a tacky image). Is this correct ?

In other words, as I understand it, the EVF projects the same image as the LCD.

caroloyn
--
Ranger a.k.a chammett
http://www.pbase.com/chammett

'elegance is simplicity'

Bo Lorentzen · Oct 31, 2006

Yes the eletronic viewfinder projects the same image as what is captured. this along with the option to see live exposure corrections is one of the biggest advantages to this syste. Disadvantages currently being low resolution and slow updates, once the resolution increases it will also be possible to see critical focus on the eletronic screen.. but not quite yet.

Bo

http://www.bophoto.com/panos

c.hammett · Oct 31, 2006

Bo Lorentzen said:
Yes the eletronic viewfinder projects the same image as what is
captured. this along with the option to see live exposure
corrections is one of the biggest advantages to this syste.
Disadvantages currently being low resolution and slow updates, once
the resolution increases it will also be possible to see critical
focus on the eletronic screen.. but not quite yet.

Bo

http://www.bophoto.com/panos

--That's what bothers me about the EVF.... the resolution and the projection are so "artificial" looking, but I guess compensated for by the full view of what you are shooting.

carolyn
Ranger a.k.a chammett
http://www.pbase.com/chammett

'elegance is simplicity'

Bo Lorentzen · Oct 31, 2006

Yeah they are not really up to snuff - yet. Im very convinced that in a few years the top end DSLR's will be featuring 6megapix eletronic viewfinders with a incredible sharp and natural live image feed.

But already now they let us see exposure live and also composition.

Bo

http://www.bophoto.com/panos

bdery · Oct 31, 2006

c.hammett said:
--That's what bothers me about the EVF.... the resolution and the
projection are so "artificial" looking, but I guess compensated for
by the full view of what you are shooting.

carolyn
Ranger a.k.a chammett
http://www.pbase.com/chammett

'elegance is simplicity'

Have you tried an EVF? I use mine more than half the time with my S2, and I love it. Much better than seeing 80% of the scene with no idea if my exposure and white balance are correct. Of course, a DSLR-style TTL viewfinder is great, but it again has the drawback of not showing you an actual preview.

Manufacturers could make high-res EVFs and LCDs, but the price would go up, and most customers don't really care, nor think about, their EVF's resolution.

Mine has a pretty average resolution, but since most of the time I can trust the autofocus, that's not a problem, And when I have to focus manually, given hyporfocal values it's not really a problem either.

--
bdery

Québec city, Canada
C A N O N S 2
C O O L P I X S Q
http://www.aperturehead.com/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=54

bfollett · Oct 31, 2006

I have the S2 with the EFV, and for most situations its just fine, but I take a lot of pictures of dragonflies and damselflies for a neighbor, and I'll tell you there has been a fair number of times that I've spotted a damselfly with my naked eye in a patch of grass and then tried to frame it with the EFV and I simply can't find it. So it will be nice when the resolutions of EFVs increase. I believe the Minolta A1 or was it A2, had a very high resolution EFV but when Minolta came out with the newer(cheaper) A200, they downgraded it. So its probably more a function of cost than technical ability that is keeping higher res EFV off of cameras.

Bob

bfollett · Oct 31, 2006

EVF not EFV (nt)

John NA87 · Oct 31, 2006

One of the things I've wondered about the models with EVF is if the EVF blanks out after the shot like the LCD does. If so, how do you follow a moving subject using continuous shooting?

I have an A620 and recently tried following a marathon runner in continuous mode as he ran by me, using the LCD for framing as I usually do. I lost him in the crowd part way through as they ran by because of the short blanking of the LCD after each shot. So after that I just used the OVF and had no troubles. Doesn't the EVF blank out between shots just like the LCD does?

Bagshanty · Oct 31, 2006

I've been using an SLR for 40 years, and cannot get used to an EVF. I thought it would be the answer to a maiden's prayer - but it ain't! Some screens are as granular as beads, and in sunshine - forget it! And I'm not convinced that you can accurately judge exposure, colour balance a nd correct focus on a small screen in good conditions, never mind bright sunlight.

So whilst the OVF isn't TTL, it does zoom with the lens,and in most situations gives a clearer view. There are times when the EVF is invaluable, macro stuff for instance, and in very low light. The EVF will also gobble batteries for breakfast.

An OVF is top of my "must have" list, and I won't look at cameras without one. (2nd on my list is being pocketable. Since I've swapped from an SLR that I never had with me when I needed it to a P&S I've taken numerous excellent shots I would otherwise have missed)

I have my eye on an Ixus 850IS (UK name), mainly for the 28 mm equiv lens.

technicsplayer. · Oct 31, 2006

evfs are pretty low res and you just cannot be sure that the focus is correct and have to trust the autofocus, you cannot rely on the vast majority of them for accurate manual focus.

Robert N · Oct 31, 2006

--
Regards,

Robert
http://sondek.smugmug.com

bdery · Oct 31, 2006

A side note first, The Pro1 had a 230k pixels LCD and EVF. So it's possible to get high-res.

Now for the trick. If you have trouble tracking subjects, you should practice shooting with both eyes open. The right eye looks into the EVF, and the left one tracks the subject in "free air"... it's confusing at first, but it works very well once you get used to it. That's one of the reasons why I love having both an LCD and a trustworthy EVF (even though it's relatively low res)
--
bdery

Québec city, Canada
C A N O N S 2
C O O L P I X S Q
http://www.aperturehead.com/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=54

thecameraguy · Oct 31, 2006

with a ttl viewfinder...why do you need electronic viewfinder on SLR?..makes no sense to me.

but the oly has it on e330"live preview"

--

~ Being over-exposed can get you arrested ~

c.hammett · Oct 31, 2006

bdery said:
c.hammett said:

--That's what bothers me about the EVF.... the resolution and the
projection are so "artificial" looking, but I guess compensated for
by the full view of what you are shooting.

carolyn
Ranger a.k.a chammett
http://www.pbase.com/chammett

'elegance is simplicity'

Click to expand...

Have you tried an EVF? I use mine more than half the time with my
S2, and I love it. Much better than seeing 80% of the scene with no
idea if my exposure and white balance are correct. Of course, a
DSLR-style TTL viewfinder is great, but it again has the drawback
of not showing you an actual preview.

Yes, I have the Pro 1 with EVF as well as a 10D and 20D with OVF (obviously !)

bdery said:
Manufacturers could make high-res EVFs and LCDs, but the price
would go up, and most customers don't really care, nor think about,
their EVF's resolution.

I think it just bugs me as it is the first one I"ve ever had. EVF Looks like a "paint-by-number" picrture !

bdery said:
Mine has a pretty average resolution, but since most of the time I
can trust the autofocus, that's not a problem, And when I have to
focus manually, given hyporfocal values it's not really a problem
either.

--carolyn
Ranger a.k.a chammett
http://www.pbase.com/chammett

'elegance is simplicity'

c.hammett · Oct 31, 2006

John NA87 said:
One of the things I've wondered about the models with EVF is if the
EVF blanks out after the shot like the LCD does. If so, how do you
follow a moving subject using continuous shooting?

Yes, my Pro 1 blacks out for a fraction of a second, and then the image comes up with the histogram and info. .... or you can get just the image.

John NA87 said:
I have an A620 and recently tried following a marathon runner in
continuous mode as he ran by me, using the LCD for framing as I
usually do. I lost him in the crowd part way through as they ran
by because of the short blanking of the LCD after each shot. So
after that I just used the OVF and had no troubles. Doesn't the
EVF blank out between shots just like the LCD does?

I haven't tried tracking a moving object or continuous shooting with the Pro 1, but I assume it does as you say.

--carolyn
Ranger a.k.a chammett
http://www.pbase.com/chammett

'elegance is simplicity'

bfollett · Oct 31, 2006

I just checked and found the Minolta A2 had a 922k viewfinder, so it was quite a bit better than the pro1 in that reguard. I've tried your suggestion of keeping my other eye open, and it is hard to get used to. Plus I find the lens barrel sometimes gets in the way anyway.

Bagshanty · Dec 22, 2006

Back in the 70's M'sieur Coquin brought out Cokin filters, which could produce dramatic effects. Suddenly every photo exhibited was taken with a graduated tobacco filter, producing dramatic sky effects. So what was new and exciting became new and boring.

Also back in the 70's, when I belonged to quite a progressive camera club ("Alternative Photographics", in Kent) I could "see" the image I was after, a red London bus coming over a bridge, and only the bus had colour. I could not for the life of me work out how to do it, not having the very expensive darkroom and airbrushing skills required to do it. Now with my new Canon Ixus 850IS, I can do it just like that - too easy! And the effects are really remarkable - but soon every other picture will be black, white and red (because it works best with red, in my view)

Just an observation, and it won't stop me using colour accent, which I think is brilliant. (Not so sure about colour swap, though)

Andy

Bagshanty · Dec 22, 2006

Hm, not sure how this arrived here! I thought I was replying to the post about Color Accent!

Sorry chaps

PC Wheeler · Dec 22, 2006

c.hammett said:
Since it seems that on most (all ?) p/s cameras with viewfinders,
the optical v/f is not through the lens, it would be a less
accurate depiction of the scene to be captured than those with
EVF's (even though the latter is kind of a tacky image). Is this
correct ?

Yes .. except on DSLRs where the OVF is though the lens.

c.hammett said:
In other words, as I understand it, the EVF projects the same image
as the LCD.

Yup .. and even can display shooting info and, on the S3 IS, a live histogram.

Some don't like EVFs. I thing they're great. Only thing better is the OVF in my EOS 20D.

Phil

PC Wheeler · Dec 22, 2006

Bagshanty said:
Hm, not sure how this arrived here! I thought I was replying to the
post about Color Accent!

Sorry chaps

I got bit by it too.

Optical vs Electronic Viewfinder

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