M100 and no viewfinder

Andy01 wrote:

Bob in NV wrote:

The M100 with a kit lens seems like such a bargain at $350 from most vendors. My worry is using a camera with no EVF. Of course I use my iPhone as a camera all the time and don't really think about the lack of a viewfinder. But my more "serious " camera, a Nikon DSLR has an optical viewfinder, and I just think of cameras as having viewfinders.

I just am looking for a portable camera with better IQ and more control than my phone. And one that I can carry with me most of the time. Are M100 owners happy even without an EVF?

TIA,
Bob

This is a personal thing that depends on personal circumstances.

My thoughts;

• If you wear glasses full time, or have good eyesight and don't need reading glasses, may not be a problem.
• If you live in a climate where very bright direct sunshine is not the norm, may not be a problem.
• If you are using relatively short lenses that are easy to hold out in front of you, may not be a problem.

But if you are like me;

• Needs glasses only for reading / seeing detail - LCD is a pain because I generally don't wear prescription glasses walking around, so I would need them to see detail on LCD. A VF (EVF or OVF) has diopter adjustments, so not a problem.
• I live in Queensland, Australia where most days are bright sunshine throughout the year. Seeing detail on the LCD in bright sun is difficult, sometimes impossible (same as a phone), so you end up guessing and hoping for the best.
• Trying to hold a decent zoom at full extension out in front of you is challenging for most.

And I did try the original add-on EVF on a M3 years ago and found it to make the camera an awkward shape and size. I replaced it with a M5 which is smaller/neater than M3 + EVF, and a whole lot more user friendly - at least for my situation.

Colin

I hated the evf on the m3 for the reasons you stated. Never again with the external evf's.