Changing viewfinder timeout - Canon SL1

Digirame wrote:

I don't understand what you both mean. When I use my Canon T7i (800D) camera the LCD screen and viewfinder are on continuously. They never time out. But my Canon M50 has a sensor that won't let us use the viewfinder and LCD screen at the same time (if I get too close). As a workaround, I pull the LCD screen away from the body far enough from that sensor. Then I can look at the LCD screen on the left side very closely and the viewfinder at the same time. I don't have any of that timing out of the viewfinder with the Canon T7i (800D) camera if that is what you all are referring to. I don't remember that happening with my Canon T3i (600D) camera either. That would be annoying if the viewfinder timed out. Is there a YouTube video that explains that? It would be interesting to see. Maybe that would clarify it.

Dig,

I think that you are looking at two different issues here.

1) Are you saying that the scene in front of you is present  on both your LCD screen and in your viewfinder at the same time? On my camera, I have to choose one or the other by pressing the Live View button on the back.

2) I think that Greg's problem is that the exposure settings line at the bottom of his viewfinder disappears after a few seconds, unless he contiunously holds down some other  button, and he doesn't want to do that.

I have found that, while your exposure settings line is displayed at the bottom of your viewfinder, you can lock those exposure settings by hitting the exposure lock button; however, that lock only lasts for approximately six seconds. If you don't hit that lock button, the settings line disappears after about three seconds.

To lock and hold those settings, you can hit the exposure lock  button  and then hold down either the AF button, or the Depth of Field Preview button on the side of your camera with your left hand. The settings line will stay on as long as you continuously hold down that second button. If you let go, they will disappear.

Greg, if you want to make changes after you compose your shot, you might be better off switching over to Live View and hitting your Q button. Then you can see the effect of making changes in real time.

Steve Thomas