Going from DSLR to R... does the lack of a top deck LCD bother you?

Hi all, I have a question for those of you who have switched from a DSLR to an R6/R6 MkII, an R7, an R10, etc.

About the only issue I have with the design of those cameras is the missing LCD screen on the right side of the top deck. I am so used to checking important settings by just glancing at the LCD on my Canon DSLRs.

My question is how long did it take for you R owners to get the muscle memory of hitting the Q button and looking at the back screen or looking through the eyepiece to check your camera's status instead? And is it, in general, an annoyance to not have that little LCD screen on the top deck any more? I'm someone who usually has the back screen closed on my 6D MkII, so it's convenient to be able to just give the shutter button a half-press and glance down at my camera to check the battery level, drive, ISO, etc.

Canon's good DSLR design has spoiled me. First-world problem, I know.

Thank you in advance for your thoughts on this!

I had an R6 a couple years ago and never noticed not having it coming from a 1DX2 and 5dsr and on my R5 and R3 now I never look at it either.

No very long. You adapt quickly. However coming from the R5 I do miss not being able to map the MF-n, button to switch C1-3 modes on the R6II and R7 quite a bit. You have to manually turn the dial.

On the R5 you need the top LCD in order to change modes…a mode dial might have been easier.

I moved to the R from a 7DII and never used the top display while shooting. I added the R6 last year and love it even without the top display.  Some might say its just something else to break.

drsnoopy wrote:

On the R5 you need the top LCD in order to change modes…a mode dial might have been easier.

I miss having that option. I shot a model airplane show and just press the MF-n to switch between fast (jets) and slow (props) fps and still keep my eye on the EVF.

nope, never really used it anyway. that what the rear screen or in viewfinder is for.

I shoot the R and the R7 roughly equally. The R has the top screen, the R7 doesn't. It doesn't bother me at all.

I totally agree with DA above and would even go a step further and say that IMHO, a top screen is a waste of space that could be used for such things as a dedicated exposure comp dial, dedicated ISO dial-- or other stuff.  My R5 has one of course but I basically ignore it.  My R7 is without it, and I prefer it that way.

Bramble9

Thank-you, I had no idea this was the case.  What are these, Rebels?

For several years I had one camera with, and one without.  The one without drove me nuts.

I shoot in manual mode 100% of the time, I do a lot of tripod mounted shifting/stitching and focus stacking, so I rely on quickly checking the top screen.  I have been using a top screen since 1986, so I am not about to change 37 years later!

I have been thinking about an R7 but even for sports shooting that is likely a deal breaker.  At least the other cameras that I used without top panels were less than $300 USD each.  Every Canon camera over $1500 should have them.  It was Canon who started them in the first place back in the late 80's.

John Crowe wrote:

Thank-you, I had no idea this was the case. What are these, Rebels?

For several years I had one camera with, and one without. The one without drove me nuts.

I shoot in manual mode 100% of the time, I do a lot of tripod mounted shifting/stitching and focus stacking, so I rely on quickly checking the top screen. I have been using a top screen since 1986, so I am not about to change 37 years later!

I have been thinking about an R7 but even for sports shooting that is likely a deal breaker. At least the other cameras that I used without top panels were less than $300 USD each. Every Canon camera over $1500 should have them. It was Canon who started them in the first place back in the late 80's.

I really like having a top LCD for a quick settings check as I’m bringing the camera up to my eye (I shoot full Manual too).  I miss not having one, but it hasn’t been a deal breaker with my other bodies.

R2

John Crowe wrote:

Thank-you, I had no idea this was the case. What are these, Rebels?

For several years I had one camera with, and one without. The one without drove me nuts.

I shoot in manual mode 100% of the time, I do a lot of tripod mounted shifting/stitching and focus stacking, so I rely on quickly checking the top screen. I have been using a top screen since 1986, so I am not about to change 37 years later!

I have been thinking about an R7 but even for sports shooting that is likely a deal breaker. At least the other cameras that I used without top panels were less than $300 USD each. Every Canon camera over $1500 should have them. It was Canon who started them in the first place back in the late 80's.

Well, that’s one point of view. Not one widely shared, apparently, and it would be a pity to miss out on the best crop camera Canon has ever made because of an inability/unwillingness to adapt. But you do you. We’ll enjoy our R7s.

John Crowe wrote:

I have been thinking about an R7 but even for sports shooting that is likely a deal breaker. At least the other cameras that I used without top panels were less than $300 USD each. Every Canon camera over $1500 should have them.

No.

No issue with me as we all know there is less available space with the smaller body depth of most mirrorless. I'd rather have more control buttons than to have a small display lighted display which is easily covered by both eVF and the rear screen display.

I only wish some or all of the buttons are auto-illuminated (like what you have in your car these days) for '"pitch-black" environmental conditions, with options to turn them off, and better battery life comparable to DSLRs....best-in-performance mirrorless cameras are only around 60% or less of the CIPA of a DSLR.

Yus.
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