Do you shoot using the Live View function

[vincent_ph]

I've been using my D700 for 2 months now, and haven't used it once, I'm just thinking how useful has this feature been to you? I am an event photographer by the way specializing in weddings.

 

[Luke Kaven]

It can be a great help for nailing exact focus on tripod setups, especially for ultra-wide lenses, and at night, when the subject is otherwise difficult to see through the viewfinder.

 

[CamasJC]

Not useful to me at all -- Can't see close up without reading glasses (but I am still within diopter adjustment range for the viewfinder + grid lines)
--
John
http://www.JChristopherGalleries.com

 

[GlobalGuyUSA]

I've never even used it once.

I tried and couldn't figure out how to make it work the way I hoped for.

It just seems useless to me.

Until I have a live view screen that is off-body, I don't think its all that great.

Swivel would be important for low and high shots, which aren't all that rare (and coceivably would be much less rare, with such an ability!).

In the D700 form, I find live view fairly useless.

Swivel = useful.

Off-body = the gold mine.

I've never lost a lens. I wouldn't lose a screen.
--

Sincerely,

GlobalGuyUSA

 

[RoscoT]

I use it quite often in the studio, usually hooked up to a little portable DVD player through the video out jack. Lately I have been trying to hook it up to a 22" LCD TV through HDMI. Haven't had much luck though. The HDMI connection keeps dropping the signal. When it works, it produces a gorgeous image.
--
Rosco
My Advise is always free. So take it at it's face value
http://www.ahgphoto.com

 

[John Cote]

--

JohnCote
http://www.johncotephotography.com

'Cameras are just cr@p we have to lug around because there is no direct brain to printer connection...yet!'

 

[RomanJohnston]

Its like Digital Ground Glass for us.

: )

But when I shoot weddings or non static subjects I dont use it.

Tip though....you can put your live view on and adjust your WB in live view to match your desired taste....kinda cool WB tip for you.

Roman
--

The #1 tools of a successful photographer as well as a 'well lived' life is appreciation and a sense of adventure.

These are the tools of mastery of all things.

http://www.pbase.com/romansphotos/

 

[Ilkka Nissilä]

I've been using my D700 for 2 months now, and haven't used it once,
I'm just thinking how useful has this feature been to you? I am an
event photographer by the way specializing in weddings.

I don't actually shoot in live view mode but I use it to focus close-up shots at full magnification. For this it is excellent.

I think for the LV mode to be useful for actual shooting the mirror would have to not come down between LV viewing and the actual taking of the shot. The current implementation is just too noisy and slow for events.

 

[jeremypayne]

When using the tripod, I use it a lot.

100% coverage makes for better composition

Focus point can be moved anywhere in frame

Auto-focus is a little slow, but very accurate

The ability to zoom-in and do manual focus is really great

In short, on a tripod it is terrific ... but handheld it is useless.

 

[closeupfanatic]

Macros well above 1:1 often have too little light to see through the finder let alone focus. Photos under starlight, or of stars, give the same problem. I'd never buy a digital without it, but probably wouldn't use it doing your work.

 

[John_I]

I've been using my D700 for 2 months now, and haven't used it once,
I'm just thinking how useful has this feature been to you? I am an
event photographer by the way specializing in weddings.

I do use tripod mode handheld in crowded venues to get a shot. In full daylight it's harder to see, but in darker setting just OK. That said an articulated lcd would make this so o o o ... much easier. And Nikon already had done so very well years ago in the CP8800 and now finally in a dSLR with the new D5000.
--
John from Toronto
JBIPix Photoblog - http://jbipix.blogspot.com

 

[jean bernier]

It's great as a self-diagnosis tool if you want to check any lens for AF accuracy: focus manually in LV for ultra-critical focus, then re-focus with regular AF to see if it's in accordance. Live histogram may save some chimping around. You can even see vignetting and CA live. Invaluable for table top work when the focus point is far to the sides. But I admit I seldom use it, others may have other needs. A neat feature is the auto-gain feature: if you do not press OK while in LV, the LCD always tries to compensate in order to offer a useful view (and you get "live noise"). If you press OK, then you see what the picture will realy look like, with meter reading and histogram.
--
Jean Bernier

All photographs are only more or less credible illusions

 

[Yves P.]

Never although I am shure it has it's use but not for me ...

I've been using my D700 for 2 months now, and haven't used it once,
I'm just thinking how useful has this feature been to you? I am an
event photographer by the way specializing in weddings.

--
Yves P. Photographe
Share the Knowledge

NPS Member
PBASE Supporter

Some pictures I like:
http://www.pbase.com/yp8/

 

[Dave Bickle]

Agree with Roman. Use it often for WB setting.

 

[Hans Giersberg]

Live View is the most accurate means of achieving critical focus for situations where your subject is relatively static, such as landscape and architectural work.

--
I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own

Web Site - http://www.hgiersberg.com/

 

[Jeff Kohn]

Like Roman, Jeremy, and Hans I find live-view invaluable for achieving critical focus when shooting from a tripod, especially with manual focus and tilt/shift lenses, whichI never would have used with my D2x because manually focusing through even the best DX viewfinder is an excercise in futility.

Oh and for those who find live-view problematic when shooting outdoors in bright light due to glare and wash-out, the Hoodman Loupe is a great accessory.

--
Jeff Kohn
Houston, TX
http://www.pbase.com/jkohn
http://jeffk-photo.typepad.com

 

[Steve Bingham]

Had the camera since day 1. Tried the live view and decided it was not what I needed. Nice feature, but not for me. It it swiveled and I could look straight down, sure. But it doesn't.
--
Steve Bingham
http://www.dustylens.com
http://www.ghost-town-photography.com

 

[jean bernier]

Like Roman, Jeremy, and Hans I find live-view invaluable for
achieving critical focus when shooting from a tripod, especially with
manual focus and tilt/shift lenses, whichI never would have used with
my D2x because manually focusing through even the best DX viewfinder
is an excercise in futility.

Ha ha ha ...always been a favourite argument of mine. When we mean critical, we mean critical: really achieving optimum results with the lens in use...the work around was to take several pictures while fine tuning the focus ring, marking the distance scale if possible...

--
Jeff Kohn
Houston, TX
http://www.pbase.com/jkohn
http://jeffk-photo.typepad.com

--
Jean Bernier

All photographs are only more or less credible illusions

 

[gmosc]

These forums are often a futility in preaching to the converted. So I can imagine that none of you will say that you learned something from this thread but I'll try anyway.

For anyone who said "never" Did you learn anything new from the people here who listed some ideas? Will you consider using live view for any of those purposes?

It would be refreshing to hear that at least one of you learned something from other fellow photographers. I have a feeling that we are all stuck in our ways and we sort of troll these forums to find some fresh blood to pass our habits on to, but as for learning from each other, I sort of doubt it. (Please, somebody, prove me wrong).

Guy Moscoso

I've been using my D700 for 2 months now, and haven't used it once,
I'm just thinking how useful has this feature been to you? I am an
event photographer by the way specializing in weddings.

 

[Raul]

"planned" shoots.