doubt about dSLR

gendarmee · Feb 9, 2007

Can we see what we are shooting on the LCD screen on every dSLR? if not every dSLR which ones have that feature?
how about the canon EOS 350 and the nikon D40?

markc · Feb 9, 2007

A true DSLR will not show anything on the LCD until after you've taken the shot unless it has a half-silvered mirror or some other arrangement. This isn't very common right now. You can assume most don't unless they advertise that they can.

ericande · Feb 9, 2007

no, almost none. I believe the only one is an Olympus. Don't worry, you'll get used to not having one and it's not a feature you should use anyways.

usayit · Feb 9, 2007

Makes you wonder why they don't just get rid of the mirror and rear shutter curtain... there isn't any film back there to protect from exposure between shots anymore.

Besides... I know its possible... Canon had Pellix cameras many years ago.. 1n RS for example. The pellix mirror design should allow the CCD/CMOS to "see" through the lens at the same time as the prism viewer. All they have to do is find ways to address the loss of light which is characteristic of those olPellix cameras.

Big Mike · Feb 9, 2007

Some see this as a bad feature of DLSR cameras...others don't. There are many, many other advantages to a DSLR...that far outweigh the lack of LCD preview.

Not to mention that holding the camera out in front of you...is about the worst place to hold a camera while shooting.

usayit · Feb 9, 2007

I agree... the advantages far outweigh the lack of LCD live view. DSLRs mimick the film SLRs Im used to so it was never a problem. My old Canon G1 did however make me realize the advantages of having a LCD preview that hinges and twists.

I'd seriously look into the Olympus Evolt.... it might provide you the best of both worlds that you are looking for.

The difference between those that see it as an adv or disadv seems to depend on when/how that person got involved with photography.

If you started years ago before digital, you were used to a viewfinder... and don't see it as a disadvantage.

If you started after digital, most likely your first exposure to photography was a digital P&S that had the LCD preview. Moving to a DSLR looses that feature thus see it as a disadvantage.

Alex_B · Feb 9, 2007

usayit said:
Makes you wonder why they don't just get rid of the mirror and rear shutter curtain... there isn't any film back there to protect from exposure between shots anymore.

Besides... I know its possible... Canon had Pellix cameras many years ago.. 1n RS for example. The pellix mirror design should allow the CCD/CMOS to "see" through the lens at the same time as the prism viewer. All they have to do is find ways to address the loss of light which is characteristic of those olPellix cameras.

I am happy my sensor is protected from light most of the time .. as it would probably produce more noise if it was continously exposed to light. not sure if this is true, but intuition tells me it could be true.

Alex_B · Feb 9, 2007

gendarmee said:
sarcastic eh?
my probelm is that i need a high performance cam, at most of the time i need it to hold it above my head, in a crowd, and shoot.
the canon A540 has done well so far but i wanna move on to a good performance cam.
i have a FILM SLR, but a view finder for a film camera is understood.....

why not shoot with a computer attached to your cam? you can perfectly operate a modern DSLR remotely. take one picture, see what it is like in the same second on your screen, then readjust and shoot again. no need to take it down then.

usayit · Feb 9, 2007

Bag of stuff + computer + cam in crowd.. how many arms do you have?

I'm joking....

Theres a difference of preview ( after the shot is taken) and live preview ( during and after the shot is taken )

markc · Feb 9, 2007

usayit said:
Theres a difference of preview ( after the shot is taken)

That's postview or review.

CMan · Feb 9, 2007

gendarmee said:
i have a FILM SLR, but a view finder for a film camera is understood.....

It should be understood for a DSLR as well.

SLR cameras are so superior to point-and-shoots that it isn't even funny. Lots of folks ask if they can be compared; well, they can't. Image quality on a DSLR is in another league.

Trust me, you'll get used to not having live preview. Plus, you can always take the shot, see how it looks on the screen (it pops up within, oh, 0.5 seconds) and adjust accordingly. That's the advantage of DSLR's; practically unlimited picture capacity. You can now by 8 GB cards that would allow you to take approx. 2,000 fine quality JPEG's before you have to worry about running out of memory.

Alex_B · Feb 9, 2007

usayit said:
Bag of stuff + computer + cam in crowd.. how many arms do you have?

blimey, you shoot without any assistants??

just joking

and live preview ( during and after the shot is taken )

I agree on that, certainly. But i tried shooting remotely, and it was better than I thought, of course it does not work with fast moving objects or quickly changeing scenes...

another idea would be to attach a small crappy "spy" type camera to the viewfinder... or attach it otherwise to your DSLR, you will quickly learn to handle it .... but thise is just theory ... but an interesting idea