Live view

[jabardast]

Is liveview as mentioned in 40D specs really a tempting feature or you all guys feel ok to peep through the viewfinder while composing? Is this available normally in DSLR like it is in Point and shoots ?

 

[Steph]

Live view on dSLR is fairly uncommon but is becoming more widely available. Why somebody would want to use the screen at the back of a dSLR to compose a shot is hard to understand? Trying to hold a fairly heavy dSLR steady while composing a shot by looking at the LCD screen must be very difficult.

 

[Iron Flatline]

It's quite nice for a lot of types of shooting, esp. architecture and landscape when your camera is mounted on a tripod anyway. It's a much better way of composing a shot.

Doing candid work like photo-journalism or street photography does not benefit from Live View.

 

[gizmo2071]

Yeah, the live view could be very useful for certain areas, as stated.
I'd find it very useful for macro, being able to zoom in with live view to check you have pin point focus, which I just can't do with the viewfinder.
So I'd find it very useful for certain types of photography.

 

[Dm3k1]

Live View will probably hardly be used on this camera, unless you cant look through the viewfinder. Cameras that do have this feature use more batter when it is on and have a delay when shooting since it is probably going to shoot with a dual-sensor. when you turn live view on, it moves an LCD sensor in front and blocks the main CCD and when you take a picture moves the LCD out of the way, re composses the main CCD and THEN takes your picture. It can be a second to a half to do this and take a picture.

 

[Iron Flatline]

Yes, you're right. My understanding is that LiveView adds time to the shot, as the mirror needs to get out of the way for the shot.

But for some shots (like the aforementioned macro, landscape, and architecture) the half second is not an issue.

 

[Big Mike]

Live view mode will move the mirror up for viewing (flipping it down for AF)...but will that really add time to the shutter lag? If it's programmed well, the mirror won't need to be flipped down, so actually the shutter lag could, technically, be faster...couldn't it?

 

[Iron Flatline]

You'd think that, wouldn't you?

But on some of the Olympus and Leica dSLRs that have LiveView, the result is shutter lag.

 

[Big Mike]

Maybe the mirror has to be down for metering?

Liveview and long shutter lag...might as well be a $300 digicam. I'm more excited about the larger magnification on the viewfinder of the 40D.

 

[Iron Flatline]

LOL, yeah.

No, I think we're assuming that the sensor that records the image is the same that produces the image being reproduced during Live View. It's probably a different (smaller) sensor, otherwise the CCD would get too hot if charged that long, and create too much noise.

 

[simonkit]

I've just changed from a prosumer, KM A200, which had Live View but with an articulated LCD. Personally I think that a fixed LCD limits much of its usefulness.

Also when I moved to DSLR I though Live View would be the biggest thing I would miss from the prosumer, in reality I haven't really missed it at all

simon

 

[Garbz]

The thing you'll miss most with liveview is your battery life. I doubt you could run around all day without turning you camera off and take 400 photos on one set of batteries if you use the LCD to compose your shots.

The viewfinder also gives you incentive to hold the camera properly and in a way which reduces possible image shake. I cringe to see people grab their P&S and hold them at arms lengths in low-light situations :S

 

[jon_k]

Enthusiasts and pro's MAKE ROOM! The dSLR lineup cameras are starting to become a mass-consumer item. This means soccer moms who wanna get johnny batting at his game. To entice the new snapshooters joining the dSLR market, they came out with the liveview. All the other camera makers are joining suit to tap in to the snapshooter market too. They use to call this the prosumer market. I think it's more 'sumer than pro now.

I would be much happier if they started making larger viewscreens (like in film SLR's) instead of those trendy liveviews.

The only benefit to liveview is composition from strange angles. E.G. Your camera is nearly touching the ground and you're shooting upward. You want to kneel or stand up, but surely dont want to lay down to compose the shot. Liveview is your answer. That's the only time I can think of where it'd have helped me.

 

[Dm3k1]

LOL, yeah.

No, I think we're assuming that the sensor that records the image is the same that produces the image being reproduced during Live View. It's probably a different (smaller) sensor, otherwise the CCD would get too hot if charged that long, and create too much noise.

You are correct about the smaller sensor

 

[sabbath999]

I would LOVE to have live view, where I could pre-set and pre-focus a macro on a flower and step back with my remote... it would be perfect.

Having said that, for 99 percent of my usage, chimping is just fine.