viewfinder size

[Charliedelta]

I went to the store and played with some DSLRs. Specifically, I looked at a Nikon D7000, a D600, and a Canon 1D X. Of course it's different kind of cameras and there's a ginormous amount of differences amongst them but I'm most interested in one difference. What struck me was how much bigger were the viewfinder and what I could see inside it on the 1D X.

When comparing camera specifications on a website, what tells me how big that image would be, and how do I interpret it (like a lower number is better or vice-versa, or whatever the case might be)? Is it the "viewfinder magnification"?

Does it exist something that you can put let's say on a D7000's viewfinder to see what you'd see on a 1D X? What's the name?

Please don't answer suggesting I was comparing apples and oranges, I already know that. All I'm trying to do is learning how to call a specification of the camera, and learning about equipment in general.

Thanks

 

[Benco]

The D7000 is a crop sensor camera so it's viewfinder is inherantly smaller than those on full frame cameras, in theory you could magnify it but it would still have a smaller field of view than a FF finder. The 1DX and the D600 are both full frame but the 1DX is top league wheras the D600 is (so to speak) and entry level FF camera. I've not had a go with these FF models but I'd assume that the 1DX simply has a better viewfinder than the D600.

 

[TCampbell]

Full frame cameras typically have larger images when you look through the viewfinder ... and it makes sense if you think about it.

The full-frame sensor is quite a bit larger. That means the mirror also needs to be larger, so the whole pentaprism view is also larger. It's one of those ease-of-use things that makes it more pleasant to work with a full frame camera.

 

[KmH]

Nikon D7000:
Frame Coverage: 100% (approx.)
Magnification : Viewfinder magnification approx. 0.94x with 50mm lens at infinity; -1.0 m[SUP]-1[/SUP]

Nikon D600:
Frame Coverage: FX (36x24)100 %
........................DX (24x16) approx 975
Magnification 0.7× (50 mm f/1.4 lens at infinity; -1.0 m[SUP]​-1[/SUP])

Canon 1DX:
Frame Coverage: 100% (approx.)
Magnification : Viewfinder magnification approx. 0.76x with 50mm lens at infinity; -1.0 m[SUP]​-1[/SUP]

 

[Benco]

^ Er....could you paraphrase that please?

 

[dxqcanada1]

This information still applies to DSLR's that use mirror/prism: Understanding Viewfinders

DSLR's with Electronic View Finders are different ... and in the case of my Sony A55, the viewfinder is 1.1x and has long eye relief.

 

[Benco]

If it's got an electronic viewfinder then it's not a DSLR.

 

[Charliedelta]

Thanks for the replies.

So if I understand correctly, a full frame will have bigger viewfinder than a crop and that's the way it is. But now, I get a little confused. The link that dxqcanada suggested says that a the larger the magnification the better. Then I look at the spects attached by KmH and it looks like the smaller the better. So if I compare cameras similar cameras just by looking at their viewfinder magnification, how do I know in which one the image will look bigger?

Also, would a viewfinder magnifier helps if you get a crop to make the image in the viewfinder more like it'd be in a full frame?

Thanks again