Optical Viewfinder vs. LCD Screen
If you’ve ever owned a camera, there’s always that ONE time when you wished you had it with you to capture a family outing, a celebrity sighting or awesome natural wonder. For this reason, manufacturers have continued to shrink the size of the point-and-shoot camera, allowing you to take it with you almost anywhere – but at what cost?
Sony Alpha 300 dSLR shown with a viewfinder and LCD screen.
Taking a closer look at today’s digital cameras, many manufacturers have opted to include an LCD screen in addition to, or replacing entirely, the optical viewfinder. Apart from one being a looking glass while the other is a monitor, few may realize their other significant differences:
Battery Life – An optical viewfinder requires no power, while an LCD uses a relatively large amount of power. If you find yourself continually swapping batteries or losing juice only half-way through your event, you might consider turning the LCD off in favor of the optical viewfinder, or ditching the LCD altogether.
Shooting in Bright Sunlight – Just like trying to watch television or use your cell phone in broad daylight, the sun often glares off the LCD’s surface making it difficult to see the picture. Most optical viewfinders are recessed into the camera, offering much more protection and versatility for use in highly lit areas and broad daylight.
Image Stabilization – When using an optical viewfinder, you actually use your nose and cheekbone to help stabilize the camera as you snap your shot, resulting in sharper images. With LCDs however, the camera is held away from you, at times in only one hand. This provides little stabilization as you jerk the camera slightly when pressing the button, often resulting in blurry or fuzzy photos. If you plan on using the LCD screen, be sure you have steady hands or the aid of an image stabilization system.
Cropping – Most viewfinders will not give you a 100 percent view of the actual photo being taken. This could be either an advantage or disadvantage depending on whether you like to crop/edit your photos before printing. If a viewfinder only shows 90 to 95 percent of the actual image, you’ll have five or 10 percent of editing room to rotate the image (level the horizon) and center the subject in the photo. If you do not edit your photos before printing them you may end up with more background than intended.
It is extremely difficult to get perfect composition in every shot, so the added 5 to 10 percent for editing acts as a buffer. Besides, the photographer’s mind should be focused on the subject and snapping the shot at the perfect moment, not trying to make sure the camera is level or zoomed in precisely.
Flexibility – LCD screens on some cameras have the capability to “flip” outward away from the camera and rotate 360 degrees. This makes taking pictures of yourself and getting that difficult shot over the person’s head in front of you a breeze. No more guessing as to where you need to aim the camera, just flip and/or rotate the LCD screen, frame your subject and shoot.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Whether you’re picking out a new digital camera or operating your existing camcorder, understanding the differences between an optical viewfinder and LCD screen will help you become a better photographer/videographer. Conserve precious battery life by turning off the LCD. Use the optical viewfinder in highly-lit areas or broad daylight. Reduce the chance of fuzzy images by using the optical viewfinder. Capture the entire image by understanding how much of the actual photo is shown in the optical viewfinder and LCD screen. Don’t let obstacles get in your way of the perfect shot when you use a flip out LCD. These are just a few ways that digital helps you take/make better photos.
Still have questions? – feel free to speak with an hhgregg associate. We offer the best-educated associates in the business who are smart enough to make it simple. Price and Advice Guaranteed!
