Canon EOS "Live View"

[shady825]

Ive NEVER used this on my camera.(Live View) Is there any benefits to it?
My old digital camera only had the screen, no view finder but ever since I got my SLR I only use the view finder. Am I missing out on anything by not using Live View? Does Live View show me anything different than the view finder?

Thanks.

 

[firestarter]

I don't use it much myself either (and it not obligatory to use it!)

I find it most useful in tripod shots - it can make composition easier, or more convenient if the camera is set up so that the viewfinder is uncomfortable to get to.

 

[shady825]

I don't use it much myself either (and it not obligatory to use it!)

I find it most useful in tripod shots - it can make composition easier, or more convenient if the camera is set up so that the viewfinder is uncomfortable to get to.

Yea I havent even turned it on to try it!
But my question is, will the Live View show you a more accurate representation of the actual shot compared to the view finder?

 

[firestarter]

The answer is 'it depends'.

The viewfinder will give you a higher resolution image, and should be better to discern focussing - but on the 1000, the viewfinder doesn't cover 100% of the final image.

You'll see the complete final image better on the LCD, and it will probably be easier to judge whether the camera is properly level, and fine tune composition.

 

[ThunderRobot]

Yea I havent even turned it on to try it!
But my question is, will the Live View show you a more accurate representation of the actual shot compared to the view finder?

If anything - in my experience - it's the opposite.

Live View is slightly offset on my 50D. Not enough to be a problem, but it tends not to show some information which is captured on the left hand side.

I find Live View to be beneficial on a tripod using a remote when the viewfinder is covered to reduce light contamination. It's not more 'accurate', but in that situation is more useful.

 

[shady825]

Ok thanks guys!
I guess it would come in useful when I'm taking pictures of stars as I'm always having to turn the display off to see through the view finder. (to much light on my eye to be able to see the night sky through the view finder)

 

[wheelhot]

I only use liveview when I need to get the correct angle only when it is hard to me to place my eye on the viewfinder. I will turn on live view, get the angle I want, turn it of and use the shutter cause Canon 1kD and 450D live view AutoFocusing is dog slow until the extend of unusable.

 

[shady825]

I only use liveview when I need to get the correct angle only when it is hard to me to place my eye on the viewfinder. I will turn on live view, get the angle I want, turn it of and use the shutter cause Canon 1kD and 450D live view AutoFocusing is dog slow until the extend of unusable.

Thanks for all your help! I appreciate it!

 

[mabcan]

Live view is a good help

Yea I havent even turned it on to try it!
But my question is, will the Live View show you a more accurate representation of the actual shot compared to the view finder?

Live view is an excellent help when shooting in studio. It helps you to review what will be the final shot.

I use it often when shooting steady objects, specially glass, so I can reolve the reflections on the surfaces.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

Live view is an excellent help when shooting in studio. It helps you to review what will be the final shot.

I use it often when shooting steady objects, specially glass, so I can reolve the reflections on the surfaces.

It's also very useful for certain macro photography. For example, at a lab, when you want certainty in focus accuracy. I have used it a few times when taking photos of flowers with my 40D, since it allows me to check the focus as I press the Zoom button all the way to 10X. Most times I just use the viewfinder, however. But, Live View uses more battery power than usual, and since the mirror is retracted and out of the way, you have to be careful not to point the camera toward the sun very long and damage the sensor.

 

[B.A.]

I rarely use live view. It has its uses, as mentioned above, but I think for most applications you're better off using the viewfinder.

 

[JNB]

For me, Live View on the 40D will make telephotography much less of a guessing game. The viewfinder diopter adjustment when mated to a telescope was always more pain than it was worth.

Other than that though, I probably won't have much use for it, but I'll still experiment a bit.

 

[compuwar]

Ive NEVER used this on my camera.(Live View) Is there any benefits to it?
My old digital camera only had the screen, no view finder but ever since I got my SLR I only use the view finder. Am I missing out on anything by not using Live View? Does Live View show me anything different than the view finder?

Thanks.

The only thing I'll add to what others have said is that your shutter is good for a certain number of actuations. Liveview requires an extra shutter actuation for each shot you use it for. If you always use it, you halve your shutter's lifespan in terms of number of images. Depending on how much you shoot, that could be significant.

 

[Chokladkakan]

A useful thing is that (atleast at the 50D) you can let Live View show a 10x zoom of the focuspoint, which is really useful when you're in need of spot on forcus.

 

[wheezy]

A useful thing is that (atleast at the 50D) you can let Live View show a 10x zoom of the focuspoint, which is really useful when you're in need of spot on forcus.

Also, one thing that the screen renders that our eyes can't is the shallow DOF, our eyes can't naturally 'see' the same shallow DOF that lenses see, whereas shooting in LiveView allows your eyes (on screen) to see what they cannot through the viewfinder.

 

[jakfrost]

Well admittedly I am very new at this DSLR thing, and the truth is the Canon Xsi is my first venture into SLR's since my nikon F5.
Changes in employment and otherwise caused me keep my 40 year hobby to a point and shoot for the last 9 years. Latest version being Canon's SD880IS.

No, really, I am going somewhere with this...sooooo, I am very used to using the screen for everything since that is all I have had on the last 2 cameras.

Consequently I was excited to have the 'viewfinder' back on my new camera with the screen as an option using live view. I was discouraged when looking at the first few pictures I took using the viewfinder after I discovered that in order to get the framing I intended I would have to crop the viewfinder almost into peoples foreheads, since it (the viewfinder) only shows about 95% (less in my opinion) of the actual frame.

So when shooting portraits/groups or anything else where you would like an accurate framing of your subject it is easier to use the live view, especially with the 'grid' option selected.

I'm not convinced I have the 'focus' subject nailed yet using live view, ( following the instructions in the manual ), but all my photos have come out sharp so far....

Just my $0.02...

Jim

 

[arogge]

Live View can show the exposure estimate on the screen, which tends to be more accurate than the metering in the viewfinder. Another feature is being able to focus manually with more accuracy than is available through the viewfinder. Live View is only another tool, and its use is not obligatory.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

Well admittedly I am very new at this DSLR thing, and the truth is the Canon Xsi is my first venture into SLR's since my nikon F5.
Changes in employment and otherwise caused me keep my 40 year hobby to a point and shoot for the last 9 years. Latest version being Canon's SD880IS.

No, really, I am going somewhere with this...sooooo, I am very used to using the screen for everything since that is all I have had on the last 2 cameras.

Consequently I was excited to have the 'viewfinder' back on my new camera with the screen as an option using live view. I was discouraged when looking at the first few pictures I took using the viewfinder after I discovered that in order to get the framing I intended I would have to crop the viewfinder almost into peoples foreheads, since it (the viewfinder) only shows about 95% (less in my opinion) of the actual frame.

So when shooting portraits/groups or anything else where you would like an accurate framing of your subject it is easier to use the live view, especially with the 'grid' option selected.

I'm not convinced I have the 'focus' subject nailed yet using live view, ( following the instructions in the manual ), but all my photos have come out sharp so far....

Just my $0.02...

Jim

You can also use the Canon software and a screen (computer screen) to look at the subject in Live View. I seldom use this feature, however.

 

[stevo8]

I absolutely love live view. I have it set so the button in the circle(select maybe ) turns it on and then I use it for real low shots so I dont have to lay on the ground or a lot of the times when Im at the rae track and need to shoot over a fence or something, it makes getting the composition right a lot easier then just waving the camera around.

 

[Phrasikleia]

I just returned from a Photography trip to Berlin and Munich. I do a lot of museum photography, where the low-light conditions require manual focusing much of the time. Also, I was using a tripod extensively in one museum this morning. In both cases, having Live View is a real boon; I took hundreds of shots using it in the last few days. I guess I burned up a lot of shutter actuations, but it was the only way I could nail the focus most of the time. It was also very convenient when I had the tripod very low to the floor.