The problem:
Due to the way all traditional and most digital single lens reflex (SLR) cameras are constructed, the photographer is usually glued to the viewfinder when taking shots. This has generally been taken for granted although in every SLR photographer’s life there will have been moments when they wished they could just see what they’re going to capture a little bit better: A little larger, a little more clearly and also with a little more flexibility. Other times they may have cursed the fact that they had to decide whether to keep eye contact with their subject they were trying to encourage to smile into the lens, or make sure they would actually capture the scene when the smile was just perfect.

With compact digital cameras, Live Views on a camera’s LCD very quickly revolutionised the way photos are taken. Nowadays it’s even all but impossible to find a compact camera incorporating an optical viewfinder at all. The convenience of seeing motifs on a large LCD has clearly won over as the preferred way of framing subjects. This fact leads to an immediately obvious question: “Why has this change not yet occurred in D-SLRs?”

The benefits:
It’s not only framing that has become much more flexible thanks to the Live View technology. Numerous additional advantages for photographers have been made possible through this innovation. For one, there is no longer the need to hide one’s face behind the camera – photographers can now actually communicate face-to-face with their subject and still have everything in view. Therefore that encouraging smile or blink of the eye can be used to bridge a possible gap between photographer and model.

Normal size

With 7x magnification

Even underwater D-SLR photography reaches a new dimension. On Live View cameras where optional underwater cases are available, divers can see their subject through their diving masks clearly on a large LCD and also have the convenience of being able to choose from special underwater scene modes. Moreover, the photographer has the freedom to move the camera in all possible directions without having to guess what is being captured. Thanks to the extremely wide viewing angles afforded by the latest LCD technology, the potential picture can be seen on the screen from just about every angle. Live View goes even further to ensure better results and more. For example, using this technology, photographers can preview their photo’s depth of field directly on the LCD. Moreover, the results of exposure compensation adjustments as well as changes to white balance are clearly shown. By being able to see the effect camera setting adjustments have on a motif in real time on a large LCD, the guesswork is taken out of numerous situations – allowing photographers to see which setting is optimal for their intended purpose – even before the photo is taken. It therefore really is a case of: “Shoot what you see. See what you shoot.”