Why optical viewfinder

They allow you to arrange and focus the perfect shot, without having to rely on an LCD screen that you might struggle to see in bright sunlight. Although some cameras mainly compact models lack a viewfinder, most DSLR and mirrorless digital cameras now have one. A viewfinder is the part of the camera you hold up to your eye and look through to preview an image before you snap. There are two types:.

As well as showing an image preview, both types can overlay key details about the settings being used for your shot, usually tucked around the margins of the view so they don't unduly obstruct the image. For most photographers, the differences between an optical and an electronic viewfinder are subtle. Because of this, we advise buyers to judge a camera on all of its merits and not just its viewfinder.

On the back of pretty much all modern digital cameras you'll also find a small screen, or monitor, that you can use to preview an image.

However, this requires you to extend your arms and hold your camera well away from your eyes. As well as reducing the stability of the shot and potentially feeling less natural, large monitors are prone to looking dim in sunlight and reflecting glare.

An image also looks much bigger and clearer when viewed at close proximity, as seen through a viewfinder. Head over to our digital camera reviews to find a Best Buy compact, bridge, DSLR or mirrorless camera you can rely on. An OVF uses a mirror and a prism to bounce light through the lens and towards your eye.

This means you can see what's in front of your camera exactly as you'd see it if you were looking directly at it, with none of the slight time lag that you sometimes find with electronic viewfinders see below. What they won't necessarily show you is what the final image will look like, for example if you're using the camera's auto settings and it makes adjustments to take account of low light levels. An EVF is essentially a tiny screen; it replicates what you'd see on the main monitor.

Rather than viewing the scene through a series of mirrors, you see a digital capture of the world through your camera's sensor. With some exceptions, you'll only find optical viewfinders on SLRs , while viewfinders on compact and mirrorless cameras are of the EVF variety.

The type of viewfinder is a major difference between these types of cameras, but only one of a number of factors to consider. You can see all cameras with viewfinders , mirrorless cameras with viewfinders and point-and-shoot cameras with viewfinders. We've treated all optical viewfinders as identical, explaining their functionality as they would work on SLRs. In fact, the single-lens reflex viewfinder system on SLRs is one of several optical viewfinder types.

The other main type is the direct optical viewfinder found on rangefinders from Leica and the cameras in Fuji's intriguing line of X-series mirrorless cameras. The Samsung NX has an electronic viewfinder that attaches to the hot shoe mount on top of the camera. Pros: The view the eye sees through an electronic viewfinder is huge. Many people find that focusing manually using an EVF is easier than with an OVF because the EVF allows you to magnify an area to clearly see when the subject snaps into sharp focus.

EVF screens also brighten automatically, making it easier to see a scene in low-light situations, or preview at smaller apertures. Besides exposure numbers, an EVF can show a live histogram map of the dark-to-light tones in the image. It can show a live preview of white balance settings and simulate shutter speed, among many things. Using an EVF can also change the physical shape of a camera. Remove the need for mirrors, and the camera can be made much smaller, even open the possibility for entirely new shapes and ergonomics.

Cons: Even with all the bells and whistles, the latest and greatest EVFs are often not good enough for many photographers. Though improved drastically over old versions, the refresh rate of an electric viewfinder still lags a little.

For example, trying to catch a diver as he or she touches the water might actually result in a picture of legs sticking out of the water. Even high-resolution video cannot match the human eye for seeing detail in shadow and bright areas at the same time, picking out fine details, and instant responsiveness — all of which are crucial for studio, sport, and fully manual photography.