Too much to soon?

[Derek G]

As some of you are no doubt aware this is my first foray into photography in some 20 years or more, not that I understood the basics of it back then , I had my limits I could load the film set it to the scene modes and point and shoot, now with my first DSLR I am exploring the different settings the camera has to offer along with apertures , shutter speeds, raw etc ,for me a steep learning curve, anyway it was while I was in the shop a couple of days ago where I purchased the camera (I was looking at tripods) when the salesman noticed me came over and asked how I was finding it I told him it was hard going but I was going to persevere and master it somehow the conversation got around to live view , was I using it he said it may benefit me if I wasn’t entirely happy with the pics I had taken so far, no I am not using it I feel that it’s a bridge too far for me at the moment with everything else I am trying to cram in this old head, am I right or wrong?


{By the way I bought a GIOTTO 9 series.}

[kdoc856]

Derek,

Welcome to CIC, and hearty congrats on your choice to commit to perseverence and your early acknowledgement of the importance of the tripod (cant go wrong with the Giotto). I also was skittish about live view (looked a bit amateurish to me), but this has evolved over time. I almost always use it now when on tripod, rarely when doing handheld (except when using the swivel LCD when it's invaluable) It can really help compositionally, and I see the DOF preview much better on the larger screen.I wish I had discovered CIC much sooner. It's an amazingly helpful, friendly, gracious and knowledgeable community and you'll learn at a greatly accelerated pace using the excellent tutorials, and reading (and analyzing) hundreds of posts).

all the best,

Kevin

[Donald]

I'd agree that LiveView can be a tremendously powerful aid to good image-making.

Don't think about as the same as looking at the screen on a point and shoot. It's a different beast altogether. Certainly, I'd never entertain the idea of using it when hand-holding. It's a tool for use with a tripod (so you're now ready to go).

If you're someone who doesn't take time over composing your shot, checking out the best arrangement of all the 'bits' in the frame, studying the lighting, then LiveView is not going to add a lot to the experience. However, if, on the other hand, you are keen to craft images to fit with a vision you have of what the finished article is going to look like, then LiveView can aid that.

The thing with LiveView is that you are still able to see all the shooting information. In addition, you can set it up so that you can see the histogram in 'real time'. So, before you take the shot, you can see what the histogram is going to look like.

It is all part of the learning curve. And you need to start using it when you feel ready. But, I think you won't find that it's an additional onerous task to master. In fact, if you push learning to use it further up the list, it may help you master some of the other things afterwards.

[Kris V]

I'd agree that LiveView can be a tremendously powerful aid to good image-making.

Don't think about as the same as looking at the screen on a point and shoot. It's a different beast altogether. Certainly, I'd never entertain the idea of using it when hand-holding. It's a tool for use with a tripod (so you're now ready to go).

Thanks Donald - I just learned something I didn't even realize I didn't know. (wow, sounds complicated).
I really was under the impression the LiveView was similar to the LCD screen of my Kodak P&S.
Up till now, I only used LiveView on a tripod for long exposures. Thanks for clearing my confused brain.

[rpcrowe]

I amost never use live view and when I do, I use a Hoodman Loupe which virtually converts the LCD to an eye level viewfinder. The Hoodman also allows me to view my images on the LCD more accurately and also to read the histogram or menu choices with a greater degree of ease and accuracy. If I need to shoot with my camera in an awkward position such as when doing low or high angle shots; I use a right-angle finder.

I can relate to the difficulty that some photographers have trying to mentally convert a three-dimensional subject into a two dimensional image and that the LCD screen (as well as the ground glass of a view camera) can do that for the photographer. However, I have been mentally converting three dimensional scenes to two dimensional images for years and it comes as second nature to me.

The problem that I have is viewing the complete subject on a relatively small LCD monitor. I can easily miss important aspects of the subject such as parts of the subject cut off, trees growing from my subject's heads and branches or arms intruding from the side of the frame.

Following a moving subject, especially in bright light with the sun to my rear is pretty difficult for me if I wanted to use live-view.

Another problem I have when viewing with live view is camera stability. I can personally hold a camera far steadier with it braced against my forehead and with my elbows tucked into my rather ample belly than I can with the camera held several inches from my eye.

Finally, when I am viewing through the eye level viewfinder, I am completely immersed in the image. Nothing else exists for me at the moment of shutter release.

[NigelD]

Well if its any consolation Derek, I started to get really interested in photography again much like you when I took early retirement and am now doing a BTEC in photography to try and correct all the bad habits I've got into over the years (a bit like driving). As a result I'm getting a great deal of pleasure out of it and I have to say the salesman was probably right when he said to you - persevere. You'll find it won't all sink in at once but will gradually drop into place.
Good luck!