Very bright day at the beach but........

[SpiderBob]

I had a really hard time seeing the LCD, it was too bright out, in fact, I would say I just could not see it. I did try a different view for the LCD, but did not help. It was bad enough trying to see the numbers through the view finder. Is it something I just have to get used to, or is there a better way? I need to know what I'm setting, and I'm having a really hard time at it. Other days other places, it's fine. I suppose I would have the same problem in the snow, but I have not been there yet with my camera.

[Peter Ryan]

Hi Bob and welcome to CiC,

Was it possible to see the histogram on the screen? Even if you can see the image on the screen it is not going to give you a good indication of whether you have the correct exposure or not. If you can see the histogram and understand how to read it you can and should use this instead.

It is like a pilot flying by instruments verses visual.

[SpiderBob]

Interesting concept Peter. I could not see the picture in the LCD so I tried for the info, that also I could not make out. To me honest, I did not try for the histogram thinking it would be even smaller and I was frustrated by that time. I may go back tomorrow just to try that out. I've been trying to use the histogram and study it on every picture I take. Lately, finally, it's been clicking in my brain on what to look for. Thinking about it now, I still believe I would not have seen it either. I am nearly blind in one eye, corrective lenses for it and the other. The Dioptric adjusting knob, is capable of giving me a clean picture through the view finder. I just don't see the LCD on what today was "A very bright day at the beach" with the sun low in the sky over the west while I'm trying to shoot clouds, the island, and the waves. The pictures are not bad, it was just a really hard time to see the dog gone LCD and/or numbers in the view finder. I was spending way too much time looking for the numbers I wanted.

[Geoff F]

Well I may just be from another pre digital age but I do everything through the viewfinder and just occasionally review the odd shot through the screen when I'm in a suitable darker situation. Even if that means I have to visit a nearby pub to find somewhere suitable!

Shooting Raw, I find that reliance on the review screen which displays a Jpeg version often gives me a false impression of my results. Too often, I have made adjustments to my camera settings based on the review screen when my actual original settings were correct. I must learn to trust and abide by my intuition.

And I find that trying to manually focus and compose the scene with a screen is impossible. It's even difficult to fully decide which images to delete during a mid session review.

Always using the viewfinder does sometimes mean lying in the mud, and it now takes me longer to get up and down to find a suitable position, but for me that always works out better in the end.

[MiniChris]

Silly as it might sound, I still use the cloth I use with the large format cameras...Like Peter, I tend to trust the histogram a wee bit more than what shows on the screen but use the screen to check for horizon positioning and composition. I have it in a little bag hanging on the tripod so I can access it whenever needed.

[rpcrowe]

The difficulty of viewing the LCD in bright sunlight is one reason I far prefer using an eye level viewfinder to composing my image using the LCD. I am an old guy and have additional problems reading/seeing things close up; so I have tried just about any solution which looks plausible...

That is why I like control systems which use the menu the least for switching camera parameters. I like the two dials of the x0D cameras rather than the many menu driven controls on my old Rebel XT...

However a photographer can use a Delkin Shade to help see the LCD. This is, to me, a great PITA since I am constantly having to open and close the shade while shooting... http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...kin+LCD+Viewer It really doesn't work all that well anyway!

A Hoodman Loup will let you view your LCD even in the brightest days... http://cgi.ebay.com/HOODMAN-HOOD-LOU...item588800ad57

Since I need glasses for close-up work and since I don't shoot wearing glasses. I often carry the Hoodman Loup on a loop (play on words) around my neck and use it as a magnifier to both view the rear LCD and to read the information shown on the top LCD panel of my camera.

There are elastic band attachments that allow you to mount the Hoodman Loup on your camera if you absolutely have to shoot using the LCD.

If you have problems seeing the information in the viewfinder, it could be that your eye is not close to the viewfinder and light is leaking in. If you don't wear glasses, the Hoodman Hoodeye can shade the viewfinder from ambient light and make the information such as shutter speed, etc. more visible... http://cgi.ebay.com/Hoodman-HoodEye-...item1e60dadd3c

There are Chinese knock-offs of the Hoodeye available on eBay... http://cgi.ebay.com/Eyecup-Eye-Cup-N...item2a0c1d39f6

I tried to use the Canon EP-EX15 II eyepiece while using my glasses. This eyepiece will allow you to view the eye level viewfinder from a greater distance. I hated it, light would leak in and I could not see the information that appears in my viewfinder and was hardly able to see my viewfinder at all. I had a rash of imagery which was slightly tilted and realized that I was viewing with the EP-EX15 II off center... http://cgi.ebay.com/Genuine-Canon-EP...item3eff7762c5

Before I purchased the Hoodman Loup, I fabricated a viewer from a plastic pill container and a jewelers loup.



It worked, was very small and compact and the price was certainly right. However, I could not view my entire LCD when chimping. I prefer using the Hoodman despite its size and high price.

[Colin Southern]

They had the answer to this many many years ago ...

[Peter Ryan]

I cannot compose my shots using the screen. I need to use the viewfinder but I do use the histogram to review the shot after taking it. I also have no in-camera adjustment that might effect the histogram display.

[MiniChris]

I only have LCD display after a shot, not during so it will only affect what I do in my next exposure. Most times, because the raw image is often so overexposed (looking), I rarely give it much review. The histogram, on the other ahnd, is the guide I rely on the most...unless of course, I nail it on the first try... Hey, it happens.

[SpiderBob]

OK, so I have ordered the canon eyepiece. Didn't care for the knock off item, not that I know this one is going to work, but I'll try it without using my glasses. I did make the mistake of trying to use my glasses while I was viewing. Trial and error, right I'm 68 years old, yes I did use the cloth hood in my younger days. I suppose I could use the hood of my sweatshirt, just was not thinking straight, was too frustrated at the time. Thanks all for some great ideas. so....I plan on the eyepiece for the viewer and my hood of my sweet shirt for the LCD, little of the old and new. I better figure this out before summer.
Thanks,
Bob