47
votes
Accepted
What's the point in covering the viewfinder?
On SLR cameras, the optical path is connected to the viewfinder. Even while a picture is being taken and the mirror is up, blocking the viewfinder path, it's possible the seal/gasket between the ...
- 31.7k
39
votes
What focal length of glasses is best for photography?
Your question is flawed, and you are making connections where there aren't any. Some people are short-sighted, some are long-sighted, and others are neither. This relates to the eye muscles not being ...
- 11k
39
votes
Can it be dangerous to look at the sun through the viewfinder?
(Normally I would not post an answer to a question I've already voted as a duplicate. But the danger of irreversible damage to a user's eyes compels me to write this.)
We've all seen or heard this ...
- 173k
27
votes
Accepted
Is my DSLR viewfinder dark because there's no battery in the camera?
Your camera, like many modern DSLRs, has a “transmissive” optical viewfinder which requires battery power in order to be fully transparent. Here is what Canon says about Transmissive Viewfinders in ...
- 11.9k
14
votes
Can I record video through viewfinder of a Nikon D3500 DSLR?
This isn't possible with DSLRs using optical viewfinders.
This image (source) shows the cross-section of a DSLR:
Normally light enters the lens, reflects off the mirror (#2) into the pentaprism (#8) ...
- 748
13
votes
What focal length of glasses is best for photography?
As 40-something human, I totally understand your question. As you get to about this age, your eye looses flexibility, and it becomes impossible to change the focus distance of your eye like young ...
- 142k
13
votes
Why isn't my DSLR's viewfinder showing focus correctly after removing it for cleaning?
Solved. I accidentally placed the focusing screen by flipping it on other side which made in focus objects blurry. I corrected it and it's back to normal now.
- 171
11
votes
Accepted
What does the "[r #]" value in Nikon viewfinders and displays mean?
It's the number of shots remaining (hence the "r") that you can take and store on your card.
When you half-press the shutter button, the number changes to the number of shots remaining in your memory ...
- 31.7k
10
votes
Canon 70D Viewfinder info battery logo dead pixel?
That's how it's meant to look.
Refer the manual from Canon's website, page 23:
Refer also p36: the top LCD should be the same.
- 996
10
votes
Accepted
What are the benefits of EVFs over the rear LCD?
Pushing the camera towards your head will significantly stabilize the framing; I, for one, need a faster shutter speed when shooting without looking through the VF. Also, it is less strenuous to use ...
- 6,467
8
votes
Accepted
Why does my Canon 600D take pictures in live mode but not in viewfinder mode?
It seems like you have mirror lockup enabled. The first full press of the shutter button will cause the mirror to move up (just as it does before taking a normal photo using the viewfinder) but the ...
- 4,837
8
votes
What does the "[r #]" value in Nikon viewfinders and displays mean?
Could someone please tell me what it does, or at least what it's called, so I can look it up?
Scottbb's answer is correct and you should accept it, but I wanted to follow up with a little more ...
- 31.6k
8
votes
Accepted
What's the advantage of a DSLR's "previewer" viewfinder, since I have observed that mirrorless cameras appear to have the same thing?
DSLRs have a direct, optical path through the lens. (Well, a reflected direct path.) You are seeing the scene with your eyes.
Mirrorless cameras with a viewfinder actually use a small LCD screen — ...
- 142k
8
votes
What are the advantages and disadvantages of an electronic viewfinder vs. a DSLR's optical finder?
Electronic viewfinder Pros:
Potentially smaller and lighter camera bodies and lenses (particularly wide angle lenses)
Can zoom in to verify precise focus and depth of field
Can see (almost) exactly ...
- 2,205
7
votes
Accepted
What is the meaning of the small blinking camera symbol in my Canon 70D viewfinder?
This is the electronic level indicator. It indicates that you're not holding the camera parallel to the ground but instead have tilted it. The specific configuration indicates that you've got a tilt ...
- 142k
7
votes
What focal length of glasses is best for photography?
Please don't go into taking off glasses and using the viewfinder focus. This question is about USING GLASSES WITH THE VIEWFINDER. I am not interested in essays on using viewfinder diopters, that is ...
- 173k
7
votes
How do I pick a good camera as a surprise present?
dSLRs cannot use add-on electronic viewfinders. They don't have the communication contacts in the flash hotshoe to "talk" to one. The Canon EVF model you're looking at is only for Canon's ...
- 50.7k
6
votes
Accepted
Canon 70D Viewfinder info battery logo dead pixel?
I was just wondering is it meant to be there or is it manufacturing error?
It's definitely intentional -- it's the same in the viewfinder and on the top LCD on my Canon 6D. However, the icon on the ...
- 31.6k
6
votes
Are there viewfinders that project on a screen rather than forming a virtual image and what are they called?
Your understanding is not correct.
The image is indeed projected on a focusing screen, but what you see on the focusing screen is already more or less the final image.
You do not necessarily need ...
- 2,883
6
votes
Accepted
How does the viewfinder overlay work?
I know how the focus points are painted on the mirror..
Not really, because I've never seen focus points or anything else (intentionally) painted on a reflex mirror. It would be out of focus. ...
- 173k
6
votes
What's the point in covering the viewfinder?
The only reason I know of to cover the eyepiece is to keep light from throwing off the exposure meter which is built into the prism above the mirror. This is sometimes necessary when shooting from a ...
- 6,514
6
votes
What's the point in covering the viewfinder?
The purpose of covering the viewfinder when doing long exposures is twofold:
To prevent light entering the viewfinder from affecting metering in low light situations, particularly if there is a ...
- 173k
6
votes
Accepted
Is there any way to use viewfinder while recording video with Canon DSLR?
Because the mirror must be up to record video, there's no way to use the optical viewfinder while shooting video with a DSLR.
Some folks like LCD loupes such as the example you have linked, others do ...
- 173k
5
votes
Accepted
Sharp photo taken, but blurry in viewfinder (Nikon D5200)?
Has the diopter adjustment dial on the back of the viewfinder been moved? If everything was clear to your eyes before moving it will make everything in the viewfinder blurry to your eyes.
The diopter ...
- 173k
5
votes
Accepted
What's the difference between "exposure level indicator" and "exposure setting meter" in the Canon EOS 1DX Mark II viewfinder?
The scale on the bottom is not connected to the light meter. It shows you what you have set in terms of exposure compensation and/or auto exposure bracketing. It is only shown in exposure modes that ...
- 173k
5
votes
Accepted
How does a manual lens know when to adjust the aperture?
Nikon has a very noticable lever just inside the lens mount on the left side (viewing the body without the lens from the front).
Photo source: Nikon D5000 DSLR: Announced and Previewed
On the lens ...
- 22.4k
5
votes
Accepted
Viewfinder and focal length in film medium format
The Hasselblad 500C/M is a single lens "reflex" camera. That means that the image you see in the viewfinder is a through-the-lens view reflected to the viewscreen by a mirror. When you adjust the ...
- 173k
5
votes
Why did I see sunlight reflection in viewfinder but not in final image?
Without having more information on how exactly you took your image, and without the possibility to reproduce this effect, one can only guess. I see three possible causes for a sun reflection that is ...
- 739
5
votes
Accepted
Is there any mirrorless camera that can mark areas within DoF in the EVF?
The Fuji X-T3 and X-Pro2 (among others) have a focus assist feature called Focus Peak Highlight that shows what is in focus by outlining items in both the EVF and rear LCD that are in focus. This ...
- 6,514
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