Nikon D600 - viewfinder a bit different to the image captured

Usually I am not so picky. I was just doing a family portrait here with a single person which is something I don't usually do. What looked good in my viewfinder, the image on the LCD screen the person looked like she was slightly leaning back a bit. So I had to tell the person to lean a bit forward.

Lens used was a Nikon 85mm F1.8D taken with a white backdrop and prob something like 3m away from the person.

Cheers.

When you say 'image on the LCD' do you mean the resulting picture or the same view in Live View?

However, if the person had to lean forward, then either you were too low, or your focusing screen is knocked off square.

She wasn't particularly tall was she?

That sounds very odd. The only explanation I can think of is that you did not see the subject clearly enough in the small viewfinder, but once the picture was taken, the model's posture could be seen clearer on the much larger LCD screen.

Since the image you see in the viewfinder goes through the same lens that is used to take the picture, there should be no difference in perspective between what you see and what you get. The only difference there could be is in crop, if the viewfinder does not have a 100% coverage (which I don't know if the D600 has).

A picture or two might help explain the issue.

Captured image different from the rear LiveView LCD? Not possible.

To check on the perspective issue, simply shoot a doorway so that it looks parallel on both axis in the VF. If the resulting image is NOT, then it's a focusing screen issue, although it would need to be a fair way out to make much difference.

Human perspective can be a bit 'subjective', or at least what is deemed correct is.

If you have a 2m tall person, to obtain a 'correct' view you should shoot them (!) horizontally from 1 meter, or ~ waist height. That produces an image without perspective issues. The camera frame would be centered on their waist too.

However, that is not how we see people in everyday life, their eyes are more or less at the same eye height as our's, so to get them all neatly in frame you have to tilt down so as not to cut their feet off or have a huge empty space above their heads.

Waist Level Finders had/have a function for such cases!

I've never taken a full length portrait with my 85mm T&S, but I'm now curious.....:cool:

Viewfinders can come out of alignment. If there is a consistent difference between viewfinder and captured image, the camera needs readjusting.

Probably not worth the cost?

When you say 'image on the LCD' do you mean the resulting picture or the same view in Live View?

 

However, if the person had to lean forward, then either you were too low, or your focusing screen is knocked off square.

 

She wasn't particularly tall was she?

Not too tall. LCD meaning on the LCD playback after the shot is taken. Not Live View.

Usually I am not so picky. I was just doing a family portrait here with a single person which is something I don't usually do. What looked good in my viewfinder, the image on the LCD screen the person looked like she was slightly leaning back a bit. So I had to tell the person to lean a bit forward.

What did the image look like on your computer?

What did the image look like on your computer?

I think I will compare my optical viewfinder to the live view mode and see any differences with a door frame etc.

The earlier shots on the computer the person looked she was leaning her head back a bit. The ones later when I said lean forward more, was better. Could also be I was maybe paying less attention to the viewfinder while asking the person to stand properly, chin too high, too low, face the camera and turn the sholders, turn this way etc etc ... So complicated.

Are you using ambient, continuous light or flash?

Using pop up flash with the D600 in commander mode. SB800 behind a softbox on a light stand.

Check the settings in your shooting menu> Auto distortion control

THis setting should be off for portraits , i think.

It is just handy in some situations when shooting architecture.

Read : Support Articles (nikonimgsupport.com)

A ...Captured image different from the rear LiveView LCD? Not possible.

Does LV really not suffer from rolling shutter?

On the entire issue: I 'm usually glad when I nailed a nice facial expression in focus and don't mind cropping slightly to get rotation into or out of such an image. If you like to be anal about that, maybe switch to a camera with spirit level built into the (E)VF?