Improvise external LCD?

[abushga]

I have the XTi and XSi and am ready to spring for the 50D. However I often miss the variable angle LCD available on the more basic Canon cameras.

 

I was particularly frustrated recently when hiking in slot canyons in Arizona... I wanted the camera basically on the ground aiming straight up, using

Time Value. Is there a way to plug a small external LCD into an EOS? Or display the capture on a laptop before hitting the shutter?

 

Thanks,

 

Randolph

[bobatkins]

If the camera has Liveview and you shoot in Liveview mode, you should be able to plug the camera into an external LCD monitor (e.g. portable DVD player or small LCD monitor) using the standard A/V connection and view what's on the rear LCD.

[rob_hanssen]

As as alternative: have you thought about an angle-finder?

[JosvanEekelen]

Zigview makes add-on electronic viewfinders. I leave it up to you to do a Google search to find out more about these and to see whether they fit your needs.

[gregf]

Not to sound condesending, but the tiltable LCD feature is very consumerish. I personally never even review photos on the built-in LCD (they are quite small and poor quality). Canon camera's come with an excellent viewfinder, use it. It's so much easier to set a shot up in the viewfinder than looking at an LCD display.

 

I seriously doubt that any camera in the 50D range or better (50D, 5D, or 1D) will ever come with a tiltable LCD. It's just one more component that can be easily damaged.

 

This feature is primarily aimed at consumer P&S cameras, pro & prosumer camera's will likely never have this option.

[amol]

"Not to sound condesending, but the tiltable LCD feature is very consumerish."

 

Not sure about that, it all depends what you are shooting. I was at a political rally last year, huge crowd. I couldn't get a decent shot of the speaker with my DSLR. Luckily, I had my "consumerish" Canon A80 (a meager 4mp P&S). But I was able to compose, zoom, and get some decent shots. While, with my DSLR, nothing worth keeping.

 

Also, check out this link (already posted), several people ask Chuck Westfall about rotating LCD screens.

 

http://www.photographyblog.com/index.php/weblog/comments/qa_with_canons_chuck_westfall/

 

 

It maybe "consumerish", but who cares, if you get the shot. I think, Sony and Oly make a DSLR with a swivel screen. (not that I'm suggesting you switch, but as an example). I personally, hope Canon puts one on a DSLR.

[gregf]

One of my major concern's about a tiltable LCD is how easy it can be broken/damaged. It can be easily broke off, it's just cheap plastic that hold's it in place. All it takes is one drop or hard hit and it laying on the floor.

 

Aslo, I find the view finder so much better. With an LCD diaplay you can't really take the wole image in. With the view finder, it's like looking with your own eyes, the whole image is just there, you can look around and see everything. It's like looking out without even realising that you are viewing it in the camera, the senses see everything. On an LCD display, you just can't absorb as much.

 

I really doubt that Canon will add a variable LCD to the higher end camera's, perhaps to the Rebel, but I just don't see it on the 5 or 1 series camera's.

[abushga]

The viewfinder is one reason we shell out for pricey SLR bodies, yes? But when the camera is nearly flat against the sand at the

bottom of a dark canyon, as in the example above, the viewfinder and LiveView mode are useless. Hence the original question.

 

Lenses can be damaged by a "drop or hard hit" but that doesn't stop Canon from making a wide selection of excellent lenses :-)

 

Thanks, Amol, for the link to Chuck Westfall's site... it seems I'm not alone in wishing for the convenience of a pivoting LCD for

awkward situations.

 

Bob and Jos, thank you for helpful suggestions. Working on it :-)

[chrisjb]

One thing I like with the A640 is the adjustable LCD and with a carefull attitude don`t see any brokage soon. Best thing tho, it can be folded in for protection and reduction of noseprints.

 

The zigview maybe the answer for overhead and ground level shots. I wonder what the pole shooters use when the body is up 60 feet and they view on a laptop? :) I have used the LV on 40d on a TV screen ok, bit sloow..

[alan_myers]

I feel an articulated LCD would be very useful and that it could be made quite durable.

 

In fact I think it could easily be designed to flip or reverse face-in against the body to hide and better protect the LCD when it's not in use.

[joseph_wisniewski]

Not the original 5D, but the new 5D II has excellent liveview, and you can run the camera quite easily from a laptop.

 

If you want to go a little lighter, the 5D also has HDMI output on liveview, which means you can compose quite well from a small HDMI monitor. I don't know any off-the-shelf, but you can whip one up for about $400 with these parts. Or find a local electronics geek to do it for you.

 

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1021&message=27526931

[jim gtz]

I'm no pro but have been shooting for over fourty years.

Click on the fly, tough with a lcd, but when doing landscape the lcd gives me a better feel for my composition, brings me back to view cameras.

Before going dslr I had a Coolpix 8400 with the articulated lcd screen. I loved it. Worries of breakage never crossed my mind. I really miss that camera.

I think this was one of the better questions on this forum, thanks for asking.

Jim

[abushga]

Panasonic has stepped up to the plate with a new offering that addresses the problem:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/23/technology/personaltech/23pogue.html