How many actually use Live View

[bjørn rørslett]

<p>LiveView is very useful for my work, despite its poor implementation in the D3, D3X, and D700.</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

<p>I full yagree with Bjorn, Joseph, & Illka: I use it in tripod mode for critical manual focusing.</p>

[aldrich]

<p>I haven't used live-view on a DSLR, since my D40x doesn't have it...but the way I feel whenever I have to use my pocket cam (that doesn't have a viewfinder at all) is lackluster.</p>

<p>IMHO, reaching my arms out to look at a screen makes me feel like the camera is doing it all. Holding a camera (any camera) up to my eye makes me feel more in control, like my eyes are composing...I know it sounds silly...</p>

<p>My idea of Live View is looking down at my hips when I'm shooting my Super Richoflex TLR!</p>

[michael_oxford]

<p>I use live view quite a bit when i'm shooting with a camera that has the feature. The 10x magnification comes in very very handy when checking focus and for those casual moments where you don't need to be "dialed in."</p>

[hudspeth]

<p>I agree with using live view for Macro work But also for telephoto work at say 400mm on a tripod with manual lenses. Lens testing is another. The angle of view is so good on the D3 making it easy.</p>

[mbkissel]

<p>I do use live view for product photography. I can visualize placement and make minor adjustments without having to look through the veiwfinder, which may be at an inconvenient position at the time. I can move a light around or white board and see the effect more easily much of the time. For most photos, I admit, I look through the viewfinder, but it sure comes in handy at times.</p>

[mjferron]

<p>I use it on my G9 because...well...well that's all it's got except for a dinky viewfinder. I never use it on my Nikon FE.</p>

[evphotography]

<p>If you are a landscape photographer and use a tripod, I use about 90% of the time. I wouldn't consider owning a camera now without it. If you don't shoot with tripod, it won't come in handy at all. Like Ilkka pointed out, you might me surprised how many times your focus is not dead on with autofocus. Now if your focusing is perfect and you have zero back focusing or front focusing then probably not big of deal. But I can focus way more accurately manually using it than the camera can. For checking your DOF, way way better to view with live view than through the viewfinder. Another thing I use it for is composition. I can get a much better idea of what my composition is going to really look like viewing it on back of my camera than I can looking through one eye on viewfinder. How many times have you composed an image, shot it, once you download it then realize your not happy with composition and so you crop something out. Also when shooting when it's windy and with longer lenses, put on live view, magnify 10x and you can see any movement whats so ever on your lens that you wouldn't notice just looking at the lens itself. That has saved me several times from getting soft images. Most people haven't really taken the time to explore what a great feature it is, almost like mini view camera. But almost all of these benefits are only useful when tripod shooting, especially landscape work.</p>

[davyjo]

<p>Holy cow! I have a 50D, I should try it out sometime!</p>

[jim_winters]

<p>i use it for product shoots so that the customer/designer can see whats in the frame!</p>

[joseph_wisniewski]

<p>David, your 50D has something really cool that Nikon should learn from. The 50D doesn't need to drop the mirror when shooting in liveview, so it has lower vibration than Nikon D300, D3, or D700 (don't know if D90 or D3X have improved).</p>

<p>And 50D has a feature called "electronic first curtain", where the camera goes rgitn from liveview to exposure without even cycling the shutter curtain. It does have to close the shutter at the end of exposure, but you're replaced Nikon's two mirror movements and two shutter movements with a single shutter movement. It's about the best liveview for macro there is. Also the best for putting the camera on a telescope or microscope.</p>

[tri-x1]

<p>I'll admit that it I did a lot of studio work--especially close up, I probably woyld use the Live View Feature more. And on my old Canon A80 P&S I used the pivoting LCD a lot to shoot over the heads of people in a crowd. But the D300 screen doesn't pivot. In the "old days" I would pull the prism off my Nikon F and hold the camera over my head, upside down, to shoot over crowds. Can't do that with newer cameras.</p>

[cmulcahy]

<p>I've used it only to see what it does. I've tried using it a few times and found it fairly worthless, so I've never used it since. </p>

<p>Maybe I shouldn't give up on it so quickly? It looks like it has a practicle purpose when manually focusing.</p>

[liljuddakalilknyttphotogra]

<p>I've had my D300 for over a year now. One time I tried to use it, but I was not at home & did not have the manual with me. Did not remember how to use it.<br>

So in my case - - not yet. Guess that's one of those things I need to read up on again & practise</p>

<p>Lil :-)</p>

[digimage]

<p>my opinion live view likely unpracticle , unless some case like mr.Shun Cheung said in the first reponse .but how many pepole used it in semi pro? in case using live view to shot you have to view far away on the air so your hand hardly stable to focus ??? that FUNCTION just for marketing the best .</p>

[digimage]

<p>the other thing I would like to say . some camera now it can RECORD like camcorder too. so you like to shot or you like to record it ? some time I have the idear to buy camcorder to record after that what ever I like it just stitl and print out !!!! so boring in photography hobbie if I DO THAT</p>

[angkordave]

<p>I use a Fuji S5 which has live view; like the D200 and D300 having a fixed screen I see it as a pointless. but if I could tilt the screen I'd use it a lot!</p>

[a._j._jacobs]

<p>I don't have a Nikon, but I've used the live view on my Canon when I wanted to get up close and personal with a scorpion and a couple black widows. It was more for my comfort level... :)</p>

[vivek_kadiyala]

<p>I don't have a Nikon but I do use live view on my Olympus quite a bit. Even with the fixed screen it makes getting awkward shots much easier when shooting macro. Additionally, Ashley is on the money as far as not putting your face within striking range of some of the nastier critters. Although not life threatening, frogs urinate when spooked by a fool that gets too close with their macro gear.</p>

[joseph_wisniewski]

<blockquote>

<p>Although not life threatening, frogs urinate when spooked</p>

</blockquote>

<p>And here I always thought the expression was "<strong>kiss</strong> a frog"...</p>

<p>Oh well, what's one letter between friends.</p>

[peter_lawrence]

<p>Like Eric Vaughan, I find LiveView invaluable for landscape photography. Used in Tripod Mode (on a tripod obviously), LiveView is the best way to critically check the depth-of-field of a shot, plus it's the best way to get the most accurate focus. For these same reasons, LiveView is great for macro work too. Again, this is using LiveView in Tripod Mode with the camera mounted on a tripod.</p>

<p>But I don't use LiveView when handholding my Nikon D300. I prefer just to use its viewfinder then.</p>

<p>LiveView does drain the camera's battery at a relatively fast rate. Fortunately, that's not a problem for me because I carry three spare batteries in my camera bag for my D300.</p>

 

[dmz17]

<p>I don't use Live View with my D300. I find it cumbersome and prefer the viewfinder.</p>

<p>I also find that people using anything but a viewfinder look kind of ridiculous, myself included.</p>

[TerryRRR]

<p>I've never used it on my D300. On those occasions when I use the family compact, I have no choice but to hold it at arm's length and squint at the little screen, but I hate it. I think I've spent too long with viewfinders to change. The only attractive alternative to viewfinder is a nice big ground glass on a LF...<br>

I'd probably feel differently if I did a lot of macro, tabletop or tripod stuff.</p>

 

[Sanford]

<p>If the live view image darkened or lightened to show changes in exposure settings in manual mode before the photo was taken it would be much more useful. My P&S works this way. </p>

[charles_wood]

<p>As others have learned, Live View is a great focusing aid for macro or tripod work where focus is critical. I use it all the time and on the Canon xsi and 40D, and I would guess the Nikon as well, when you're in Live View the mirror is up. Click the shutter button, you've exposed with no mirror flip or vibration. Battery life isn't an issue on the Canons using Live View. A battery and a spare and you're good to go for a day or more, even in cold.</p>