Live View on Canon EOS cameras

[hjoseph7]

<p>I know I might be kind of late on this, but how many of you really use the "Live View" feature on your Canon 40D, 50D, 60D, 7D, 5D II, etc.<br>

So far, I find this feature pretty confusing using the 7D. I find it works best when using Manual Mode and also setting the lens to Manual, otherwise I get all kind of weird exposures, especially on "P"(automatic). I'm guessing it's the same with the Video.<br>

With most point and shoots you don't have to worry about a mirror going up and down, so those cameras are very suitable for Live View. All you do is look at the monitor and when you find a likely subject, you press the shutter button and that's it.<br>

But on an DSLR, the camera has to perform all types of Gymnastics before you can get a good shot. The mirror has to go up, the metering and focusing have to kick in, then and only then can you hit the shutter, then the mirror has to go down and the whole process starts all over. Are there really any advantages of using this function in daily type shooting ? I would like to know, since I was one of the ones harping for this feature a few years ago. </p>

[scott_ferris]

<p>Harry,</p>

<p>That is the only time I use it too, but in those situations it is perfect. For landscapes, still life and product photography it is the best feature since the view camera, the 10x live view really shows that AF, whilst being generally very good, only works to a degree of tolerance, I find MF with live view much more accurate.</p>

<p>I did read one poster who insisted they loved their Zeiss manual lens and used live view and 10x to focus it for normal shooting, I can't imagine trying, or wanting, to do that though. For me it is a strictly tripod shooting feature.</p>

[philip_wilson]

<p>If you use adaptors and medium format lenses it is a must as you need it for metering (if no info is passed). You have several Af options for stills - read the manual. Personally I use Live view on tripods and basically do my AF and metering, then move to live view. Then I use the zoom function and manually focus the lens (fine tune) before zooming back out to full screen and taking the shot. In live view I tend to do a three shot exposure bracket. If you read the manual you will find that the mirror only flips up and down if you set liveview to Quick mode. My 7D is downstairs and I cannot be bothered to get it but on the 5DII you set it from the middle wrench symbol and it is the bottom item. You have three choices Quick mode - uses the standard sensor for focus and exposure, live mode (uses contrast detect and the sensor for exposure - just like a compact) and a face detection live mode (I have NEVER used this!). I am sure the 7D has it in about the same place as I find the menus on my 5DII and 7D almost identical.</p>

<p>I have never seen a reason to use Quick mode myself and find that I have lots of issues keeping focused and tracking using video as I often find the sun makes the display hard to see and cannot follow things well with the camera held out in front. With a static or slow moving subject and a tripod video is fine although outdoors I suspect that a hood on the display is a must. I have probably shot a total of about 20 video clips (the longest about 4 mins) since I first got the 5DII. The 7D is easier for video as it has a dedicated control and I think Canon made some AF improvements but they may have put them on the 5DII in firmware updates. There are plenty of people on this forum (and elsewhere) who shoot great video with the 5DII and 7D (unfortunately I am a stills shooter so someone else will have to walk you through video AF and exposure control as I am confused about it - since I don't plan to use it this does not bother me!)</p>

[philip_wilson]

<p>Had to go downstairs so I checked the 7D - it is in a different place go to the fourth red "camera" menu and the live view AF is the second setting down.</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>Thanks so far, I guess I got allot to learn...</p>

[heider]

I do landscape and architecture and live view is very useful on a tripod for correct metering and sharp foucusing.

[g dan mitchell]

It is tremendously useful for many types of tripod-based photography, and I rely on it a lot for landscape, architecture, and

night photography. I did not think it was going to br that useful when I got the ca,era but use has completely changed my

point of view.<br><br>

 

Rather than re- write what I have already written about this, I'll point you here:<br>

<a href="http://www.gdanmitchell.com/2009/07/06/why-i-like-live-view-on-my-canon-eos-5d-mark-ii">www.gdanmitchell.com/2009/07/06/why-i-like-live-view-on-my-canon-eos-5d-mark-ii</a>

<br><br>

Dan

[Charles_Webster]

<p>I use Liveview for all my tethered studio photography. I can adjust the focus while zoomed in on exactly the thing I want in focus.<br>

My pictures have never been so sharp, especially since I started wearing glasses.</p>

<p><Chas></p>

[mas-alaska]

<p>I use it often on a tripod for landscapes and night shots with 5x-10x manual focus. I used my 5D2 for months before even trying it. Now that I have I think it is fantastic for tripod shooting.</p>

[lester_wareham]

I mostly use it for tripod based macro work, but I would turn off the quick mode focus if I were you.

 

Other than that I use the viewfinder.

[pjmeade]

<p>The only time I've used live view is to acheive autofocus using a 100-400+1.4X, it's slow, but sure.<br>

Partly this is because I'm short sighted and the viewfinder can be difficult to see and partly because I much prefer the viewfinder after 30-40 years of using one.</p>

[colin carron]

<p>I've used live view in astro-photography to get the best focus. Very useful under these conditions.</p>

[William Kahn]

<p>I don't use live view, partly because I have the diopter adjustment on the viewfinder working very well with my contact lenses. If I use live view, I have to put on reading glasses...</p>

[Stock-Photos]

<p>I use live view occasionally w/ my 7D. One situation was shooting images of stars (or night sky) in manual focus. Live view and zooming in on the image on the LCD allowed precise manual focus on a distant point of light. Through the viewfinder, I found focusing at night more difficult.</p>

[KenPapai]

<p>LOL!</p>

<p>The other day while I was on the path in the forest with my tripod & gear this couple came up to me and asked me to take their photo together. He handed me a newer model dReb with the cheapo cheapo 50mm on it, and he was using it in live view mode and manual focus. I was a little astounded and perplexed... both by the live view (not on a tripod) and that 50 1.8... it was a beast to confirm focus with that setup. First time (and hopefully the last!) I ever have to use that combo again -- worst being that horrific lens, LOL.</p>

<p>I am hoping at least one of the 3 shots I got of them came out well. Rather ironic.</p>

<p>I've tried using live view on the 7D, it is weird; works well shooting video though. </p><div></div>

[dom1]

<p>Sometimes the autofocus is not exact. The live view at 10X, manual focus, will insure photos are as sharp as possible. </p>

[images_in_light_north_west]

I find LV indespensable for my Landscape work, make sure you are using exposure simulation and use the joy stick to move the metering/focus box around, meter, then exposure lock, then re focus, take the shot. try it it works great

Ross

[john_bolton2]

<p>As others have said, I use it for manually-focused tripod shots of landscapes, especially at night. I also use it with Face Detection and a tripod when I want my 10-year-old to take a picture of me in my make-shift studio.</p>

[g dan mitchell]

<p>Thinking of Ken's story, I sure would not use it for making informal, hand-held photographs of people. I'd be perplexed, too!</p>

<p>Dan</p>

[jim_service]

<p>Ditto.. landscape, tripod, manual lens, Live View x10. Especially since the 5d2 has such a crappy viewfinder. It's a time consuming bother, but I couldn't get decent results without it.<br>

Re. Ken's story, I wonder if this is going to be a common problem.. a budding photographer who never knew anything but a p&s with a screen on the back, now stepping up to a dslr and wanting to use it as much as possible like what they were familiar with, getting crappy results and blaming the camera.</p>

[cathyscholl]

<p>I'm just so happy to see Scott Ferris posting that I had to say something :)) Hi Scott! Just like the good old days.<br>

Seriously...happy to see this thread. In my limited use of movie shooting on my 5d I've been having a tough time with focusing. I've always used Live View so maybe I'll have better results without it. I will also check threads related to focus in movie mode. Thanks.</p>

[scott_ferris]

<p>Thanks Cathy, it is really nice to "see" you around too, and very well done on your recent feature on <a href="http://networkedblogs.com/8W8J3">The Travel Photographer blog. </a></p>

[david_henderson]

<p>I use it extensively on a tripod for landscapes and similar in manual mode and consider it one of the big benefits of the 5D mk2 vs its predecessor. Much easier to see what you're doing with grads; and the ability to zoom right in and look at focus precisely at different points in the frame is invaluable. Its sent me back to focussing manually and beats the hell out of dof preview. I'm used to manual MF cameras, so I'm not generally in a hurry and anything that forces me to use a tripod isn't doing any harm. </p>

[Mark Keefer]

I use it a lot in low light work like shooting bands or performers. Live View, then use the zoom, I go to the subject face and

manually focus bringing out every hair in sharp detail. Auto focus in low light never gives me results like this. Yes it is a

little more work but you won't be disappointed when downloding these to the computer. I believe low light photography is

one of the reasons this was created for.