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Live View Mode In Your DSLR Camera

Recently I was asked by my friend to recommend for her digital SLR.
Until now she was using compact Canon Powershot A720, I think. And it’s been working fine for her and her husband.
But just recently their family got bigger- new cute member is the reason they are looking towards upgrading. They are looking for something, that can offer better quality and of course the speed, that can keep up with their little son’s adventures in near future.

Following the same thought process, as I described not long ago in my post about choosing the right camera for your needs and skills I recommended couple of models for them to take a look at: Nikon D5000 and Canon T2i.

Now, I specifically left the Nikon d3000 out of the question for one reason- I got asked about live view and the question carried the stress on- maybe it is important feature?

That question has made me think about- how important is the live view in dSLR camera?
And I can already answer to myself- well, that depends from the user!

Myself- I have been using dSLR camera offering live view for a little above year and a half. How many times I have used it? For shooting (composing frame etc)- twice!  The first time, when I first got the camera, got it out of the box and wanted to check out almost every setting and option it offers. Second time I used it past winter, when taking low angle shot. I would be able to take that show without using live view, but I will admit- I didn’t want to lay down in col, wet sand.
So myself I am not really excited about this feature to use for shooting. The fact, that it is making my camera much slower in focusing time (unless focusing manually…)  and overall response time doesn’t really make this feature of advantage for me.
The only useful thing live view brings to my shooting is the convenience of previewing the white balance setting.
It works very well on Nikons-not sure about other brands. I have learned it from the DTowntv.com show- and few times found it really helpful.
How to do it? Set your camera in live view mode and than hold the shortcut button for WB (on the back next to the screen on D90 or on top button on higher models) and than rotate the dial located on the top back of the camera. Instant preview of the color of light! Awesome, right?

Now- my camera doesn’t shoot video, so I don’t have that extra feature to utilize the live view with. And well, that’s really the only way to record video with video enabled dSLR camera

So who is the live view user? Who likes the most that feature?

My best guess would be:

• user upgrading from compact camera, used to using the live view as main way of previewing and composing the shot. There is less and less compact cameras featuring viewfinder and so it’s pretty much the only way to use small cameras.
• avid video shooter, using their video enabled dSLR to record video clips. I have seen quite few of those- some wedding photographers like to make those beautiful few minutes videos- o, lovely! Here is an example of one really nice video I had found on Digital Wedding Forum Blog:

NYC Coming Soon trailer from Robert Balasko on Vimeo.

Link to the video,if the player won’t work for you

• users, who like to check white balance before the shoot

Who else?

So now- I wonder how often and in what situations do you use the live view in your dSLR camera?
Any tips and tricks for taking best use out of this relatively new feature on dSLR’s ?

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7 Comments

1. [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Joanna Kapica, Joanna Kapica. Joanna Kapica said: New post: Live View Mode In Your DSLR Camera http://bit.ly/b2yRde [...]

   Tweets that mention Live View Mode In Your DLSR Camera -- Topsy.com / 14 Jul 2010 / 1:59 pm / Reply

2. 

   I use live view on my Nikon D90 fairly often for dynamic angles, especially to shoot above crowds at events. I've found that to improve the speed it helps to use live you for the general composition, then switch it off & shoot "blind" after that. It works about 80% of the time, but drastically improves the speed.

   Rick / 14 Jul 2010 / 10:53 pm / Reply

   • 

     Rick, thanks for sharing! I have never tried it- but it definitely sounds like good way to use the live view mode. I may try it one time, when I will be shooting standing in the crowd (as I myself am not the tallest person- it probably help a lot with getting actually some photos!)

     Joanna / 14 Jul 2010 / 11:18 pm / Reply

3. 

   to be honest, i rarely use live view. if i do, it's because i'm slightly too lazy to take the time to adjust the white balance and want to see it happen live on screen. but maybe i'm just old school, and still really love looking through a viewfinder. live view on a point-and-shoot is fine, but a dslr to me is just like an slr - minus loading the film i treat it much like shooting with an older manual camera.

   natalie. / 15 Jul 2010 / 5:01 pm / Reply

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     Natalie, I feel very similar- viewfinder seems to me more accurate etc. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on live view. :)

     Joanna / 15 Jul 2010 / 11:40 pm / Reply

4. 

   I don't use live view very often- you are right it just slows things down! Occasionally I will use if I am taking at an unusual angle or trying something that I am not sure will work. Great Post!

   Amanda / 16 Jul 2010 / 9:06 am / Reply

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     Hi Amanda! Thanks for stopping by :) And confirming my thoughts- I was hoping I am not the only one, that live view is not the most important for. All these great comments I am getting only confirm it!

     Joanna / 16 Jul 2010 / 11:19 pm / Reply