New Live View: Seeing D-SLRs From Another Angle

By Tim McGuinness Ph.D. on January 30th, 2008

Nikon D300 DSLR With Live View If there were anything that digital point-and-shoot cameras had over Digital SLRs, it would be the ability to use the LCD review screen as a large viewfinder. We’ve seen so many shutterbugs take advantage of this feature coming up with really radical shots from odd angles, which would rarely cross most of our minds. The simple LCD display has made Point And Shoot truly What You See Is What You Get!

Now it seems that Digital SLRs are seeing the advantages of large LCD screens as viewfinders as well. It’s a probable trend that will send all D-SLR manufacturers jumping on the Live View bandwagon. If this concept worked for digital point-and-shoot cameras, then why shouldn’t it work for D-SLRs even better?

Live View adds a new feature to some of the new D-SLRs such as Nikon’s D3 and D300. First seen on the Olympus E-330, some photographers were green with envy about this cool feature. Live View allows the D-SLR photographers to come up with more creative compositions with the certainty that they’ll get what they want. Shoot from the ground, above everyone’s heads, at odd angles, all with perfect framing. In these situations, you no longer have to stick the camera up to your eye to see how things are framed. The LCD viewfinder shows you how every image is going to turn out real time.

This is a feature amateur and professional photographers will definitely welcome. The freedom form viewing things through a tiny viewfinder can definitely lead to more creative freedom. While Nikon’s LCD screens on the D3 and D300 are not of the swing out and tilt type, its 170-degree field of view will certainly add to the usability of this Live View feature.

Our prediction? More D-SLRs will sport this feature in 2008 so keep an eye out for them.

Source: ZDnet, Nikon

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