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Live view - what is it? Advantages and disadvantages to use
Live view - what is it? Advantages and disadvantages to use
Anonim

Light is the main criterion that affects the quality of a photo. It is he who can correctly convey the mood and atmosphere of the photo. It is very important to feel and understand it. But what if you are the owner of a SLR camera and you are not always able to set the correct light in the photo? What is it - live view? You will find the answer in the article.

SLR and mirrorless camera setup

Oddly enough, but we will start first of all with the structure of the camera - how does it work and why does the frame that we see through the viewfinder or screen do not match the finished picture? This is the only way we can find out what it is - live view.

Let's start with the SLR device. The camera consists of a lens and the camera itself. The lens contains the aperture ring and lenses. But inside the camera itself, the most interesting begins. Why is the camera called a SLR? It's simple: because in its body there is a system of mirrors that refracts light from the lens into the viewfinder, like in a periscope, but the whole point is that inviewfinder, we see the real image, and not the one that the matrix "sees".

What happens during a snapshot? The mirror rises, passing a beam of light to the matrix, the shutter opens, and the beam hits the matrix, after which the shutter closes. But there are more modern mirrorless cameras that do not have a mirror system, since a screen is inserted into the viewfinder, broadcasting an image from the main screen of the camera. What is their advantage? In this case, through the viewfinder, we already see what will actually turn out, which cannot be said about SLR cameras. This is what live view was designed for.

Camera mirror device
Camera mirror device

Definition

Live view - what is it? This is a feature that can turn your DSLR into mirrorless for a while. During this mode, the camera raises the mirror and allows the light to directly hit the matrix, so that on the screen of your camera you can see the result that you get in the picture. Live view makes it possible to correctly assess the exposure of the frame.

A bit of history

There used to be no such thing as a camera screen. Only later, in the 2000s, screens began to be installed. But even then it was not possible to see the image that would result from the shutter. In those days, the screen only showed camera settings and various parameters, such as a light meter. At that time, only "soap dishes" had a live picture viewing mode, and even then not all of them. But now we canenjoy this feature on almost any camera.

The endured era of "soap dishes"
The endured era of "soap dishes"

Benefits

What are the benefits of live view over normal viewfinder view? Firstly, as already mentioned, this mode allows you to correctly assess the situation by exposing the frame. On the screen, you immediately see the result that you will get at the end. Secondly, in this mode, you can zoom in and check the focus accuracy, that is, in live view mode, you can focus as accurately as possible. This criterion is highly appreciated when shooting macro or when recording static video. Thirdly, only on the screen can you see the entire frame at 100% of its size. Only 98% of the entire frame is displayed in the viewfinder, that is, some nuances may be missed. Fourthly, this function is insanely convenient in difficult shooting conditions due to the fact that you see what happens on the screen, so even in complete darkness at high ISO values you will see something, while the viewfinder will be pitch black. dark. In addition, if the camera is equipped with a swivel display, then when shooting a concert or something from low angles, it will be inconvenient for you to lean over and look into the visor, so when you rotate the screen and turn on live view, it will be very easy for you to shoot.

Flaws

Now let's talk a little about the disadvantages of this function. What's the catch, why couldn't manufacturers just give up the mirror? First, the batteries run out insanely fast. Secondly, during operation, the shutter opens, respectively,the matrix is saturated with light, and as you probably know, the matrix has a certain resource. It tends to oversaturate, because, like any photosensitive element, it can exhaust its resource. You can draw an analogy with film. Why shouldn't it be exposed to sunlight? Just because it can just light up and you can't take a picture anymore, it will run out of resources.

Analog photography, film
Analog photography, film

On all cameras, this function will work approximately the same. What is live view on Canon, what is on Sony, what is on Nikon - everything is identical. How to turn it on? Consider the Canon 6d camera as an example. To enable live view, move the video selector joystick. Or live view on it. And then click on its middle. That's it, you have enabled this feature. On other cameras, it turns on in the same way.

Live view button
Live view button

Conclusion

That's the end of this article. I hope that you have learned the answer to the question of what it is - live view. We noted for ourselves some advantages and disadvantages of using this function.

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