Why new cameras does not have optical viewfinders?

On Jan 30, 1:02 am, Ron Hunter <rphun... RemoveThis @charter.net> wrote:
> Market pressures, plain and simple.
> Most people who use digital cameras for snapshots DON'T use the optical
> viewfinder. It takes up space on a small camera, and costs money to
> include

Exactly. The other replies didn't really answer the question, just
gave their own biases/preferences.
 >> Stay informed about: Why new cameras does not have optical viewfinders? 

zalek wrote:
> I am looking a new camera to replace my Canon SD550 - most compact
> cameras does not have optical viewfinders. To use LCD on a beach - is
> very difficult.
>
> Zalek

Market pressures, plain and simple.
People like large LCD displays, even those of us who prefer to use an
optical viewfinder.
Most people who use digital cameras for snapshots DON'T use the optical
viewfinder. It takes up space on a small camera, and costs money to
include, so eliminating it in favor of a large LCD seems to be a
reasonable marketing strategy. It appears that a P&S camera under $250
with an optical viewfinder is pretty much a thing of the past.
 >> Stay informed about: Why new cameras does not have optical viewfinders? 

zalek <zalekbloom.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote:
>I am looking a new camera to replace my Canon SD550 - most compact
>cameras does not have optical viewfinders. To use LCD on a beach - is
>very difficult.

Often discussed in very heated arguments. The two fractions are firmly
entrenched.

I am with you, a camera without an optical viewfinder is useless _TO_ME_.
Other people obviously couldn't care less and wouldn't use an optical
viewfinder even if you put a gun to their heads.

jue
 >> Stay informed about: Why new cameras does not have optical viewfinders? 

On Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:16:19 -0800, zalek wrote:

> I am looking a new camera to replace my Canon SD550 - most compact
> cameras does not have optical viewfinders. To use LCD on a beach - is
> very difficult.
>
> Zalek

The demarcation is not optical viewfinder vs back of camera LCD - it is
optical viewfinder vs electronic viewfinder. I happen to use a long zoom
EVF camera (Kodak P850) and find it quite usable in all conditions - I've
recently done a rather extensive shoot on a bright sunny day with full
snow cover.
 >> Stay informed about: Why new cameras does not have optical viewfinders? 

On Jan 30, 12:13 am, ray <r....RemoveThis@zianet.com> wrote:
> On Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:16:19 -0800, zalek wrote:
> > I am looking a new camera to replace my Canon SD550 - most compact
> > cameras does not have optical viewfinders. To use LCD on a beach - is
> > very difficult.
>
> > Zalek
>
> The demarcation is not optical viewfinder vs back of camera LCD - it is
> optical viewfinder vs electronic viewfinder. I happen to use a long zoom
> EVF camera (Kodak P850) and find it quite usable in all conditions - I've
> recently done a rather extensive shoot on a bright sunny day with full
> snow cover.

EVF may be okay for most applications, but I do a lot of tabletop
photography, which requires careful manual focusing. I have yet to see
an EVF with enough resolution for that.
 >> Stay informed about: Why new cameras does not have optical viewfinders? 

In article <97f51c13-c47a-484e-b340-
8893a2927afb RemoveThis @i12g2000prf.googlegroups.com>, zalek says...
> I am looking a new camera to replace my Canon SD550 - most compact
> cameras does not have optical viewfinders. To use LCD on a beach - is
> very difficult.

Even if a compact had an optical viewfinder, it would be a tiny little
hole.
--

Alfred Molon
------------------------------
Olympus 50X0, 8080, E3X0, E4X0, E5X0 and E3 forum at
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MyOlympus/
http://myolympus.org/ photo sharing site
 >> Stay informed about: Why new cameras does not have optical viewfinders? 

On Wed, 30 Jan 2008 03:02:51 -0600, Ron Hunter <rphunter.DeleteThis@charter.net>
wrote:

>zalek wrote:
>> I am looking a new camera to replace my Canon SD550 - most compact
>> cameras does not have optical viewfinders. To use LCD on a beach - is
>> very difficult.
>>
>> Zalek
>
>Market pressures, plain and simple.
>People like large LCD displays, even those of us who prefer to use an
>optical viewfinder.
>Most people who use digital cameras for snapshots DON'T use the optical
>viewfinder. It takes up space on a small camera, and costs money to
>include, so eliminating it in favor of a large LCD seems to be a
>reasonable marketing strategy. It appears that a P&S camera under $250
>with an optical viewfinder is pretty much a thing of the past.

You can still pick up a Canon SD1000 for about $170,
Has an optical viewfinder and a host of other good modes,
very compact but good to handle being a box like shape
without any curves. Carry mine all the time. No IS unfortunately.
 >> Stay informed about: Why new cameras does not have optical viewfinders? 

zalek wrote:
> I am looking a new camera to replace my Canon SD550 - most compact
> cameras does not have optical viewfinders. To use LCD on a beach - is
> very difficult.
>
> Zalek

All DSLRs include an optical finder. <G>
No movie mode - yet.
A good value example is the Nikon D40:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/NikonD40/

David
 >> Stay informed about: Why new cameras does not have optical viewfinders? 

zalek wrote:
> I am looking a new camera to replace my Canon SD550 - most compact
> cameras does not have optical viewfinders. To use LCD on a beach - is
> very difficult.

It adds cost to have an optical viewfinder, and it reduces the available
area for the LCD. Manufacturers compete on LCD size and megapixels. Most
consumers don't understand the benefit of an optical viewfinder.

The camera you should buy is the Canon SD800IS. It has an optical
viewfinder, image stabilization, and a wide-angle lens. It is the _only_
sub-compact camera on the market with these three attributes.

Ironically, the price has been going up on this camera. It was as low as
$230 at Amazon, now it's $285 at Amazon, $255 at Buydig.
 >> Stay informed about: Why new cameras does not have optical viewfinders? 

In article <1OWnj.85257$c_1.3220@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk>, David J
Taylor <david-taylor.DeleteThis@blueyonder.neither-this-bit.nor-this-bit.co.uk>
wrote:

> All DSLRs include an optical finder. <G>
> No movie mode - yet.

You wanna take movies...buy a movie camera...
 >> Stay informed about: Why new cameras does not have optical viewfinders? 

On Jan 30, 7:06 am, "Mr. Strat" <r....TakeThisOut@nospam.techline.com> wrote:
> In article <1OWnj.85257$c_1.3...@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk>, David J
> Taylor <david-tay....TakeThisOut@blueyonder.neither-this-bit.nor-this-bit.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
> > All DSLRs include an optical finder.  <G>
> > No movie mode - yet.
>
> You wanna take movies...buy a movie camera...

I have a nice video camera, but I don't have it with me all that
often, not nearly as often as I have more DSLR with me. Going from a
Sony F828 to a DSLR I find that I do miss that ablily to take video.
And if I am taking short video clips a digital camera can be easier to
down load the video clips.

Scott
 >> Stay informed about: Why new cameras does not have optical viewfinders? 

Mr. Strat <rag.RemoveThis@nospam.techline.com> wrote:
> In article
> <97f51c13-c47a-484e-b340-8893a2927afb.RemoveThis@i12g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
> zalek <zalekbloom.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote:

>> I am looking a new camera to replace my Canon SD550 - most compact
>> cameras does not have optical viewfinders. To use LCD on a beach - is
>> very difficult.

> People are stupid and want to hold their cameras at arm's length while
> looking at a little TV on the back. Yup, it's a sad day.

That's not stupidity, it's having eyes too old to see anything closer
than arm's length. If you want to see all the detail in an LCD display
you have to view it from a few inches away.

--
Chris Malcolm cam.RemoveThis@infirmatics.ed.ac.uk DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]
 >> Stay informed about: Why new cameras does not have optical viewfinders? 

Alfred Molon <alfred_molon.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote:
> In article <97f51c13-c47a-484e-b340-
> 8893a2927afb.TakeThisOut@i12g2000prf.googlegroups.com>, zalek says...
>> I am looking a new camera to replace my Canon SD550 - most compact
>> cameras does not have optical viewfinders. To use LCD on a beach - is
>> very difficult.
>
> Even if a compact had an optical viewfinder, it would be a tiny little
> hole.

Providing you define a compact camera as one which is too small or
cheap to have anything big enough or good enough to be useful in it.

--
Chris Malcolm cam.TakeThisOut@infirmatics.ed.ac.uk DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]
 >> Stay informed about: Why new cameras does not have optical viewfinders?