Articulated screens

[Mr Bump]

I'm completely with HinFrance.

On a Cyprus trip earlier this year I used my partner’s camera with articulated screen. In the fierce sun and constant clear blue sky I found that reflections made it extremely difficult to read the screen – even to compose, let alone focus. Using the articulated screen at waste level with my back to the sun improved screen clarity but, of course, resulted in fairly flat images and the polarising filter was ineffective. Shooting with the sun to my left or right required various contortions to provide shade (my partner was not happy to be used as a sun shade*). Perhaps indoors or under an overcast sky I might have had more success, but not there. Call me old-fashioned but I am happy using an optical viewfinder – and aren’t problems with manual focussing more due to the short focus ring movement of modern lenses? I have no trouble at all manually focussing with my Nikon AIs lenses.

* She can never understand why I spend time on composition and gets quite impatient. She simply points the camera in the direction of view and quickly shoots without worrying about the screen - and is nearly always happy with her photos as a record of where we have been

[donoreo]

I can see the use for the articulating screen if you are in an awkward angle and cannot look in the view finder, but that is the only case. I think that is a rarity.

[jonathancarre]

The live screen is definitely useful for landscape photography, and macro etc where you have the time to use the benefit of the more precise maual focus. I doa lot of sports photography where it is no use whatsoever. However, with extreme sports video it is valuable. I don't have an articulated screen, but it would be VERY useful for video again, extreme sports shots from low angles, or on the floor would be so much easier to set up with an articulated screen, rather than having to lie down with your camera (particularly troublesome on a muddy forest floor).

[Mr Bump]

Originally Posted by jonathancarre

I don't have an articulated screen, but it would be VERY useful for video again, extreme sports shots from low angles, or on the floor

I suspect that the only current cameras that might meet that requirement are the Sony A33 and A55 due to their use of phase detection AF in live view and video modes. With all others I imagine you might struggle with focus, whether contrast AF or manual, depending on the focal length of lens and distance to subject. Has anyone here used an articulated screen for videoing sports action? (apart from on a camcorder, that is).

[Oldbearchris]

I love live view - Use it for 50% of my photos. However,I've not found myself wanting an articulated version. It sounds like it would be very useful for tripod based shots, so you don't have to crouch down.

[HinFrance]

Originally Posted by Oldbearchris

I love live view - Use it for 50% of my photos.

That's because you're one of those sneaky street photographers and you don't want people to see you putting the camera to your eye . .

[Markulous]

Live View: never use on 40D or 7D - and I take a lot of macros!

Articulated screen: use all the time on my G11 - but then I use an angle finder on my 7D all the time (for me, an essential accessory!). So, yes, if there were two models of camera with and without articulated screens, I'd choose with - but it'd be no dealbreaker as I'm very happy using my angle finder!

[greenwing]

By and large, I think an articulated screen is an accident waiting to happen. I've lost a lens hood and a memory slot door from them meeting things unexpectedly. The same sort of thing happening to a display screen would be far more expensive.

I can see that it might be of use when shooting overhead, or low down, or for critical focus when the subject's in an awkward position. For me, that's well under 1% of shots, and so it's not something I really want.

Chris

[michaelb104]

Originally Posted by greenwing

By and large, I think an articulated screen is an accident waiting to happen. I've lost a lens hood and a memory slot door from them meeting things unexpectedly. The same sort of thing happening to a display screen would be far more expensive.

I’ve had one for about two years now and it’s been most places, garden, beach, rocky places, busy places, on a tripod, it’s even managed to climb a tree (once) and it’s still there and working (it does have a couple of scratches though).

[Angela Nicholson]

Originally Posted by michaelb104

I’ve had one for about two years now and it’s been most places, garden, beach, rocky places, busy places, on a tripod, it’s even managed to climb a tree (once) and it’s still there and working (it does have a couple of scratches though).

Which camera?