JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore

I very seldom use a tripod or the live view and compensate with a faster shutter speed. The tripod is just one more thing to set up and use, and I find it a Royal Pain to carry around. After losing time getting the tripod set up and aimed in the general direction I want then focusing my old eyes with the live view takes even more time. I will, however, admit I may miss some shots I like, but that's ok and part of the game; I'll still have more than enough photos to review, sort and keep me PPing for a while.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I am going to say that actually using the viewfinder or live view is a matter of preference. I do not use live view when I am photographing birds.
If you are using a long tele with VR keep the shutter speed high, along with the ISO and you can leave the tripod at home.

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

My personal preference is to shoot using the viewfinder whether or not I'm using my tripod. There is the rare exception, however. A couple of my cameras have a tilt LCD and I will use my LCD screen to get better angle on a shot. Even handheld, I use my viewfinder. It's just easier to hold the camera and my 150-600 steady if I'm looking through the viewfinder.

Just my 2 cents.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

I utilize the viewfinder for wildlife photos. Live View for Landscape

Blaster34 Loc: Florida Treasure Coast

DSLR's, Mirrorless or not, I always use the viewfinder, especially of there's a chance of movement of the subject

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

Does not look to me like she's the one who took the shot.

wapiti Loc: round rock, texas

emmons267 Loc: Arizona, Valley of the Sun

One thing to keep in mind is that when using Live view the auto focus system is using Contrast detection rather than Phase detection and on my Canon the phase detection is more accurate. I'm not sure about Nikon.

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

I use the view finder with BBF and AFC. With a 150-600 I use a mono pod often, I've lost several shots setting up a Tri pod.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

I think it is a way of preference! I personally never used the LCD display for composing a picture, I always use the viewfinder, it give me the clearest view without any glear, or whatever could interfere with it and I also have all my settings displayed at the same time, so I can make any changes without taking my eye from the viewfinder. I can also easily check my DOF which is an important part of the composition. To me, nothing beats an optical viewfinder, but that is, like I said, my own preference! One more important issue is that using the viewfinder gives you the best performance of your AF system, while using the LCD display, it is usually rather limited!

charles tabb Loc: Richmond VA.

That was a beautiful picture! I wonder where it was taken.
I myself never use anything but my viewfinder.
I feel that I see my focus and depth of field much better.
I have only used my LCD Display to maybe show someone else the pic that I got.
I do understand that my viewfinder uses more battery that my LCD Display but I don't care, I carry a pocket full of batteries.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

I have found that museums and other places that exclude tripods will often not say anything about a monopod. I have used the monopod as a walking stick substitute on occasion. No one has ever challenged that. I think there might be an ADA issue involved but have never checked.m As to the viewfinder vs. live view I have always preferred viewfinder. That may be because I have taken pictures for so long that Live View was a new feature I never bothered to get familiar with.

gessman Loc: Colorado

Psssst! I'll let you in on a little secret... there's 79693 members in uhh who come and go periodically over time and each has her/his own preference on just about any subject you choose to discuss, most of which have been worked out over time through experimentation and what anyone else in uhh prefers is of little benefit to you unless you just have a particular heroine/hero who is a uhh member that you respect and want to emulate. While there are no stupid or useless questions, sometimes a question just simply isn't going to be answered here due to the fact that even if a majority of the 79693 members agree that one method is better than the others, you will find that your own personal comfort will be better served if you just sit aside some time to take the pictures you like to take alternating the two methods you are asking about and "relive" the experiences in your mind as you are assessing the quality of the pictures you get using each method and go with your own gut feeling about what's right for you and forget about what others do. With this, as with most other things, when you start asking what's right for you, you're going to get a different answer from almost everyone you ask involving what's right for them so be bold and give yourself permission to experiment and decide for yourself what's right for you. It'll save you a lot of time in the long run when you take charge of yourself and work things out in a way that you're most comfortable with doing that which gives you the results you want. There are members in uhh who can give you days of technical explanations about why one is better than the other but that all goes out the window when it's just you, the camera, and the birds. If you find that you choose the method that drains your battery faster, get a spare battery. If not, get a spare battery anyway because sooner or later you'll need it. This has not been intended to be a caustic response, just an effort to let you know that it's ok to experiment and decide what's best for you.

AlfredU Loc: Mooresville, NC

Am I the only one who doesn't know what BBF and AFC stand for?

barbie.lewis Loc: Livingston, Texas

Beautiful photo of you!
Like others have said, viewfinder vs live view is mostly personal preference for the circumstance.