Whatever happened to the most basic lesson?
Sep 17, 2019 15:16:25 #
burkphoto wrote:
I've always wanted phone cameras to rotate 90 degrees, if desired, so HD and 4K video could fill the screen horizontally when the phone is held vertically. Vertical video just looks stupid.
As always you are right. I don't have your experience with video in the wild, only with stuff in the studio, multi cameras setups and talking heads and the like, all of my portable in the field use has been with film. But really, vertical video???
And that doesn't even get to the pathetic ergonomics of the touch screen...
Sep 17, 2019 16:07:44 #
There is no such thing as the perfect viewfinder configuration for every camera and certainly not foch the viewfinder is accessed and the way we use a camera at eye level to steady the camera is only one issue to examine.
A little history: Most of us do not use old film cameras but many of them, from large format, through medium format to 35mm, had multiple options. Even large-format press cameras have a view camer-like groud glass, an optical viewfinder and a sports (wireframe) finder for various shooting modes and requirements. Many advanced level twin-lens and the single-lens reflex camera had interchangeable wast level, eye level/prism, and sports finder options. This enabled eye-level viewing for general work, waste level position when that was called for and even being able to compose when holding the camera overhead by holding in upside down and shooting. You could use a waste level configuration when using the came on a copy-stand or shooting vertically downward from a tripod. Many of these cameras had ample focusing hoods with build-in magnifiers, enable precise focusing and composing even in bright ambient light conditions. Currently, however, most DSLRs do not have removable or interchangeable prisms or viewfinders. Compare with an only LCD screen at the back and cellphones do not offer these conveniences. There are some ad-on accessories as for hoods and magnifiers.
So...steadig the camera at other than eye level, without a tripod or other special grip devices, can be somewhat problematic, however, as others have mentioned there are ways and means of solving that issue via special rigs, improvised holding methods and of course utilizing the image stabilization feature of your camer if you have this option.
I don't wat to go too far off-topic, however, no one has mentioned the other important aspect of a conventional eye-level viewfinder whether you are assessing a live view image or a reflex image. Holding a camera or a cellphone camera, out in front of you, where the screen is not protected or shaded by a hood or closed viewfinder housing can be extremely problematic where precise camer position is required. Operating in a high level of ambient light can be a nightmare. In such fields as portraiture, where exact camer position in relation to the subject's face is crucial, establishing eye contact with the lens, and precise positioning for corrective facial analysis techniques can be awkward and seriously impaired without comfortable access to the viewfinder eyepiece and darkness surrounding the image on the screen. Even nowadays, when shooting weddings or events, I sometimes miss my wire sports finder where I could see the expression in darkened rooms and even tell when using flash if the subject blinked or flinched at the moment of exposure.
In retrospect, steading a 4x5 press camera or even a medium format unit with you forehead may have resulted in a serious dent in the skull! For many years, one of my studio employees, unfortunately, lost his left hand and forearm in Vietnam. He was one of my top wedding shooters and operated both a 4x5 press cameras , we did not phase them out of wedding work 'till 1969, and then onto various medium format film camera with onboard flash units, steadying the bed of the cameras on the remaining part of his forearm arm and manually operating and steading the camera with his right hand. He was fast, efficient and never missed a shot. Where there is a will there is a way and it's surprising and hearting to see what folks can improvise when they are resourceful.
As for the folks who just complain and spend so much of their time on this forum arguing semantics, criticizing each other's language skills and comprehension, perhaps they should spend more of their energy and creativity figuring out solutions to legitimate problems and issues in photography. Get a "grip"! Make a "grip"?
A little history: Most of us do not use old film cameras but many of them, from large format, through medium format to 35mm, had multiple options. Even large-format press cameras have a view camer-like groud glass, an optical viewfinder and a sports (wireframe) finder for various shooting modes and requirements. Many advanced level twin-lens and the single-lens reflex camera had interchangeable wast level, eye level/prism, and sports finder options. This enabled eye-level viewing for general work, waste level position when that was called for and even being able to compose when holding the camera overhead by holding in upside down and shooting. You could use a waste level configuration when using the came on a copy-stand or shooting vertically downward from a tripod. Many of these cameras had ample focusing hoods with build-in magnifiers, enable precise focusing and composing even in bright ambient light conditions. Currently, however, most DSLRs do not have removable or interchangeable prisms or viewfinders. Compare with an only LCD screen at the back and cellphones do not offer these conveniences. There are some ad-on accessories as for hoods and magnifiers.
So...steadig the camera at other than eye level, without a tripod or other special grip devices, can be somewhat problematic, however, as others have mentioned there are ways and means of solving that issue via special rigs, improvised holding methods and of course utilizing the image stabilization feature of your camer if you have this option.
I don't wat to go too far off-topic, however, no one has mentioned the other important aspect of a conventional eye-level viewfinder whether you are assessing a live view image or a reflex image. Holding a camera or a cellphone camera, out in front of you, where the screen is not protected or shaded by a hood or closed viewfinder housing can be extremely problematic where precise camer position is required. Operating in a high level of ambient light can be a nightmare. In such fields as portraiture, where exact camer position in relation to the subject's face is crucial, establishing eye contact with the lens, and precise positioning for corrective facial analysis techniques can be awkward and seriously impaired without comfortable access to the viewfinder eyepiece and darkness surrounding the image on the screen. Even nowadays, when shooting weddings or events, I sometimes miss my wire sports finder where I could see the expression in darkened rooms and even tell when using flash if the subject blinked or flinched at the moment of exposure.
In retrospect, steading a 4x5 press camera or even a medium format unit with you forehead may have resulted in a serious dent in the skull! For many years, one of my studio employees, unfortunately, lost his left hand and forearm in Vietnam. He was one of my top wedding shooters and operated both a 4x5 press cameras , we did not phase them out of wedding work 'till 1969, and then onto various medium format film camera with onboard flash units, steadying the bed of the cameras on the remaining part of his forearm arm and manually operating and steading the camera with his right hand. He was fast, efficient and never missed a shot. Where there is a will there is a way and it's surprising and hearting to see what folks can improvise when they are resourceful.
As for the folks who just complain and spend so much of their time on this forum arguing semantics, criticizing each other's language skills and comprehension, perhaps they should spend more of their energy and creativity figuring out solutions to legitimate problems and issues in photography. Get a "grip"! Make a "grip"?
Sep 17, 2019 16:38:33 #
mwsilvers wrote:
Hmm. You can always rotate the phone 90 degrees. I've never had a problem doing that.
I ALWAYS rotate my phone to horizontal for video. But a whole lot of folks don't seem to get how much screen real estate they are wasting by not rotating the phone. So the BBC News people even have a video news service for people to watch on vertically held phones.
The thing is, it DOES make ergonomic sense to hold the phone vertically, unless you have really big hands. That's why a camera on a swivel makes sense.
Sep 17, 2019 19:18:41 #
Back in film days I would go bicycling with my Pentax and a small beanbag in handlebar bag, when I saw something that demanded to be shot I placed the beanbag atop a fence post or whatever available, scale focus by numbers on lens barrel and shoot away. If you are good at guestimating distances with numbers on lens autofocus was not even needed. This can also be used with old lenses on digital cameras. Some of my old Nikon lenses even couple with meter on my Nikon D200.
Sep 18, 2019 11:21:00 #
As an "over 70" with a lot of years of camera holding I have moved away from viewfinder. I love having my viewscreen horizontal for low view points. I also can view with camera overhead. Providing one has a high enough shutter speed to freeze image it does not matter like it used to with film.
I find composing just as easy with screen, especially as I can look at what IS NOT in the frame by glancing up. Once I hace the scene I want it is a matter of being creative with stabilization with a knee, tree, wall os turning on OIS.
Today we have smarter cameras and I love letting my camera be as smart as me - in other words I compose the scene and let the camera take the picture based on the instructions I gave it.
I find composing just as easy with screen, especially as I can look at what IS NOT in the frame by glancing up. Once I hace the scene I want it is a matter of being creative with stabilization with a knee, tree, wall os turning on OIS.
Today we have smarter cameras and I love letting my camera be as smart as me - in other words I compose the scene and let the camera take the picture based on the instructions I gave it.
Sep 18, 2019 11:21:07 #
As an "over 70" with a lot of years of camera holding I have moved away from viewfinder. I love having my viewscreen horizontal for low view points. I also can view with camera overhead. Providing one has a high enough shutter speed to freeze image it does not matter like it used to with film.
I find composing just as easy with screen, especially as I can look at what IS NOT in the frame by glancing up. Once I hace the scene I want it is a matter of being creative with stabilization with a knee, tree, wall os turning on OIS.
Today we have smarter cameras and I love letting my camera be as smart as me - in other words I compose the scene and let the camera take the picture based on the instructions I gave it.
I find composing just as easy with screen, especially as I can look at what IS NOT in the frame by glancing up. Once I hace the scene I want it is a matter of being creative with stabilization with a knee, tree, wall os turning on OIS.
Today we have smarter cameras and I love letting my camera be as smart as me - in other words I compose the scene and let the camera take the picture based on the instructions I gave it.
Sep 18, 2019 11:42:38 #
jcboy3 wrote:
I'm thinking of the Panasonic LX100, which uses a 4:3 sensor but changes the width based upon the aspect ratio. The camera can't read out the full sensor, but it can flexibly use portions of it.
My Pentax Q-7 MILC does that - it uses full sensor to provide 3:2 aspect, but then it provides 16:9, 4:3, or 1:1 by using only certain rows or certain columns. My other choice, of course, is to always use 3:2, and then crop off rows or columns in "PP" myself.
Sep 19, 2019 18:59:54 #
By always keeping the camera horizontal and proper cropping you avoid perspective distortion which shows in architectural shots as with a view camera.
Sep 19, 2019 19:02:05 #
eugenehinds wrote:
By always keeping the camera horizontal and proper cropping you avoid perspective distortion which shows in architectural shots as with a view camera.
To whom are you replying??
Sep 20, 2019 08:24:14 #
The discussion seemed to be preferred type/use of viewfinders, my least preferred is the TLR due to the reversed image which takes some getting familiar with.
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