LCD Madness!
Reviews
I'll take a Canon EOS 1Ds Mark 3 please... oh and I'd like an LCD with that as well.
| |
Blogged By:
Bryan |
|
| Tags: Review
OK, alright, I need to get this out in the open and see what others are thinking.
Is it just me, or are the LCD's on consumer cameras amazing? I just bought the SON DSC-T100, and it is beyond me. It is sleek, thin, lightweight, amazing quality, and it has a beautiful 3" display to view my pictures with. On the other hand, why on earth are "pro-level" cameras still sporting 1.8", and 2" screens? Even with the new Canon EOS 1D Mark III , the screen res is still the same as its predecessor, only they made the screen a half inch bigger! What seems to be the hold up? Am I seeing things, or did Sony just release their new SON DSC-G1 "consumer level" "point and shoot" camera, with a 3.5" in LCD, and a screen resolution of almost 1 million pixels, or 921k to be exact! That's right, you can buy a camera for $600 that has an LCD almost double the size, and quadruple the resolution of my Canon EOS 1Ds Mark 2's LCD!
 
Alright, alright, let's try and be fair about this now. After all, we are talking about a "Pro-level" camera that is 16 megapixel's vs Sony's measly 6 megapixel point-n-shoot. Also, Canon's sensor size is full frame, where as Sony's sensor would be hard to find on a white table top. I am still trying to adjust to the fact that somewhere in that 8,000 dollars of Canon glory -and it is glorious, mind you- they could not figure out how to do something about the LCD.
I was recently in NY, and had the opportunity to test out some of the state-of-the-art, medium-format cameras, and was dumbfounded when I saw their pitiful LCD screens. For crying out loud, these cameras cost as much as a nice BMW... where's the value?
It makes sense though, since a lot of us are die-hard film photographers, with many years of experience of knowing how to "nail" our exposures, and don't care about what comes up on the screen anyway... I think we should just turn them off, don't you? I mean who wants instant feedback these days, right? With all my intracit composite work, I love shooting in the dark, hoping my perspective was the same for the entire production, and all the while, tripping over my firewire tether (as if a production shoot didn't already consist of enough cables). Please tell me we're joking!
How about this iPhone huh? With its massive "glass" widescreen display, and multi-touch technology. After all, it is a whopping quarter inch thick, and would add lots of "bulk" to our already massive beasts. Why with it's hefty 600 dollar price tag, it would be far too much to ask of the pros... Why would we want to pay "hundreds" of dollars more, so we can see what we are doing for heaven's sake? I already payed $8,000 for my camera, and those with MF have a new mortgage, don't you dare charge me $599 more.
 
No No, for now I am just fine peering into my tiny 2 inch LCD, deciding which amount of blurriness is actually sharp, and dragging my laptop around the studio floor just so my digital tech and I can be sure we have the shot. Cheers to "film".
Tags: Review
REPLIES
 |
11 July 2007 - 0:25:20 -
Gavin the photograher
Uh, I have a mark II N and it nice having the large display, but not essential. Big LCD's are just a perk of camera lines that change every year or half-year. For pros, we aren't using the screen to show off, but just for checking vital info. You covered the wheel dial in the back with the iPhone example, which is used quite frequently by professionals. Usability, control, and quality are what you paid $8K for. I'd rather have better ISO control, features like dual card backup and writing, and weather sealing than a shiny, bright LCD.
|
|
11 July 2007 - 3:03:19 -
Bryan
Gavin, thanks for your input. I'm glad you like your Canon, I love mine as well! You are right, there are a lot of goodies on the Canon over the Sony, all of which I use daily. To some pros Gavin, the screen IS essential to their workflow, like mine... thus the LCD's keep getting bigger and better, and even now with "live preview". How nice would it be Gavin, to have the entire back of your camera be a huge "multi-touch" LCD. It would allow you to not only have your "wheel dial", but to have it appear, (anywhere on the screen, whether big hands or little), so you could set your aperture etc, and then have it disappear when you want to view a photo full screen. Remember Gavin, each photographer has different needs, one of mine is a massive, accurate, high resolution LCD, for which I too rely on -as you said- for vital info. For now, i get that only from my laptop. Best of luck with your photography, and thanks again!
|
 |
7 October 2007 - 18:30:48 -
hartonohosea
what do you think about Nikon D3 as I am currently using Canon 1D Mk3 (not 1Ds Mk3 though)
|
|
18 October 2007 - 19:32:52 -
Bryan
I think the Nikon looks WAY solid, more auto focus, faster frame at higher res than the 1D Mark 3, and it is full frame! I don't know how the ISO quality compares with the Canon, as I have used your 1D Mark 3, and was extremely impressed. I am confused with the language they chose in describing the screen resolution... as they say 920,000 "dot", which I would assume from that layout that it was almost 1million pixels, and yet it then says "VGA" which is 640x480? I would also like to see RAW files from one of these bad boys before I could say for sure. However, I have always said that I am looking for the best tool to work with, and will never be swayed with brand etc,. So in your case when comparing your recently purchased Canon vs. this beautiful new Nikon, with their prices being very close, I would say the Nikon, (again taking it for face value, and their reputation, and track record), seems like the better buy. For my work I still need much more resolution, with speed, so I am still looking at the 1Ds mark 3, and longing for a better screen, but you cant have everything I guess. I have also tried the new Mamiya ZD and it was amazing, but again it was only amazing in picture quality, not so much in ISO, frame rate, body build etc. So it continues:)
|
|
12 January 2008 - 18:47:54 -
rhana
I have to totally agree with you on a bigger LCD. Anyone who says they don't what to see their photos more clearly and larger is hummm.. what's the word? Nuts !2
|
 |
6 February 2009 - 8:21:51 -
flip music charts
Thank you very much for the great information.
Thanks
flip music charts
|
 |
3 December 2009 - 8:36:05 -
setcode
Thank you for sharing
|
|
24 March 2010 - 11:54:14 -
aaron
Good info, thanks for sharing.
|
|
18 August 2010 - 0:19:31 -
aaron
I agree too, I have both 40D and 5D MKII but the bigger screen is better for me.
|
| |
subscribe
categories
mostrecent
searchblogs
|
