«

wrote:

> I am from the old school and I find it faster to capture an image using an
> optical view finder than a larger LCD screen.
> Especially when you are doing outdoor activities like canoeing, skiing,
> sailing etc etc.

This thread is not about discussing whether it is better to have the
optical viewfinder in the modern P&S or not (this is the same kind of
discussion -- what is better, Mac or PC ?).

I agree it is faster to use the optical viewfinder when you are
canoeing or sailing. However, the modern digital P&S aren't fast (the
shutter lag is about half a second). If you want a fast camera, you
need the camera which is pre-focussed and pre-set for aperture and
exposure time. That's where you might want an optical VF. It is a
different beast to the modern digital P&S cameras.

On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 14:21:18 +0000, Geoff Berrow wrote:

> Message-ID: <. com> from
> minnesøtti contained the following:
>
>>> One point you might like to bear in mind is: does the camera have an
>>> optical viewfinder? They seem to be vanishing fast,
>>
>>Optical viewfinder is a toss (ha-ha). Who needs them
>
> People who want to take unblurred pictures in daylight?

How does using the optical finder help you avoid that? If you've got
daylight you can use a high shutter speed so camera movement is not an
issue and there's no focusing aid in the finder so it doesn't improve
focus, thus I don't see any real benefit to using it except where there is
sunlight directly on the LCD, but even there a piece of cardboard takes
care of the problem.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

This thread is about " Could anyone comments about mini digital camera,
such as Nikon Coolpix
S9, Canon SD400, Pentax S7, Casio Exilim EX-S600, etc?
I like to have a good quality, durable and strong camera that I can put
in my pocket."
My observations are: you can get a suitable camera like the Nikon P4 without
a view finder or camera that have both a view finder and LCD screen. It up
the the users preferences. Sure there are many good digital cameras on the
market that can suit the original thread requirement. However, knowing that
carrying a camera in your shirt pocket every day of the week may reduce its
longevity.
At $129.00 CAD with a 4 1/2 stars DPreview, a view finder and LCD screen
the Samsung 530 is worth placing on the short list as a go everywhere
camera.
Not to mention that the Samsung 530 uses an SD card and conventional AA
batteries. The other camera to consider would be the Canon PowerShot A530






"minnesøtti" <> wrote in message
news: ups.com...
>
> wrote:
>
>> I am from the old school and I find it faster to capture an image using
>> an
>> optical view finder than a larger LCD screen.
>> Especially when you are doing outdoor activities like canoeing, skiing,
>> sailing etc etc.
>
> This thread is not about discussing whether it is better to have the
> optical viewfinder in the modern P&S or not (this is the same kind of
> discussion -- what is better, Mac or PC ?).
>
> I agree it is faster to use the optical viewfinder when you are
> canoeing or sailing. However, the modern digital P&S aren't fast (the
> shutter lag is about half a second). If you want a fast camera, you
> need the camera which is pre-focussed and pre-set for aperture and
> exposure time. That's where you might want an optical VF. It is a
> different beast to the modern digital P&S cameras.
>

" I don't see any real benefit to using it except where there is
sunlight directly on the LCD, but even there a piece of cardboard takes
care of the problem."
The idea of using a piece of cardboard is doable.
When I am going downhill on my skis and the sun behind me reflecting on
white snow I do not feel comfortable using a piece of cardboard nor would I
be able to.
The same thing takes place when sailing, I have to steer my boat and the
subject has to be captured quickly.
If I am standing still then I can arranged to have some shielding from the
sun and press on the trigger at the most pertinent time.



"J. Clarke" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 14:21:18 +0000, Geoff Berrow wrote:
>
>> Message-ID: <. com> from
>> minnesøtti contained the following:
>>
>>>> One point you might like to bear in mind is: does the camera have an
>>>> optical viewfinder? They seem to be vanishing fast,
>>>
>>>Optical viewfinder is a toss (ha-ha). Who needs them
>>
>> People who want to take unblurred pictures in daylight?
>
> How does using the optical finder help you avoid that? If you've got
> daylight you can use a high shutter speed so camera movement is not an
> issue and there's no focusing aid in the finder so it doesn't improve
> focus, thus I don't see any real benefit to using it except where there is
> sunlight directly on the LCD, but even there a piece of cardboard takes
> care of the problem.
>
> --
> --John
> to email, dial "usenet" and validate
> (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

"minnesøtti" <> wrote in message
news: ups.com...
>
> thoss wrote:
>
>> One point you might like to bear in mind is: does the camera have an
>> optical viewfinder? They seem to be vanishing fast,
>
> Optical viewfinder is a toss (ha-ha). Who needs them besides the old
> geezers ?
>

Uh, people who want to compose their picture and view all the icons on the
viewer? Those who want to use manual mode and adjust focus? Those who want
to be able to see what they're taking a photo of when it's bright sunlight
outside, and the back screen washes out from bright light?

Just a couple of guesses.

On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 =?iso-8859-1?B?bWlubmVz+HR0aQ==?= wrote:

>
>thoss wrote:
>
>> One point you might like to bear in mind is: does the camera have an
>> optical viewfinder? They seem to be vanishing fast,
>
>Optical viewfinder is a toss (ha-ha). Who needs them besides the old
>geezers ?
>
And what's wrong being an old geezer? You will probably be one some
day.
--
Thoss

On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 Steve B wrote:

>
>"minnesøtti" <> wrote in message
>news: oups.com...
>>
>> thoss wrote:
>>
>>> One point you might like to bear in mind is: does the camera have an
>>> optical viewfinder? They seem to be vanishing fast,
>>
>> Optical viewfinder is a toss (ha-ha). Who needs them besides the old
>> geezers ?
>>
>
>Uh, people who want to compose their picture and view all the icons on the
>viewer? Those who want to use manual mode and adjust focus? Those who want
>to be able to see what they're taking a photo of when it's bright sunlight
>outside, and the back screen washes out from bright light?
>
>Just a couple of guesses.
>
>
Also those who want to steady the camera against their foreheads rather
than holding it at shaking-arms length.
--
Thoss

On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 =?iso-8859-1?B?bWlubmVz+HR0aQ==?= wrote:

>
> wrote:
>
>> I am from the old school and I find it faster to capture an image using an
>> optical view finder than a larger LCD screen.
>> Especially when you are doing outdoor activities like canoeing, skiing,
>> sailing etc etc.
>
>This thread is not about discussing whether it is better to have the
>optical viewfinder in the modern P&S or not (this is the same kind of
>discussion -- what is better, Mac or PC ?).
>
This thread is about advising the OP as to which camera to buy. And the
presence or absence of an optical viewfinder may well sway him one way
or another.
--
Thoss

On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 16:07:41 +0000, marierdj wrote:

> This thread is about " Could anyone comments about mini digital camera,
> such as Nikon Coolpix
> S9, Canon SD400, Pentax S7, Casio Exilim EX-S600, etc?
> I like to have a good quality, durable and strong camera that I can put
> in my pocket."
> My observations are: you can get a suitable camera like the Nikon P4 without
> a view finder or camera that have both a view finder and LCD screen. It up
> the the users preferences. Sure there are many good digital cameras on the
> market that can suit the original thread requirement. However, knowing that
> carrying a camera in your shirt pocket every day of the week may reduce its
> longevity.
> At $129.00 CAD with a 4 1/2 stars DPreview, a view finder and LCD screen
> the Samsung 530 is worth placing on the short list as a go everywhere
> camera.
> Not to mention that the Samsung 530 uses an SD card and conventional AA
> batteries. The other camera to consider would be the Canon PowerShot
> A530

Personally if the requirement is for "durable and strong that I can put
in my pocket" the Olympus Stylus 720SW is the obvious choice. Drop it,
roll your kayak, fall off your surfboard, it doesn't care.

> "minnesøtti" <> wrote in message
> news: ups.com...
>>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I am from the old school and I find it faster to capture an image
>>> using an
>>> optical view finder than a larger LCD screen. Especially when you are
>>> doing outdoor activities like canoeing, skiing, sailing etc etc.
>>
>> This thread is not about discussing whether it is better to have the
>> optical viewfinder in the modern P&S or not (this is the same kind of
>> discussion -- what is better, Mac or PC ?).
>>
>> I agree it is faster to use the optical viewfinder when you are
>> canoeing or sailing. However, the modern digital P&S aren't fast (the
>> shutter lag is about half a second). If you want a fast camera, you
>> need the camera which is pre-focussed and pre-set for aperture and
>> exposure time. That's where you might want an optical VF. It is a
>> different beast to the modern digital P&S cameras.
>>

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 09:27:00 -0800, Steve B wrote:

> "minnesøtti" <> wrote in message
> news: ups.com...
>>
>> thoss wrote:
>>
>>> One point you might like to bear in mind is: does the camera have an
>>> optical viewfinder? They seem to be vanishing fast,
>>
>> Optical viewfinder is a toss (ha-ha). Who needs them besides the old
>> geezers ?
>>
>
> Uh, people who want to compose their picture and view all the icons on the
> viewer?

??? I'm sorry, but how does the optical finder let you do that?

> Those who want to use manual mode and adjust focus?

What point-and-shoot has an optical finder that is useful in adjusting
focus?

> Those who
> want to be able to see what they're taking a photo of when it's bright
> sunlight outside, and the back screen washes out from bright light?

Piece of cardboard and some duct tape fixes that.
>
> Just a couple of guesses.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)