
Leica optical viewfindersīelow are the list of Leica viewfinders that are optical, meaning there is no connection from the camera to viewfinder. This will show you all the Leica cameras that take the same viewfinder. If you already have one viewfinder and want to check what other cameras support it, search for it’s name under the “Compatible viewfinder” column. See all compatible cameras of a single viewfinder This will show what third party viewfinders are compatible with your Leica. If you want to see the Leica EVF alternatives only and what camera they are compatible with, put it “Third Party” at the bottom of the “Maker” column. If two viewfinders appear, this means there’s the official Leica version and the third party version. You can also search for the camera name at the bottom of the table. If it has a hotshoe you can get an optical viewfinder (below). If it is not there, chances are that your camera doesn’t have a compatible Leica viewfinder that is electronic. Zoom and telephoto lenses bring objects up close and large.Look at the first column for your Leica camera name. The image size will be different depending on the focal length of the lens: wide angle lenses make objects in the foreground appear very large while mid-ground objects appear small and far away. When the spec sheet says the viewfinder has a 1X magnification, that means when you look through the viewfinder using a 50mm lens, you will see the same image as you would if you were standing next to your camera and simply using your eyes. Viewfinders also have an associated magnification number. Another way is to look through the viewfinder and make sure your digital readings look in focus. Adjust the diopter until what you are seeing is sharp. To adjust your diopter, focus the camera on an object and look through the viewfinder. Most diopters have a standard correction ranging from -3 to +1. Diopters can be in the eyepiece or snap or slide on. The diopter can help you dial in the focus and get a sharp image with or without your glasses. The diopter acts in the same way as eyeglasses to correct your vision and bring everything in focus. But when there is bright sun outdoors and you can’t see the image on the LCD, it’s the optical viewfinder that comes to the rescue.įor photographers who wear glasses, the optical viewfinder also has a diopter. Some digital compact cameras have an LCD that can pop out and swivel to accommodate various shooting angles. The LCD screen can be used to review photos or video footage and also displays the camera’s menus, features and functions. Electronic or digital viewfinders are usually the LCD (liquid crystal display) screen on the back of the DSLR. (Sometimes on compact cameras, the viewfinder is parallel to the camera’s lens so that what you see is different from what the lens projects onto the sensor.) Optical viewfinders do not consume any power.

DSLRs have an optical TTL (through the lens) viewfinder, which allows you to look through the lens and see precisely what the lens projects onto the sensor. Viewfinders can be either optical or electronic. Pentamirrors are generally found on entry-level DSLRs and are constructed of plastic (instead of glass) because it is cheaper to mass produce. Pentaprisms provide a brighter image in the viewfinder than pentamirrors.
Viewfinder camera series#
Pentaprisms are a higher quality than pentamirrors, which redirect the light through a series of mirrors. A pentaprism, found on professional-grade DSLRs, uses a prism to redirect the light from the lens to the viewfinder.

The two main types of viewfinders are pentaprisms and pentamirrors. Additionally, when using the viewfinder you will have the camera braced against your body with your arms tucked in (instead of outstretched), which adds up to taking sharper images. Looking through the viewfinder helps you stabilize the camera better. What you frame up in the viewfinder is the image – and memory – that you will be taking home. But it’s your eye to the world and the origin of your creativity. While your DSLR will get an overhaul from model to model with new and improved specs, the little viewfinder stays the same. That’s right, the viewfinder – the little rectangle on top of your camera. One of the most overlooked and taken for granted items on your DSLR is the viewfinder.
