For this post, let's look into the often overlooked and never really discussed viewfinder on your camera. Now naturally, you know what a viewfinder is for, to look through and frame your shot. As such, this is arguably one of the most important feature in your camera and it's worth having a look how to COMPARE viewfinders against one another. There are 2 main variables you should be looking.
Variable 1: Viewfinder Coverage
Viewfinder coverage means how many percent of what ACTUALLY will be taken can be seen through the viewfinder.
For example, the Nikon D3S has a nice 100% coverage which basically means what you see inside your viewfinder is exactly what will be captured by the camera. The Nikon D5000, on the other hand, has only 95% coverage which means that when you look into the viewfinder, only 95% of what will be captured by the camera sensor can be seen. There is another 5% on the top, bottom, left and right side which is captured but cannot be seen in the viewfinder.
This isn't a problem for most people but it does affect your framing a little bit and it's only annoying for the most picky of you. Most cameras are 95% and high end models are usually 100%.
Variable 2: Viewfinder Magnification
Viewfinder magnification on the other hand refers to how BIG the image you will see inside the viewfinder in comparison to your human vision using a 50mm lens*. For example, if a camera has a 0.7x magnification, look through the viewfinder with your RIGHT eye and open your LEFT eye. Your right eye will be seeing about 70% the size of what the left eye can see.
(Note: 50mm lens is used as the benchmark for calculation because 50mm focal length is usually considered as a human's 'normal' vision.)
One important thing to note is that the viewfinder magnification ratio in spec sheets are VERY MISLEADING. That is because it doesn't take into consideration the crop factor of the camera (APS-C vs Full Frame).
For example, the Sony A850 is rated at 0.74 whereas the Sony A550 is rated at 0.8. By reading this, you might be thinking "Wow, Sony A550 more keng than A850?". However, if you take into consideration the crop factor to get the actual viewfinder magnification, it's a totally different story.
In order to calculate a camera's actual viewfinder magnification, use this simple formula:
Viewfinder magnification / Crop factor = Actual viewfinder magnification
Using this calculation:
A850: 0.74/1.0 = 0.74 (74%) --> MUCH bigger
A550: 0.8/1.5 = 0.53 (53%) --> Puny in comparison
With a higher viewfinder magnification, not only does it make it easier to see what you're composing, it also makes it easier to manual focus. A large viewfinder is a macro shooter's best friend. To save you some calculator trouble, here is a list of all current models for your reference.
Current Model's Viewfinder Magnification (2009)
Canon
1D Mark IV: 0.76/1.3 = 0.58 (58%)
1Ds Mark III = 0.76/1.0 = 0.76 (76%) --> Biggest viewfinder for DSLR!
5D Mark II: 0.71x/1.0 = 0.71 (71%)
7D: 1.0x/1.6 = 0.63 (63%)
50D: 0.95/1.6 = 0.59 (59%)
500D: 0.87/1.6 = 0.54 (54%)
1000D: 0.81/1.6 = 0.50 (50%)
Nikon
D3S: 0.7/1.0 = 0.7 (70%)
D3X: 0.7/1.0 = 0.7 (70%)
D3: 0.7/1.0 = 0.7 (70%)
D700: 0.72/1.0 = 0.72 (72%)
D300S: 0.94/1.5 = 0.63 (63%)
D90: 0.94/1.5 = 0.63 (63%)
D5000: 0.78/1.5 = 0.52 (52%)
D60: 0.8/1.5 = 0.53 (53%)
D3000: 0.8/1.5 = 0.52 (53%)
Sony
A900: 0.74/1.0 = 0.74 (74%)
A850: 0.74/1.0 = 0.74 (74%)
A550: 0.8/1.5 = 0.53 (53%)
A330: 0.74/1.5 = 0.49 (49%)
A230: 0.83/1.5 = 0.55 (55%)
Pentax
K7: 0.92/1.5 = 0.61 (61%)
K-x: 0.85/1.5 = 0.57 (57%)
K-m: 0.85/1.5 = 0.57 (57%)
My Pentax MX film camera: 0.97/1.0 = 0.97 (97%)
I couldn't help that last one, sorry I guess film cameras are still better?
For those of you who need visual reference to understand this better, do visit my website at www.revven.me (Sorry, lazy to link all pictures here, took me a few hours to complete so like that la). Hope this helps!
Variable 1: Viewfinder Coverage
Viewfinder coverage means how many percent of what ACTUALLY will be taken can be seen through the viewfinder.
For example, the Nikon D3S has a nice 100% coverage which basically means what you see inside your viewfinder is exactly what will be captured by the camera. The Nikon D5000, on the other hand, has only 95% coverage which means that when you look into the viewfinder, only 95% of what will be captured by the camera sensor can be seen. There is another 5% on the top, bottom, left and right side which is captured but cannot be seen in the viewfinder.
This isn't a problem for most people but it does affect your framing a little bit and it's only annoying for the most picky of you. Most cameras are 95% and high end models are usually 100%.
Variable 2: Viewfinder Magnification
Viewfinder magnification on the other hand refers to how BIG the image you will see inside the viewfinder in comparison to your human vision using a 50mm lens*. For example, if a camera has a 0.7x magnification, look through the viewfinder with your RIGHT eye and open your LEFT eye. Your right eye will be seeing about 70% the size of what the left eye can see.
(Note: 50mm lens is used as the benchmark for calculation because 50mm focal length is usually considered as a human's 'normal' vision.)
One important thing to note is that the viewfinder magnification ratio in spec sheets are VERY MISLEADING. That is because it doesn't take into consideration the crop factor of the camera (APS-C vs Full Frame).
For example, the Sony A850 is rated at 0.74 whereas the Sony A550 is rated at 0.8. By reading this, you might be thinking "Wow, Sony A550 more keng than A850?". However, if you take into consideration the crop factor to get the actual viewfinder magnification, it's a totally different story.
In order to calculate a camera's actual viewfinder magnification, use this simple formula:
Viewfinder magnification / Crop factor = Actual viewfinder magnification
Using this calculation:
A850: 0.74/1.0 = 0.74 (74%) --> MUCH bigger
A550: 0.8/1.5 = 0.53 (53%) --> Puny in comparison
With a higher viewfinder magnification, not only does it make it easier to see what you're composing, it also makes it easier to manual focus. A large viewfinder is a macro shooter's best friend. To save you some calculator trouble, here is a list of all current models for your reference.
Current Model's Viewfinder Magnification (2009)
Canon
1D Mark IV: 0.76/1.3 = 0.58 (58%)
1Ds Mark III = 0.76/1.0 = 0.76 (76%) --> Biggest viewfinder for DSLR!
5D Mark II: 0.71x/1.0 = 0.71 (71%)
7D: 1.0x/1.6 = 0.63 (63%)
50D: 0.95/1.6 = 0.59 (59%)
500D: 0.87/1.6 = 0.54 (54%)
1000D: 0.81/1.6 = 0.50 (50%)
Nikon
D3S: 0.7/1.0 = 0.7 (70%)
D3X: 0.7/1.0 = 0.7 (70%)
D3: 0.7/1.0 = 0.7 (70%)
D700: 0.72/1.0 = 0.72 (72%)
D300S: 0.94/1.5 = 0.63 (63%)
D90: 0.94/1.5 = 0.63 (63%)
D5000: 0.78/1.5 = 0.52 (52%)
D60: 0.8/1.5 = 0.53 (53%)
D3000: 0.8/1.5 = 0.52 (53%)
Sony
A900: 0.74/1.0 = 0.74 (74%)
A850: 0.74/1.0 = 0.74 (74%)
A550: 0.8/1.5 = 0.53 (53%)
A330: 0.74/1.5 = 0.49 (49%)
A230: 0.83/1.5 = 0.55 (55%)
Pentax
K7: 0.92/1.5 = 0.61 (61%)
K-x: 0.85/1.5 = 0.57 (57%)
K-m: 0.85/1.5 = 0.57 (57%)
My Pentax MX film camera: 0.97/1.0 = 0.97 (97%)
I couldn't help that last one, sorry I guess film cameras are still better?
For those of you who need visual reference to understand this better, do visit my website at www.revven.me (Sorry, lazy to link all pictures here, took me a few hours to complete so like that la). Hope this helps!
__________________
www.revven.me | www.evil-rf.com
www.revven.me | www.evil-rf.com
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