A Bit of a Dilemma

Dem55

Dem55

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Lorraine
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Hi,

I've hada Nikon D3100 for a few years now. I mainly shoot landscapes, macro and architecture. My problem is that I'm really struggling with the viewfinder - especially inside dark builings like churches. I know that the viewfinders on the D5200 & D5300 are larger, but I'm not sure if the difference would be really noticeable and I don't want to buy a new camera just for the sake of it.

I know I can go into a camera shop and play around with them, but I have a bad habit of talking myself into buying stuff once I've actually made it into the shop :naughty: So...I thought I'd ask here if anyone thinks the difference in viewfinder size would be noticeable or negligble?

Thanks
 
Could the issue be your lenses? What lens/lenses are you using?

If you are using f3.5-5.6 lenses your view in dingy places is going to be less bright than if you were using a f1.4.

I never had a problem with any of the Canon APS-C cameras I owned.
 
Hi Woof Woof,

Aside from the kit lens, I have a 35mm 1.8 and the 12-24 f4, but even with those I'm struggling with the viewfinder.
 
It may be time to visit a shop then... but go with someone else with strict orders not to let you spend your money on the first visit! :D
 
Dem55 said:
Hi Woof Woof,

Aside from the kit lens, I have a 35mm 1.8 and the 12-24 f4, but even with those I'm struggling with the viewfinder.
Click to expand...

Do you mean viewfinder or the live view panel? as the 35mm f1.8 should cope with most low light situations

Les
 
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Hi Lez,

I was meaning the actual viewfinder itself. I did try the live view screen, but again I had some problems depending on where the sun coming through the windows was in relation to the camera (if that makes sense?) - sometimes I found could see better through the viewfinder, though it was still a bit of a struggle.

I know the viewfinders on the D5200 & D300 are supposed to be 10% bigger, I just don't know if that will be enough to make a difference
 
Dem55 said:
Hi Lez,

I was meaning the actual viewfinder itself. I did try the live view screen, but again I had some problems depending on where the sun coming through the windows was in relation to the camera (if that makes sense?) - sometimes I found could see better through the viewfinder, though it was still a bit of a struggle.

I know the viewfinders on the D5200 & D300 are supposed to be 10% bigger, I just don't know if that will be enough to make a difference
Click to expand...

Not sure I have Sony equipment- as suggested, nip down the local camera shop and get some hands on experience as it were, obviously in a dark place lol

Les ;)
 
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Ha ha ha - I'll ask the shop to dim the lighting! Thanks for replying. Will just have to leave the plastic at home when I venture out
 
Maybe take your own camera too so you can compare it with a new one... and then go home and think about it.

Must not buy new camera on 1st visit... :D
 
Sound advice Alan!

I was going to take my own camera in to compare - I may not be able to see much difference, in which case problem solved. I've also been thinking about your point about the lenses. I was mainly shooting at F10 or 11, for the detail. It hadn't occurred to me that the aperture might make a difference to what I was seeing. Maybe using the largest aperture to set the shot up, then changing it might work. For inside shots I always use my tripod and cable release, so it shouldn't disturb things If I changed apertue afer focussing, should it?
 
The lens is normally at its maximum aperture anyway and only stops down automatically to what it's set at in the last moment before the shutter opens. You might look at a d7000 or D7100 which are still APS-C but have a solid glass pentaprism ...
 
Hi Lorraine,

when you set your camera to f11, it doesnt change the brightness of the what you see through the viewfinder as the aperture doesnt close down until the shutter is pressed.

set your camera to manual mode, f22 and 1 second exposure. press the shutter while looking down the lens and you will see what is happening.
 
Rapscallion said:
Hi Lorraine,

when you set your camera to f11, it doesnt change the brightness of the what you see through the viewfinder as the aperture doesnt close down until the shutter is pressed.

set your camera to manual mode, f22 and 1 second exposure. press the shutter while looking down the lens and you will see what is happening.
Click to expand...

Yes, I was thinking more about the widest these lenses will go and f3.5 could I suppose be an issue in a dark place but if the OP still has issues with f1.8 then maybe the issue isn't the lenses. Do Nikon's have a stop down / shutter effect button like some other cameras do?

It's a while since I looked through a Nikon but my Canon APS-C DSLR's were never that much of a problem and I'd be a little surprised if a Nikon was significantly worse... but what do I know? :D They might be.

All in all as being happy with what we see through the viewfinder is a personal thing I think that the best option is for the OP to march off to the shops with the camera in a bag and when trying a new camera to do so in a situation which will help decide what the issue is... maybe the OP could ask the shop assistant if it's ok to try the camera with a coat over their head or something like that to simulate a dark church? Staff at the Sony centre in Newcastle were very helpful when I wanted to try a Sony camera in a dark place :D
 
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woof woof said:
Do Nikon's have a stop down / shutter effect button like some other cameras do?
Click to expand...

Pretty certain my d300s had a DoF preview button, but it was something i never used as all it ever seemed to do for me was make the image darker rather than increase the DoF.

The big difference for me in viewfinders is the increased size as you go up the range. I remember using an entry level dSLR many moons ago that was akin to looking at the image through a tunnel, it was tiny! I cant recall much difference between my d80, d300s and d7100. But moving to m43 i love the increased size and the fact that it gains up pretty well in darkness. Cant comment how good it is for sport, though i imagine that is an area where optical viewfinders are still clearly ahead as they have zero lag.
 
Rapscallion said:
Pretty certain my d300s had a DoF preview button, but it was something i never used as all it ever seemed to do for me was make the image darker rather than increase the DoF.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's what it's for. If you press the button it stops the lens down to your shooting aperture... So, if you have a f1.8 lens and set it to f11 the camera will normally stay at f1.8 until you press the shutter button and it'll then stop down to f11 and take the shot... but if you press the stop down/shutter effect/ DoF preview (or whatever it's called) button the camera wll stop down to f11 to show you what the DoF will be and in doing so will make the viewfinder darker.

I just thought that if there was a stop down button pressing it would be easier than taking an exposure at 1 sec or so, but as the OP has issues with the f1.8 lens and the camera only stops down when taking the shot this doesn't help a lot... unless the OP takes her f1.8 lens to the shop to try it on a new camera and then uses stop down mode to check what f3.5 and f5.6 look like as that's the widest she'll get with either end of the kit lens.
 
woof woof said:
Yes, that's what it's for. If you press the button it stops the lens down to your shooting aperture... So, if you have a f1.8 lens and set it to f11 the camera will normally stay at f1.8 until you press the shutter button and it'll then stop down to f11 and take the shot... but if you press the stop down/shutter effect/ DoF preview (or whatever it's called) button the camera wll stop down to f11 to show you what the DoF will be and in doing so will make the viewfinder darker.

I just thought that if there was a stop down button pressing it would be easier than taking an exposure at 1 sec or so, but as the OP has issues with the f1.8 lens and the camera only stops down when taking the shot this doesn't help a lot... unless the OP takes her f1.8 lens to the shop to try it on a new camera and then uses stop down mode to check what f3.5 and f5.6 look like as that's the widest she'll get with either end of the kit lens.
Click to expand...

THe reason i suggested taking the shot is that the DoF button can be customised in some models so may not have the desired effect. Not sure what i set mine for in the end, but i never used it for DoF as i could see no difference to my eyes....
 
Thanks Phil and Alan!

Rapscallion said:
Pretty certain my d300s had a DoF preview button, but it was something i never used as all it ever seemed to do for me was make the image darker rather than increase the DoF.

The big difference for me in viewfinders is the increased size as you go up the range. I remember using an entry level dSLR many moons ago that was akin to looking at the image through a tunnel, it was tiny! I cant recall much difference between my d80, d300s and d7100. But moving to m43 i love the increased size and the fact that it gains up pretty well in darkness. Cant comment how good it is for sport, though i imagine that is an area where optical viewfinders are still clearly ahead as they have zero lag.
Click to expand...

This is pretty much the problem I have. I've never been able to read the LCD display in the bottom of the viewfinder, but I just managed with the screen on the back of the camera. However, I've found it very difficult to see anything properly in dimly lit/dark places.

Anyway, I went off into town this afternoon, took my camera, had a wander about, then went into John Lewis and played aroud with the D5300 and the D7000. The difference in the viewfnder was amazinng on both cameras, a vast improvement on th D3100 (which I've really enjoyed using). I have decided to go with one of these, and I'm leaning towards the D700 at the minute. I don't really want/need wifi or GPS on the camera, which, apart from the odd mega pixel here or there, seems to be the main selling point of the D5300.

Thanks again for all of your help and suggestions :-)
 
D700?

Isn't that a full frame camera?

If it is I hope you check that your lenses will fit and work?
 
Hi Alan - I'm not going for full frame, it's just my typing's rubbish :oops: :$

I meant the D7000

:)
 
Thanks Alan - one of these days I'll learn to proof read before I hit the enter button!

Anyways, I just wanted to thank you, Phil, Rog and Les again for your help, and to let you know that the D7000 won the day - I sort of fell in love with it yesterday, so now I have one of my very own - and a whole lot of learning to do, judging by the number of controls.

I may just post some photos for critique if I feel brave enough.

Thanks again
 
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