Olympus E400: any way to view what your taking through display?

[theMusicMan]

Hi All

I guess this may be my first real stupid question... but believe it or not, on my E400 I can't easily find if there's a way to see what you are taking an image of on the actual viewfinder - and not just only through the eyepiece.

Is this possible..? What have I missed here...?

 

[CT]

LOL. The viewfinder is what you see when you look through the eyepiece - the lcd screen is usually referred to as the preview screen. Unlike compact digital cameras, digtal SLRs don't have the feature where you can compose your shots on the lcd screen, with the exception of the new Canon 1DMK3n which does have the feature.

Using the screen a lot is a huge drain on battery power anyway so I wouldn't want the feature myself. Also holding the camera out at arms length as you see people doing with digital compacts is just about the most unstable way to hold a camera.

 

[theMusicMan]

Hehe... at least I was right on one thing... that was my first stupid question then...

Okies... I understand now. Thanks

 

[Irritable_Rabbit]

and not just only through the eyepiece.

Is this possible..? What have I missed here...?

You've missed the fact that most of us around here consider the eye-piece to be the viewfinder.

If you wanted what is known as 'Live view', then you should have bought the Olympus E410 which does have this feature to view the scene on the lcd. At least I think it does.

But of dubious use when you cannot angle and rotate the lcd though IMO.

 

[CT]

Hehe... at least I was right on one thing... that was my first stupid question then...

There's no stupid questions - only stupid answers!

And I agree with Irritable Rabbit - if you could rotate and revolve the screen then it would be a really useful feature I'd love to have.

 

[theMusicMan]

I wasn't aware that on SLR's the viewfinder doesn't show what you see through the eyepiece... my bad.

Well, I have learned something today... thanks folks.