How do mirrorless camera screens perform in bright light ?

BADGER.BRAD

BADGER.BRAD

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I don't use digital too often but have been toying with the idea of buying a half decent camera which I had narrowed down to Mirrorless 4/3rds because of the size/weight advantage but after taking one of my point and press Digi cameras out on a walking trip the week end a problem came up which I had ,had before but forgotten about, Now I'm in a dilemma yet again ! I tried taking a few shots in bright sun light and found I was having difficulty seeing the screen to either compose the photo or take a quick look at the result. Is this just because I'm using old digital cameras or is this a problem with even modern ones ? I've toyed with this idea for a while now and have been put off by poor dynamic range ( judging them by my crummy point and press cameras !) and difficulty in tracking an object without a eye piece but then been put off a DSLR because of their size then just go back to film. One day I promise I'll make my mind up !
 
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My Fuji XT2 screen seems to work fine...although I did complain a bit yesterday until I remembered my glasses turn dark in the daylight...doh!
 
BADGER.BRAD said:
I don't use digital too often but have been toying with the idea of buying a half decent camera which I had narrowed down to Mirrorless 4/3rds because of the size/weight advantage but after taking one of my point and press Digi cameras out on a walking trip the week end a problem came up which I had ,had before but forgotten about, Now I'm in a dilemma yet again ! I tried taking a few shots in bright sun light and found I was having difficulty seeing the screen to either compose the photo or take a quick look at the result. Is this just because I'm using old digital cameras or is this a problem with even modern ones ? I've toyed with this idea for a while now and have been put off by poor dynamic range ( judging them by my crummy point and press cameras !) and difficulty in tracking an object without a eye piece but then been put off a DSLR because of their size then just go back to film. One day I promise I'll make my mind up !
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Screens can still be a nightmare to see in bright sunlight tbh, and this hit home even more on my recent trip to Cuba where the OLED screen on my iPhone was much easier to see. However, you can obviously use the viewfinder and also use this for reviewing images. Some screens are getting better, for example the LCD on the D850 is easier to see in bright light than my Olympus EM1-II, but it's still not great and also you can't review the image in the viewfinder on DSLRs.

Dynamic range is not poor on micro from thirds, I've been really surprised by how much detail I can pull back on my EM1-II. OK so not the best photo you'll ever see but in order for the foreground not to be pretty much all blackness the sky and domed building in the background were pretty much white, bit of tweaking in Lightroom and all this detail came back. I cold of gone further still, and also lighted the shadows more in the foreground but for me it then started to look unnatural. The DR was there though.

Havana, Cuba 2019 by TDG-77, on Flickr
 
LCD screens have improved a hell of a lot, I have no problem using the one on the G80 is even the harshest sunlight.

DR on the latest M43 sensors is actually better than Canon's APSC, and many Nikon APSC cameras too. You can push the RAW files pretty hard when needed. Where they fall behind some larger sensors [again, not so much Canon's crop sensors] is high ISO noise levels. Shooting in decent lighting however you needn't worry about pulling back details

dynamicrange.jpg
 
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Cagey75 said:
LCD screens have improved a hell of a lot, I have no problem using the one on the G80 is even the harshest sunlight.

DR on the latest M43 sensors is actually better than Canon's APSC, the G9 for example wipes the floor with an 80D.
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Maybe it's the screensaver on mine that makes it not so good then? That being said I do have the same make on my D850. Dare I risk using my EM1-II without a screensaver? ;)
 
snerkler said:
Maybe it's the screensaver on mine that makes it not so good then? That being said I do have the same make on my D850. Dare I risk using my EM1-II without a screensaver? ;)
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I never use screen protectors, I probably should as a just in case but I've never had a screen crack or even get scratched up on me. I turn the screen inward when I'm done shooting or putting it in the bag. Well, when I remember to!

I have the brightness up full on mine always too, makes it harder on battery but I like to be able to check previews when I'm out and about, I find the G80 screen very nice, bright, punchy colours, even zoom previewing gives me a very good idea on how the image will look on the PC. I do shoot RAW+Jpeg for this reason, you won't get as nice a preview shooting RAW only, it's more like a large thumbnail, you can't zoom in on images as much
 
How do mirrorless camera screens perform in bright light ?

Beautifully .... if you hold the camera down and tilt the screen up 90 deg.

;)
 
I have a couple of mft cameras and a Sony A7. The rear screens are usually good enough for composition but sometimes they're utterly useless. It just depends on the strength of the light. I mostly use the evf's though so it's only when taking shots from a low angle, mushrooms and flowers etc, that I tend to try and use the screens and sometimes I just can't see enough to even roughly compose never mind focus.
 
I can't remember any time where I couldn't compose using the LCD because it was washed out by light. I prefer using the evf for subjects in the distance, but for macro or awkward angle/low to ground shots of any kind a tilting/articulating screen is a blessing. I say this of course, and the sun will be high and blinding tomorrow and I'll go "Oh ... it is a bit hard to see" :D I will be aware of it if that does happen, but doubtful it'll be tomorrow if today's p***y weather was anything to go by
 
Cagey75 said:
I can't remember any time where I couldn't compose using the LCD because it was washed out by light. I prefer using the evf for subjects in the distance, but for macro or awkward angle/low to ground shots of any kind a tilting/articulating screen is a blessing. I say this of course, and the sun will be high and blinding tomorrow and I'll go "Oh ... it is a bit hard to see" :D I will be aware of it if that does happen, but doubtful it'll be tomorrow if today's p***y weather was anything to go by
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Do you even know what bright sunlight is in Ireland? ;) :p
 
I no longer look at any camera without an EVF. A nice big LCD is very nice until the curse of the bright sun is visited upon you! :(
 
snerkler said:
Maybe it's the screensaver on mine that makes it not so good then? That being said I do have the same make on my D850. Dare I risk using my EM1-II without a screensaver? ;)
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I have never used one on camera
 
Cagey75 said:
I'll have you know, we get at least a week's worth of it per annum! :p

Actually the forecast is telling us once this cold front passes it'll be hotter than Madrid here later in the week ... must be bloody freezing in Madrid then :D
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We have been experiencing strange weather lately a large yellow orb has apeared in the sky it things feel warm all of a sudden must be some sort of terrible magic.

I think you are getting our cast offs this week.
 
m4/3 work really well for me
 
alfbranch said:
We have been experiencing strange weather lately a large yellow orb has apeared in the sky it things feel warm all of a sudden must be some sort of terrible magic.

I think you are getting our cast offs this week.
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We actually had a decent summer last year, we hit 32 degrees Celsius, which was almost the hottest ever recorded in the country - it hit 33 degrees some time back in 1987. There is one good side to the general weather here, it never gets too hot, but it never gets too cold either. Just mostly damp
 
snerkler said:
Maybe it's the screensaver on mine that makes it not so good then? That being said I do have the same make on my D850. Dare I risk using my EM1-II without a screensaver? ;)
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I use Expert Shield screen savers on all my cameras now and have no problem with the touch screens, or them being bulky.

@BADGER.BRAD I think the problem is not so much to do with mirrorless and more to do with needing an EVF when it's bright sunlight. Having said that, I was able to use the touch shutter on my Canon R today in bright sunlight - could see enough to compose whilst holding my camera over a fence. I always like the option of a viewfinder, plus you can review your images in it too - great for those of us who now need reading specs!

If you are hoping to photograph action then the focus tracking on some of the Olympus cameras is not great. The Olympus EM1ii is excellent for action. I don't have experience of other micro 4/3rds.
 
The only time I really struggled with the screen on my Olympus E-PL5 was in California in midday sun in August at Universal Studios.
It can be a little awkward but you can (usually) shade and/or tilt the screen and as the cameras are light and mostly stabilised then holding one handed isn't a problem.
I generally shot with the camera on a neck strap at waist height and the screen tilted up 90 degrees so the weight was supported, holding up a hand to shield the screen is simple enough.
I bought an add on EVF for the PL5 but almost never used it so sold it on.
I then upgraded to an Olympus E-M10 then E-M10ii which have built in EVF and I use screen or EVF depending on the circumstances.

In short I think screens are generally fine in all but the brightest sun, but a used E-M10ii with a screen and EVF and you are never caught out ;)

You can test drive Olympus for free if you're near to a participating dealer
https://wow.olympus.eu/
 
I think the problem is the angle the screen is at and the direction of the sun.

I've used back screens at eye level on a sunny beach with no issues at all but I've also used a tilted up screen and not been able to see enough to even roughly frame the shot.
 
A neck strap must be restrictive. I use a wrist strap on all my cameras.

I don't have a pic of my M43 handy, but here's my D5300 showing the strap I like.
 
d00d said:
A neck strap must be restrictive. I use a wrist strap on all my cameras.

I don't have a pic of my M43 handy, but here's my D5300 showing the strap I like.
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Peak design slide is what I use, keeps your hands free when you're not using the camera (y)
 
Been a while since I used a strap of any kind, including for photography ... :p I was gifted a leather hand strap the Christmas before last, really nice strap from Footprint, but it was not comfortable in the slightest, too thin with no padding. Before that I used a Black Rapid sport for years, great strap - no complaints, was comfortable even with much heavier gear. I hung a FF body with 300mm lens +TC from it many times, I much prefer straps that hang the gear on your hip rather than around your neck. Let your shoulder take the weight instead. But nowadays I just prefer to have a messenger style bag with easy access, and pop the camera in and out when needed
 
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Thanks for all the replies everyone, much appreciated. Mirrorless cameras in my budget don't have evf's ( I don't want to spend too much as some of my activities are quite rough on electronic goods, motorcycle green lanning, mountain biking and winter wild camping) So I'm still a bit confused what to go for, a cheap DSLR would solve a few problems but then create some and then the screen issue is something that would only be a problem now and a again.
 
The only time I use the rear screen is when setting the thing up using the menus, the rest of the time, I use the EVF. 2 reasons - firstly, I've yet to find a rear screen that's bright enough for proper viewing and secondly, I can't see the rear screen unless I stick my reading glasses on; I can use the dioptre adjustment to see through the EVF. The only exception to the above is/was the Fuji XF-1 which doesn't have an EVF so I framed loose and cropped.
 
BADGER.BRAD said:
Thanks for all the replies everyone, much appreciated. Mirrorless cameras in my budget don't have evf's ( I don't want to spend too much as some of my activities are quite rough on electronic goods, motorcycle green lanning, mountain biking and winter wild camping) So I'm still a bit confused what to go for, a cheap DSLR would solve a few problems but then create some and then the screen issue is something that would only be a problem now and a again.
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What's the budget?

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 and kit 12-50mm lens are weather sealed - as far as I know none of the smaller M43 bodies are.

For example...
Body £150
https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/search/?www-product-search=Olympus+OM-D+E-M5&www-department=all
Lens £110
https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/used-equipment/used-photo-and-video/used-lenses/used-olympus-lenses/
 
BADGER.BRAD said:
Thanks for all the replies everyone, much appreciated. Mirrorless cameras in my budget don't have evf's ( I don't want to spend too much as some of my activities are quite rough on electronic goods, motorcycle green lanning, mountain biking and winter wild camping) So I'm still a bit confused what to go for, a cheap DSLR would solve a few problems but then create some and then the screen issue is something that would only be a problem now and a again.
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I was going to recommend the same as AMc if you're on a budget. It's small, has an EVF and weather sealed.
 
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