Live view?

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Name
Nicki.
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Can someone please tell me the advantages and disadvantages of shooting with live view please as I have never done this.

Thank you
 
My current camera doesn't have it, my old one (a300) does. It is useful if you can't physically get your eye to the viewfinder to point the camera at the subject - I used it with the camera held above my head or close to the (wet) ground for a few pictures but so rarely that I don't miss it.
 
I've used it for shooting over a high fence so I could see what direction I was pointing and for manual focussing when using my 100-400 with a 2x convertor (5x & 10x zoom)
 
One advantage is that you can use the screen zoom function to focus more accurately.
 
It is excellent for manual focussingon somthing that doesn't move. Switch on live view, zoom in x10 and you can really fine tune that focus to be sharp as hell.

It can be used if the position of the camera would be difficult for you to get to.

You could always use it for thirds composition as most of them have a thirds grid on them.
 
- Precise focusing for macro, landscape, product photography;
- Can really help with focusing when using a teleconverter and the camera is no longer able to AF the usual way - great for wildlife;
- Can frame your composition at strange angles, when it would be impossible to look through the viewfinder;
- Can tether the camera to a PC/laptop and view and shoot remotely - even wirelessly if you have the right accessory;
- Have the option of a Live Histogram to help with exposure setting;
- Have grid lines to help with levelling horizons;
- Can AF anywhere within the scene (50D and later);
- I've never tried it but you can even use Face Detect AF (50D and later);
- You can shoot very quietly.
 
Bring up the Live View display and then press "Info" until the histogram appears. I think you will also need to make sure you have "Exposure Simulation" enabled in Live View. I prefer to use an RGB histogram rather than just a brightness histogram.

Example of Live Brightness histogram shown on this page - http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos7d/page9.asp - and grid lines etc..

Maybe this video will help some people to understand better, maybe not (I haven't watch it) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkYQMKZLjj4

A YouTube search will no doubt turn up others - http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=canon+live+view&search_type=&aq=f.
 
It's also useful for some astrophotography. The camera can be awkward to get to when it's attached to the back of a scope and the 10x magnification can be helpful for focussing.
 
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