Live View

[lawrenceots]

Reviewers often berate the contrast detection AF system that is in most DSLRs, and praise the Sony AF system with its Phase detection. Now, my brother has the Sony A300, and the focusing is incredibly noisy and 'jerky'. Thats just on the cheap 18-70 and Tamron 70-300. But, when I use the D5000 in live view, despite only having contrast detection, when used with the 18-70 and 70-300 VR its very quick AF and silent. So, it comes down, in my view, more to the quality of the focus motor in the lens. Yes, Sony may have phase detection, but Sony lacks the refinements that Nikon have in the AF system and lens, and hardly any of their lens have a silent wave motor. Even with the cheaper Nikon lens such as the 18-55 and 55-200, the LV AF is good, just not as smooth and quick as with lens that have the ring type AFS system.

What do others think?

 

[Dave Pickett]

for me, live view has limited use - maybe for macro and shooting at awkward angles. D90 focusing is slow no matter which lens. Live view should be reserved for compacts and users who want to wave their camera around in the air 3ft in front of them, rather than use a proper view finder.................

 

[lawrenceots]

hmmm thats interesting you say that, as D90 has the same AF system... I have to say I do find it very useful. If I've been out taking shots of birds, and then got to take a few family shots, it is such a relief to not have to squint thru the viewfinder and just use the LCD. Call me lazy, but the Face Recognition is very useful to me!

 

[Paddysnapper]

I have a D300 and very rarely use Live-view, when I have used it normally for shots that require more hight I have found it a very handy addition, but if it were not there I don't think I would miss it!......Very much a view finder person.

 

[mastertrinity]

what your comparing two of sony's budget lenses with nikon premium models? of course the AF will be quicker however in live view i find that the foccusing is near instant and that was with my 18-70mm, 55-200mm and 50mm.

 

[lawrenceots]

what your comparing two of sony's budget lenses with nikon premium models? of course the AF will be quicker however in live view i find that the foccusing is near instant and that was with my 18-70mm, 55-200mm and 50mm.

Yeh, that was also what I was talking about. Apart from the 50mm, which has an internal ring type motor, if I remember right..?, I can't think of any other Sony lens that have a decent internal motor thats fairly cheaply priced. I now the Sony 70-300 SSM has good focus, but its pretty highly priced.

 

[Boopop]

I find the focusing painfully slow on my D90 compared to normal focusing, that and the fact it takes a second or so for the shutter to close then open again to take the photo is annoying. While I don't use it much at all, I admit it has some uses, and it's a good feature to have despite its flaws.

 

[skullcandy]

mums got the alpha 500 and the live view is great, she struggles using a viewfinder but wanted a proper camera.
we went to whf yesterday and she went between using live view and the viewfinder, she got some fantastic shots.

the liveview autofocus was fast almost silent and worked a treat.

although i am slowly bullying her into using the viewfinder the liveview came in very handy yesterday

 

[CJS]

I find the focusing painfully slow on my D90 compared to normal focusing, that and the fact it takes a second or so for the shutter to close then open again to take the photo is annoying. While I don't use it much at all, I admit it has some uses, and it's a good feature to have despite its flaws.

Method in the madness:
I agree, I went from the D90 to D5000 crazy . . . no, the D5000 has most of the D90 features plus the animated screen, essential for me, getting down and dirty is hard for these 'old bones' as well as not having to worry if I'm out and better dressed.

Its a compromise, but not much of one, CJS

 

[Dave Pickett]

an issue I have (and I suspect many others) is that I need reading glasses. I can adjust the viewfinder to suit, but to use live view i am constantly putting the glases on and off...

Still dont see how waving a camera about 3 ft in front of you arms extended can give you a stable platform. Wife insists on doing this with the video camera and cant understand why her videos are all wobbly and mine arnt!

also very difficult for me to see in sunlight, and I can see all my camera settings through the viewfinder. I do think the articulated screen on the 5000 might have some use though.