Help me understand - DSLR optical viewfinder vs. digicam LCD display

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital..._reflex_camera

My Camera is Sony DSC F828

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The basic operation of a DSLR, having the mirror reflecting the image away from the image sensor except briefly during the exposure, precludes the ability to see the image in the LCD display before the picture is taken, a major difference from the way an ordinary digital camera (digicam) works. Some newer DSLR models feature an option generally known as "live preview" that does allow the image to be seen on the LCD display, although with certain limitations and with the optical viewfinder disabled.

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So I need to understand this a bit more. On my camera I can see how the picture is going to turn out before I take it (using all settings, A, P, M, S etc..)

My buddy just bought the cannon Xti, I think its the 350 D? 10 MP any how I noticed that you cannot see the image on the LCD screen until the image is taken, so you would need to know a lot about cameras and their settings and how to use them (which I don't have a great understanding). I found it difficult to take a picture and was like "oh my" when it didn't turn out

Then there is the DSL with "live preview" according to Wkipedia you have a DSLR with a mirror that will allow you to view the image and this looks like its newer technology (this year) What are the pro's and cons of this "live preview"

I see this

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The advantages of an optical viewfinder are that it alleviates eye-strain sometimes caused by electronic view finders (EVF), and that it constantly shows (except during the split second of time for the sensor to be exposed) the exact image that will be exposed because its light is routed directly from the lens itself. Compared to ordinary digital cameras with their LCD displays and/or electronic viewfinders the advantage is that there is no time lag in the image; it is always correct as it is being "updated" at the speed of light. This is important for action and/or sports photography, or any other situation where the subject or the camera is moving too quickly. Furthermore, the "resolution" of the viewed image is much better than that provided by an LCD display or an electronic viewfinder, which can be important if manual focusing is desired for precise focusing, as would be the case in photomacrography or photomicrography (commonly referred to as "macro-photography" and "micro-photography").

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then there is

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A fairly recent development in DSLRs is the emergence of live preview options, which make it possible to use either the optical viewfinder or the LCD display when composing the picture (but not both). This can be an advantage because some people simply prefer to use the display and because in some situations it is not convenient or possible to hold the camera up to your face to look through the viewfinder. Underwater photography, where the camera is enclosed in a plastic waterproof case, is an example of a situation where composing on the display is preferred.

Olympus introduced the first DSLR with live preview, the Olympus E-330, in the spring of 2006. Since then other manufacturers have launched DSLR models with live preview, and the possibility exists that eventually all new DSLRs will have this feature.

As of the summer of 2007, the Canon EOS-1D Mark III, Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, Canon EOS 40D, Nikon D3, Nikon D300, Olympus E-330, Olympus E-410, Olympus E-510, Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1, Panasonic Lumix DMC-L10 and Leica Digilux 3 all provide continuous live preview as an option. Additionally, the Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro offers 30 seconds of live preview.

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So I want to buy a new camera soon and want to spend around 1500 what should I be looking for since I am use to a non DSLR with live preview. I need to get some training to fully understand how to take a correct picture.


Also what is the difference between Shutter Priority (S) and Manual setting (M) I noticed my buddy's camera does not have (S) setting and used the aperture in combination with the (M) setting.

Is my camera basically an advanced point and click
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/spec...ny_dscf828.asp

I don't care about live preview. It's not only eating your batteries you get a loss of visability in sunlight also and the quality it offers is worse than your optical viewfinder (as explained in quoted chapter 2).

Manual mode is purely manual control of shutter-speed and f-stop!
You can set your f-stop and shutter-speed to whatever you like, that is why it is recommended for experienced users only.

S-Mode means you set the shutter-speed manually and the camera adjusts the aperture accordingly to get a good result.

My advice is to work in A-Mode. You control the aperture to achieve a desired depth of field and the camera adjusts the shutter-speed accordingly.

Holding a camera away from your body, to view a LCD screen, only increases the risk of camera shake. Looking through the viewfinder/diopter gives you much more camera support, as you not only have 2 hands, but also a nose, cheek, and forehead to help steady the camera against. :D

Thanks for your input... soon I will be buying a new camera.

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Originally Posted by EVPohovich

Holding a camera away from your body, to view a LCD screen, only increases the risk of camera shake. Looking through the viewfinder/diopter gives you much more camera support, as you not only have 2 hands, but also a nose, cheek, and forehead to help steady the camera against. :D

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never thought about it that way, but that's actually probably true!

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Originally Posted by carly1979

never thought about it that way, but that's actually probably true!

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When I bought my camera I was deciding between the cannons and nikons... vs. the sony F828. I like the sony because it was heavier and felt more solid which does stable the image a bit. Some of the nikons I thought they would crush under pressure!

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Originally Posted by PCRIDE

Some of the nikons I thought they would crush under pressure!

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I pressed my finger thousands of times on my Nikon's shutter release and it never crushed :D

i would not suggest sony. i've dealt with their higher end p&s but i wasn't happy with nay of their features, especially their stabilization and auto focus.

If you're getting an slr, spend your money on a nikon or canon. both have great reviews no matter what version you get.

Have you gone to B&H's website? i bought a used canon 300D with a kit lense and a 1gb cf card for $550 with shipping...and that was almost a year ago.

i loved my sony cybershot (point & shoot), but have not looked back since getting my nikon SLR. it's luverly.

can't say i even thought about getting anything other than nikon or canon to be honest.