Adventures with EVF

[madNbad]

I've been using cameras for a fair number of years starting about 1970. SLRs, rangefinders, ground glass on medium and large format and the monitor screen on small digital cameras. I bought a Sony A7II a couple of years ago for scanning negatives and it works well for that purpose. Previously, the first digital camera was a Leica Delux 4, the version before they added EVF. There were a couple of Nikon DSLRs, a D2x and a Df. There was a lot to like about them but I found myself using legacy glass that had been chipped. The few times I tried an autofocus zoom, it felt like carrying a bowling ball around. In addition to the Sony, there is a trio of Zeiss Loxia lenses. These are native E mount manual focus lenses mostly designed for video but do produce good still images. Now for the adventure. I have only used the Sony as an actual camera a few times so my experience with using the EVF was limited. In addition, it has been mostly indoors with slow speeds and a wide aperture. Last week, Oregon lifted the COVID 19 restrictions allowing business to open to full capacity and encouraging travel within the state. Yesterday, my spouse and I drove the two hours from our home in the western edge of the city of Portland to the ocean side town of Lincoln City. We find a parking spot next to the beach, grab the camera and switch it on. My first view is nothing but gray screen. Remembering the Loxia lenses kick in a magnified view when you first turn the ring, I tap the shutter release to give me a full image. About this time, I realize my aperture is set at 2.8 and my shutter speed is somewhere in the single digits. Spin the shutter speed dial, crank the aperture ring to around sixteen and miraculously an image appears. I fiddle with it a while longer and finally decide to pick an aperture and put the camera in Aperture priority. The Sony offers setting effect to give you an idea of what the final image will look like. In bright light it makes the screen a lot darker and somewhat hard to see. Turn that setting off and continue on until I find the daylight setting for the monitor. Now at least I can review my mistakes. I didn't take very many exposures but learning the hard way is a good way to remember. Best of all, when I imported the card, what at first I thought was a bird turned out to be dust on the sensor. I love photography, it's a humbling experience.

 

[Paul Howell]

I have a A77II as well, I use older Minolta and Konica Minolta A mount lens, 5 and 8 pin, I have one Sony lens that I don't user very often as I generally carry a Minolta film body as well. I prefer an optical viewfinder, my A900 or 700, don't like the blackout and well does not look real to me. Where I find EVF useful is in dim lighting where I can bump up the light level. Now that Sony has stopped A mount camera production I guess next will be a A7 or 9. I'm getting ready for a short trip the Cal. Central coast in a couple of weeks, have not decided on the A77II or A 900.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I use Canon RP as first kind of serious camera win EVF. Canon doesn't make any small lenses for this mount except one lens.
For another focal length I have true RF lens. Even at f1.4 and render preview I can't remember white out due to bright light. Even if I have EVF at maximum (due to sun glasses). Shutter indicator just blinks maximum.
I think, it is because I keep ISO on auto. Camera sets high ISO for indoors and lowers it outdoors.