viewfinder

viewfinder

The preview window on a camera that is used to frame, focus and take the picture. On analog cameras, the viewfinder is an eye-sized window that must be pressed against the face. Point-and-shoot digital cameras use small LCD screens that are viewed several inches from the eyes.

Professional photographers generally prefer a viewfinder for taking pictures. It blocks out surrounding distractions and lets them focus on framing the picture. In addition, the LCD screen can become very washed out in bright sunlight, making it almost impossible to frame the picture.

Digital SLRs and Prosumer Cameras
Using optical lenses or a tiny microdisplay, digital SLR (DSLR) cameras employ the eye-sized viewfinder for taking pictures and an LCD screen for viewing the results. On some DSLRs, both viewfinder and LCD screen can be used for taking pictures. See DSLR.

Prosumer cameras have fixed lenses like point-and-shoot cameras, but they also have manual focus, aperture and shutter speed settings like DSLRs. Prosumer cameras generally have both a viewfinder and LCD screen for taking and reviewing pictures. See prosumer.

Viewfinder and LCD

This Canon G9 prosumer camera has both viewfinder and screen. The viewfinder has two advantages. Since it is held against the face, it helps steady the camera, and it uses less battery than the larger screen.

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viewfinder

a device on a camera, consisting of a lens system and sometimes a ground-glass screen, enabling the user to see what will be included in his photograph

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viewfinder [′vyü‚fīn·dər]

(electronics)

An auxiliary optical or electronic device attached to a television camera so the operator can see the scene as the camera sees it.

(optics)

A device which provides the user of a camera with the view of the subject that is focused by the lens.