A viewfinder has always been a pretty fundamental spec in cameras throughout the history of photography, and you know what, a beginner digital camera is no exception to this rule. Digital camera for beginners usually have a tiny viewfinder at the back, just above where the LCD display is. If you are a beginner digital camera user, chances are you will be using the more convenient LCD rather than trying to get an eye close to the rather smallish viewfinder.  Still, viewfinders do have their unique advantages, even in a beginner digital camera.  But first, let’s see what a viewfinder is all about.

Viewfinder Types

A camera can have one of two types of viewfinders – through the camera (TTC) or through the lens (TTL). Again, a TTC viewfinder in a beginner digital camera could either be an optical or a virtual viewfinder.

TTC:

A through the camera viewfinder is nothing but a tunnel all the way through the body of the camera, with at least two small lenses at either end. They are also located above and slightly to the side of the lens. Since they do not “see” exactly what the lens “sees”, the snapshots you take do not truly preserve what you wanted to shoot. The tendency is to cut off part of the subject, especially from the top and sides.

The problem faced by TTCs, is caused by something called a parallax error. It is something akin to looking at the same view from windows on different floors of a house – you get more or less the same view of the things at a distance, but it is the items close by that shift a little. Viewfinders in a beginner digital camera face the same problem.

TTL:

A through the lens viewfinder helps you to see the framed image as the lens sees it. So little chance of cutting off those heads in the picture here! You get the frame you see, more or less. The TTL viewfinder uses mirrors prisms etc. to redirect your vision through the lens. You’ll find them in the pro models – digital SLRs, for example – but not in a beginner digital camera.   

Precautions with a TTC viewfinder:

A TTC viewfinder on your beginner digital camera can still be used to your advantage – if you take a couple of precautions.

1.  First, you need a bit of practice.

Start shooting trial shots in the house and outdoors to see how the subjects have “shifted” from the frame. Mark out by how much the viewfinder is out of sync with the lens, and take another set of shots while trying to adjust the point of focus for the parallax error, depending on the size and distance of the subject. Soon you will have a fair idea of how to retain the heads in portraits, and the last guy in a group photo!

2.  Secondly, don’t zoom in too close!

Leaving some extra space around your subject will save your images from getting cropped by chance. Once the subject is captured fully in the shot, getting the image cropped for a tight composition is very easy.  You don’t have to be a photo editing expert; most image viewing software have the cropping function these days!

LCDs vs. Viewfinders

The LCD display in a beginner digital camera can virtually function as a TTL viewfinder – because it shows what the camera (CCD) sees through the lens. However, the viewfinder still has some advantages as opposed to the LCD display. The best digital camera for beginner photographers should include an LCD display.

1. LCDs eat up too much battery power, for instance, and could let you down just before that crucial shot.

2. Using the LCD to frame the image also requires holding the camera away, something that causes camera shake. This can only be corrected by sophisticated image stabilization tools which make your digital camera for beginner more expensive. The classic, close to the body posture of holding cameras allows your hands to be much steadier – and is possible only if you use the viewfinder.

Tip: a virtual viewfinder displays the same image as the LCD, so no parallax there!

So using the viewfinder of your beginner digital camera clearly makes sense, especially if you take a few precautions. Visit our online store for a large selection and the cheapest digital camera.