EVF

[Pavel]

I'm one who finds the EVF's nice in a few situations, but very distracting and a steep step downwards in the zen of using a camera. That is what drew me to the Fuji line, the X-pro1 and X100s in particular, despite some drawbacks in their operation.  I can have my optical viewfinder cake and eat it too, when I feel like taking advantage of the awful looking but sometimes useful evil twin, the EVF.  Life's good - with Fuji.

[jhemp]

I almost sold my A99 a few years ago after using it for only a week.  I didn't like the EVF either.  I boxed it up and went back to the A900 with a OVF for about one day and then I jumped back top the EVF and have never looked back. I love it!

[Phil Indeblanc]

For me it is not the fact that it is a EVF vs a OVF. (A7RII)

Its the lag in coming on when you put the camera on, or wake it.
Its the lag in taking the picture, and preview.
focusing in the dark even in magnify mode the EVF looks blotchy
Its also a setting that I think should be addressed in firmware....
When using the camera, mainly due to battery, and not being distrancting and having your monitor on the camera lit up all the time, I turn the EVF/Monitor Auto mode OFF. SO Only the EVF comes on when I put my face to the screen, IF I am manual in EVF mode, otherwise the Monitor is off, and I have a shortcut to turn it on....

BUT, When you use EVF to shoot, to get to a preview, and back to shooting is a 3 button round trip!
There needs to be a mode to take the picture in EVF and auto preview in the monitor regardless of where your face is. Its nice to pull your face away and look in front of you the scene, and know you have the preview for a few seconds.

I actually like seeing the peaking. I also now found a setting that will brighten the screen to focus and not mimic a dark scene if I am in one.  So the advantages are many for me. I think the problem is the rest of the system needing to catch on. Maybe it needs a Bions X100 multiplier?

[Martin Kristiansen]

I'm an oldish guy and have shot with everything from Kodak instamatic to rangefinders 8X10, linhoff Canon Nikon Mamiya, Konica, Minolta, Sinar, Cambo and so on and so on.

Hated EVF to start with but now it's my favorite. Easy to custom set so you get a really clean view with little clutter. Lovely to be able to quickly adjust exposure to what you see without having to refer to the exposure indicators. Over under exposure compensation doesn't rely on experience and is much more accurate. I don't notice lag but I don't shoot sport. I do shoot fashion and stuff but that not like F1 exactly. I have come to trust the system so much I have turned off all reviews on my Sony. It's almost like film days. I shoot and don't chimp at all. First look at the files is now when I get home. Not for commercial stuff of course. Commercial shoots there is frequently a team of people checking the image on a tethered laptop. I never allow clients to peer at the camera LCD. I never use it when shooting with an EVF.

Only time EVF annoys me is I can't just pick up a camera that is turned off and have a quick look through the viewfinder, but that's just a twitch anyway.

[nma]

For me it is not the fact that it is a EVF vs a OVF. (A7RII)

Its the lag in coming on when you put the camera on, or wake it.
Its the lag in taking the picture, and preview.
focusing in the dark even in magnify mode the EVF looks blotchy
Its also a setting that I think should be addressed in firmware....
When using the camera, mainly due to battery, and not being distrancting and having your monitor on the camera lit up all the time, I turn the EVF/Monitor Auto mode OFF. SO Only the EVF comes on when I put my face to the screen, IF I am manual in EVF mode, otherwise the Monitor is off, and I have a shortcut to turn it on....

BUT, When you use EVF to shoot, to get to a preview, and back to shooting is a 3 button round trip!
There needs to be a mode to take the picture in EVF and auto preview in the monitor regardless of where your face is. Its nice to pull your face away and look in front of you the scene, and know you have the preview for a few seconds.

I actually like seeing the peaking. I also now found a setting that will brighten the screen to focus and not mimic a dark scene if I am in one.  So the advantages are many for me. I think the problem is the rest of the system needing to catch on. Maybe it needs a Bions X100 multiplier?

It seems to me that most of your complaints are not about the EVF per se but about how your camera company implemented it. The lag and preview issues could be improved or eliminated by better engineering; they are not fundamental. On the other hand, focusing in the dark is not perfect with an EVF; it is merely impossible with an OVF. I don't understand these complaints. What we are seeing is the evolution of the EVF. Soon, if not now, the EVF will be superior to OVF in nearly all situations.

[kers]

Just looked through the EVF of the new Hasselblad- OK but not impressed.
much contrast and a bit coarse.. ( AF also a bit slowish and searching)
Like the liveview on my d810 better. + the ability to use an OVF.
I expect a lot of development on the EVF-front the coming years.

[Telecaster]

Yeah, EVFs are vastly improved over what they were even a half-decade ago. And they'll continue improving. The first EVF camera I used in anger was a Sony Hi-8 video cam c. 1996. By current standards its EVF was rubbish, but even that was good enough to frame with.

-Dave-

[TonyVentourisPhotography]

Just a thought...

The whole contrast issue and the way EVFs respond in different conditions... as long as you are a RAW shooter, you can change how the screen looks. (and it wont get recorded to the file)  The EVF is showing a "jpg" approximation of what will be recorded in a sense.  At least on my camera, I can adjust the shadow, highlight, and contrast levels that are displayed and basically lower the perceived levels and adjust brightness to what looks more natural to me.   

In fact, there are many times where looking through the EVF and then lifting my head, I totally lose sense that it is an EVF with how accurate it can be.  Obviously this depends on conditions and how the EVF is set.  Store trials are a horrible way to do this. 

I find the viewfinder, the EVF, etc... are just tools to connect me better to my end goal.  I often shoot tethered to a laptop.  Let me tell ya... a 13" monitor with live view and then an immediate computer preview is even better than a viewfinder!  Lightroom adjustments set on import and all! 

I have a Hasselblad 500.  I love seeing the viewfinder on that.  It is a unique way to experience the world.  It's very alluring.  As is the feel of the camera, etc...  I get people don't want to give up a direct view...  At the end of the day, EVFs have completely won me over because it ties me closer to my desired end result and I am producing the image I want more directly.  That is making a difference.

[ripgriffith]

Just a side note:  Tony, when I first read your URL, Unlockingolympus.com, I thought it might be an introduction to Greek mythology 

[Phil Indeblanc]

It seems to me that most of your complaints are not about the EVF per se but about how your camera company implemented it. The lag and preview issues could be improved or eliminated by better engineering; they are not fundamental. On the other hand, focusing in the dark is not perfect with an EVF; it is merely impossible with an OVF. I don't understand these complaints. What we are seeing is the evolution of the EVF. Soon, if not now, the EVF will be superior to OVF in nearly all situations.

You're right :-), as my last couple sentences confirm that I do think it is the right direction, and yes, I am likely venting on the other issues with the A7rII :-) (Its a bit new to me, and still a bit bitter regarding those issues).
Lets just hope in the next round the rest of the tech can remedy these calculations and lags to make things a more seamless experience.