Poll: How do you use viewfinder, display, menus?

[fordfanjpn]

A recent thread on the change Fuji made to the way menus display depending on the display mode you're in caught my interest primarily because I never realized before that some people apparently make frequent access to menus in the middle of shooting. This seemed strange to me because when I bought my camera I went through the menus to set it up the way I wanted, and after that the only changes I ever make are shutter speed and aperture. So except for formatting cards, after the camera is set up I rarely ever see the menus again. In other words, I'm pretty much shooting like I would if I was shooting film. Load it and go. 

 

So this got me wondering how other people use their cameras. Since the forum doesn't seem to allow for polls, this one is informal. Which of the following shooting styles most closely resembles the way you shoot. 

 

1. VF only / frequently access menus

2. VF only / rarely (or never) access menus

3. Eye Sensor / frequently access menus

4. Eye Sensor / rarely (or never) access menus

5. LCD / frequently access menus

6. LCD / rarely (or never) access menus

7. Something else I didn't think of

 

If you're someone who frequently dives into the menus in the middle of shooting, I'd be interested in knowing what kind of changes you make on-the-fly. 

 

Incidentally, this is not intended to incite a riot, I'm just honestly curious about how other people shoot. And hopefully I'll learn something as a result.

Edited February 11, 2016 by FX Admin
Added poll

[CRAusmus]

I always have mine set to Eye Sensor, but rarely access menus.

 

I'll only access menus to change my focus modes, or drive, or ISO on the Pro1 (but I've made that a function button so I do it in OVF now)...

[Patrick FR]

4. Eye Sensor / rarely (or never) access menus

[FX Admin]

Thanks for the idea - I just added the poll.

Please vote above!

 

Andreas

[ajurjans]

I do access the menus on my X-E1 and X-E2 - only because I have some XC lenses, and it has become celar, tha tthe easiest way not to try shooting something with the lens incidently set to F22, is to use the aperture priority mode. However, when I need to control the aperture manually, I'll have to change the setting.

[fordfanjpn]

Thanks for the idea - I just added the poll.Please vote above!Andreas

Thanks for doing that. I couldn't figure out how to do it.

[milandro]

I am not sure that we are allowed to create polls. For now, it appears that polls can only be created by the staff.

 

I too gave the answer Eye level rarely access menus.

 

I am quite convinced that this is a common trait to all those who basically tend to use the digital cameras as they always used their analog ones.

 

I also tent to leave a lot of distracting information out of the “ picture”. 

[Timthing]

I do get into the Q menu during shooting.

[Vidalgo]

When outdoor, I prefer "VF only" mode whenever it's possible, otherwise I'm going to "Eye Sensor" mode.
For indoors, especially when with tripod, LCD mode works better for me.
Being mostly a RAW shooter, I don't use Q menu at all, going into maybe once per day or so..

[Lumens]

I find myself using both the display and the View Finder.  I don't know that I can determine when one works better than the other, but I'm sure ambient light has a lot to do with which I prefer at a particular moment in time.  I find a lot of times I will look at both then decide which I can see better through.  I rarely change anything except switching between Aperture mode and Shutter Speed based on the movement of the subject.

[davidmold]

Eye Sensor. During shooting I often change these values (in order of frequency)

 

1. The focus spot location

2. The ISO

3. Switch between color and black and white (via custom setting)

4. Switch to silent mode

 

While I usually use the viewfinder to compose a shot, I will also often use the display when it's more practical to do so.

 

So do people who say they rarely use menus mean they rarely change the location of the focus spot or adjust the ISO during shooting?

[sababa123]

 

 

"So do people who say they rarely use menus mean they rarely change the location of the focus spot or adjust the ISO during shooting?"

 

Auto ISO solves 90% of my needs. I turn it off when shooting in Manual, but rarely else. Focus spot doesn't need a menu - just push the buttons. I have my X-E2 set so that the directional buttons are linked to the focus spot so there is no need to even push  a start button. That locks out the four arrow buttons from being programmed for a function but that works for me. Any function I might ever consider changing is available in the Q menu (which I have also edited down to absolute essentials).

[milandro]

no.

 

I meant that I rarely re-arrange the basic configuration of the camera which for me is automatic with aperture priority.

 

The most common changes like the focus point , the ISO sensitivity, automatic exposure correction, are rarely made on the LCD but directly in the EVF.

[CRAusmus]

"So do people who say they rarely use menus mean they rarely change the location of the focus spot or adjust the ISO during shooting?"

 

Auto ISO solves 90% of my needs. I turn it off when shooting in Manual, but rarely else. Focus spot doesn't need a menu - just push the buttons. I have my X-E2 set so that the directional buttons are linked to the focus spot so there is no need to even push  a start button. That locks out the four arrow buttons from being programmed for a function but that works for me. Any function I might ever consider changing is available in the Q menu (which I have also edited down to absolute essentials).

I don't think I've ever changed the focus point.  I just focus and recompose.  Been doing it ever since I started photography.  I really don't understand why people move the point around, when it is so easy to just recompose.  If I need to change the way my camera focuses, I change my mode, but I always have the point as small as possible and dead center.

[Paul Crespel]

If you wear glasses the menu can be extremely difficult to navigate in the viewfinder.

 

If you wear glasses, the eye sensor can be a bit unreliable.

 

For glasses wearers the menus are much easier to navigate on the LCD.

 

I use the Q menu mainly to change to the wide and tele adapters, but also sometimes to change between RAW and JPG, and to change the film simulation.

 

I have large hands, and I have to keep the keypad lock permanently engaged, or when I bring the camera to my eye I frequently find I've pressed something and the camera is no longer ready for an instant shot.  For this reason I can't program buttons to do what I want.... and even if I did, with the new models I'd see the menu in the viewfinder, which my glasses make very difficult.

[Neil]

I have the X-T1.

 

Yes, I keep it on sensor, but use the viewfinder mostly.  I don't like using the menu (so I dont) and I only use Q menu when it's something I couldn't get on one of the few function buttons (I have the pad set to move the focus point).  

 

(The new joystick on the X-Pro2 looks like a great alternative to that.   I also like the play button placement on that better than on the X-T1.  My left hand is under the lens.  Don't make me switch my grip to play!)  

 

As long as we're talking physical controls:

 

FWIW, I also almost never use the shutter speed dial--I leave it on T.  It's more convenient to use the thumbwheel when your eye is up to the viewfinder.  I don't have a problem with it being there, though...it can be useful if shooting from the hip.

 

I wish they'd put the focus mode selector in the back, around the AE-L button (which I have set to AF-L) like some Panasonics have them.  I think that's a brilliant and convenient placement.  (Love it on the FZ1000).

[t1gsp]

X-E2 (FW 4.00), i use the EVF and LCD interchangably. If I'm doing AF-MF adjustments i tend to back off the EVF and use the LCD.. slightly easier to guage the focus peaking (Red, Low) there.

[claudeb]

OVF  on X20  - rarely menus

[dct]

2. most of the time

Focus & recompose

Aperture priority & shutter to A

ISO on A most of the time

 

 

(sent from mobile device)

[davidmold]

I don't think I've ever changed the focus point.  I just focus and recompose.  Been doing it ever since I started photography.  I really don't understand why people move the point around, when it is so easy to just recompose.  If I need to change the way my camera focuses, I change my mode, but I always have the point as small as possible and dead center.

 

This works fine if you are only shooting stationary subjects that are some distance from you. But if the subject may move, or you have a wide aperture and/or the subject is close to you, focus and recompose doesn't always produce sharply focused results.

[erwiurewurwehu]

Most of the time EVF only. Sometimes eye sensor.

 

I wish I could disable the other modes.

[erwiurewurwehu]

Most of the time EVF only. Sometimes eye sensor.

 

I wish I could disable the other modes.

[erwiurewurwehu]

Most of the time EVF only. Sometimes eye sensor.

 

I wish I could disable the other modes.

[erwiurewurwehu]

Most of the time EVF only. Sometimes eye sensor.

 

I wish I could disable the other modes.

[PoulWerner]

I use the wievfinder almost for every shot (and approx. 90% it's the OVF (X-pro1 and X100S)) .

If on a tripod I may use the LCD. 

As I shoot raw I rarely have to acces the menu-system, but when I have to it's on the LCD.

I don't use the eye-sensor as I don't like the display to light up between shot/whenever I remove the camera from my face.