Now, see what you're shooting, clearly, indoors or out!
ClearViewer
ClearViewer
Digital cameras, especially compact models, often come with only the rear screen to view and compose your photo. While it's nice that they show what the actual photo will look like, it's often hard to see the detail you want...whether due to bright sun, or just the small size of the screen. If you get close enough to really see the small detail, it's often too close for the eyes to focus. Even reading glasses or bifocals won't let you get close enough to really see what you're shooting.
Is there a Solution?
Modern compact cameras have some fantastic capabilities...fast lenses, tremendous telephoto range, and excellent photo quality. A few may offer built-in viewfinders which vary in quality, and some others offer expensive add-on electronic viewfinders which sit on top of the camera, adding a lot to the size and requiring that you remove them if you want your pocketable camera to remain pocketable.
In early 2009, I bought a Panasonic Lumix LX3, a fantastic camera, with one exception: there was no viewfinder, just an LCD screen. An expensive add-on optical finder was available, which added considerably to the camera’s size, and not much to its usability. Various hoods, fixed or folding, were available to shade the LCD screen, which may help a little, but not enough to replace having a real viewfinder. Lens-and-hood combinations are available, but they add considerably to the size, and who wants their small pocket camera to be the size of a DSLR?
Many compact models don't even include a small optical finder to use in bright sun. So you’re stuck trying to focus your eyes on a small screen with the sun glaring, trying to make out enough detail to get your photo. More often than not, it’s just “point and hope” you got what you wanted. For casual photos, that may be OK, but wouldn't you like to be able to catch that smile just right, get that bird when it's looking at you, get the horizon level, or see if something really is in focus?
After several months of experimenting with different designs to make my LCD-only camera really usable, I ended up with a device which made it a pleasure to use, under nearly all conditions. It also will work with other compact digitals. What is it?
Go to the product page to find out.
Do you Miss that Viewfinder?
Yes!
We make ClearViewers for new models as well as old. Panasonic, Sony, Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Ricoh, Sigma, Casio, Leica, Olympus, Pentax, and others, including cameras that have built-in or accessory viewfinders!