Help - Search - Members - Calendar
Full Version: A comparison of viewfinder sizes
Neowin Forums > Recreational Activities > The Media Room > Digital Camera Lab
giga
Ranked in order of area (that you see in viewfinder, taking into account sensor/film size, magnification and coverage)

Film SLRs:

Olympus OM-1 (.92x magnification, 97% coverage) - 709 sq mm
Canon AE-1 (.86x magnification, 94% coverage) - 600 sq mm
Nikon F5 (.75x magnification, 100% coverage) - 486 sq mm
Canon EOS-1V .(72X magnification, 100% coverage) - 448 sq mm

Full Frame DSLRs:

Canon 1Ds Mark III (.76x magnification, 100% coverage) - 499 sq mm
Nikon D3 (.7x magnification, 100% coverage) - 422 sq mm
Canon 1Ds Mark II (.7x magnification, 100% coverage) 418 sq mm
Canon 1Ds (.7x magnification, 100% coverage) 418 sq mm
Canon 5D (.71x magnification, 96% coverage) - 414 sq mm

APS-H (1.3x crop), APS-C (1.5-1.6x crop), Four Thirds (2x crop):

Nikon D300 (.94x magnification, 100% coverage) - 329 sq mm
Canon 1D Mark III (.76x magnification, 100% coverage) - 316 sq mm
Nikon D200 (.94x magnification, 95% coverage) - 313 sq mm
Nikon D80 (.94x magnification, 95% coverage) - 313 sq mm
Pentax K20D (.95x magnification, 95% coverage) - 312 sq mm
Olympus E-3 (1.15x magnification, 100% coverage) - 297 sq mm
Canon 1D Mark IIn (.72x magnification, 100% coverage) - 284 sq mm
Canon 40D (.95x magnification, 95% coverage) - 282 sq nm
Sony A700 (.9x magnification, 95% coverage) - 282 sq nm
Canon 30D (.9x magnification, 95% coverage) - 260 sq nm
Sony A100 (.83x magnification, 95% coverage) - 244 nm
Canon 450D (.87x magnification, 95% coverage) - 236 nm
Nikon D40(x)/D60 (.8x magnification, 95% coverage) - 225 nm
Canon 400D (.8x magnification, 95% coverage) - 200 nm
Nikon D50 (.75x magnification, 95% coverage) - 198 nm
Olympus E-510 (.92x magnification, 95% coverage) - 181 nm

Good times from the olden days. hmm.gif





Note: Take into account that viewfinder brightness isn't accounted for in the images. General rule of thumb: pentaprism > pentamirror.

(first image courtesy of bigbluedodge)
crazzy88ss
No D50 love? sad.gif

Cool chart
Tantawi
The viewfinder is indeed a bit small on my E-510 hmm.gif , manual focusing is a challenge with it! but thankfully I have live-view on the LCD for that when I need it.
giga
Quote - (crazzy88ss @ Mar 9 2008, 04:08) *
No D50 love? sad.gif

Cool chart

Added it to the list.
crazzy88ss
Ah, .75x magnification. No wonder why it's such a pain in the ass to manually focus the thing. It's by FAR the worst of any of them! Except the olympus hmm.gif
mac
I just purchased an Olympus OM-1 and 50mm f/1.4! Thanks for the information.
Tantawi
Quote - (.mac @ Mar 9 2008, 15:39) *
I just purchased an Olympus OM-1 and 50mm f/1.4! Thanks for the information.


I have the same camera and lens biggrin.gif and just purchased an adapter to fit that 50mm on my Olympus E-510.
mac
Quote - (Tantawi @ Mar 9 2008, 13:52) *
I have the same camera and lens biggrin.gif and just purchased an adapter to fit that 50mm on my Olympus E-510.


Hey, awesome! How is it as a kit? I'm hoping to shoot a lot of ambient/low light documentary stuff on Tri-X. Looking forward to receiving it! =D
Tantawi
Quote - (.mac @ Mar 9 2008, 15:56) *
Hey, awesome! How is it as a kit? I'm hoping to shoot a lot of ambient/low light documentary stuff on Tri-X. Looking forward to receiving it! =D


I've never used it really, it belongs to my dad. But it produced really quality shots in our family albums.

I'm sure you'll make a great use of it since you are a professional photographer indeed! its viewfinder is like a TV biggrin.gif
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.
Invision Power Board © 2001-2008 Invision Power Services, Inc.