K20D - Live View:

stevewig · 06-27-2011, 01:15 PM

Having just acquired a K20D to pair with my K10D (because of a very good price) I have become aware of the limitations of that generation of "Live View". I must also say that, despite the Live View comment, the K20D is more of an upgrade than I expected and I am very pleased with it.

Just a question for owners of the K20D - do you use this Live View capability and if so what do you use it for?

I was thinking that it may be usefull for Macro?

wll · 06-27-2011, 01:28 PM

Originally posted by stevewig

Having just acquired a K20D to pair with my K10D (because of a very good price) I have become aware of the limitations of that generation of "Live View". I must also say that, despite the Live View comment, the K20D is more of an upgrade than I expected and I am very pleased with it.

Just a question for owners of the K20D - do you use this Live View capability and if so what do you use it for?

I was thinking that it may be useful for Macro?

When I use Live View on my k20D it is for composition purposes when I'm shooting in a position that I have difficulty seeing the viewfinder.

I don't know about how good it is for macro work because when you zoom in the image is very grainy.

wll

Adam · 06-27-2011, 01:28 PM

I only use it when it's hard to get to the vf- and sometimes that's indeed macro

**ismaelg** · 06-27-2011, 02:01 PM

I only use it for composition with the camera high in the air, usually above a crowd. I hold the camera as high as possible with the right hand and I "steer" it pulling the strap with my left hand.

mikeSF · 06-27-2011, 02:07 PM

i know what you mean, the limited zoom resolution really hinders it for macro work.

**klh** · 06-27-2011, 04:34 PM

To be honest, I haven't used it much, except to turn it on when someone else wants to take a picture with my camera who's never used a DSLR.

mtansley · 06-27-2011, 06:25 PM

Hardly ever use it, 99% of the time I forget it's even equipped. I find that my Pentax Right Angle finder works better for most macro work.

JeffJS · 06-27-2011, 06:31 PM

I always found live view on the K20d to be absolutely useless. In fact, unless someone mentions it, I still forget it was ever there. With respect to the rest of the camera however, I too found it to be a nice upgrade to the K10d (in spite of what all the (then) naysayers had to say about it).

adr1an · 06-27-2011, 06:32 PM

I use it for compositional assistance when its very dim/dark.... I have quick-zoom enabled, and if I step it down to 2.8 (or fastest that the lens can do), I can get much better MF than using the optical...

But in broad daylight, I don't use it...

fuent104 · 06-27-2011, 06:44 PM

I absolutely love the K20, but I never use the live view. I will have to try the quick-zoom method mentioned above, though.

stevewig · 06-27-2011, 06:44 PM

Originally posted by adr1an

I use it for compositional assistance when its very dim/dark.... I have quick-zoom enabled, and if I step it down to 2.8 (or fastest that the lens can do), I can get much better MF than using the optical...

But in broad daylight, I don't use it...

This sounds like a very positive suggestion (use) - I will try it!

adr1an · 06-27-2011, 06:49 PM

Just remember that Live View includes the DoF preview and thus will step the lens to the aperture you've set, hence the need to step it down to compose/focus and then re-adjust if you didn't want it wide-open ... If you leave it at F/9 or F/11 then Live View will just be a black screen

(And whenever I do this - I am reminded of why it would be cool if you could still get 'pre-set' lenses readily....

)

Nick Siebers · 06-27-2011, 08:41 PM

I use the live view on my K20d all the time with fast manual focus lenses. I get better results (what I want is sharp) a much higher percentage of the time than using the VF.

zekewhipper · 07-03-2011, 03:12 PM

I use the live-view sometimes when I'm having trouble focusing my wide M42 lenses.

Blue · 07-03-2011, 06:11 PM

The K20d is a very good body and my work horse for digital. However, the live view is arguable its weakest feature and I think Pentax's first dSLR with that feature.

06-27-2011, 01:15 PM	#1
stevewig Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 773	K20D - Live View: Having just acquired a K20D to pair with my K10D (because of a very good price) I have become aware of the limitations of that generation of "Live View". I must also say that, despite the Live View comment, the K20D is more of an upgrade than I expected and I am very pleased with it. Just a question for owners of the K20D - do you use this Live View capability and if so what do you use it for? I was thinking that it may be usefull for Macro?

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06-27-2011, 01:28 PM	#2
wll Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mission Hills, CA Posts: 773	Originally posted by stevewig Having just acquired a K20D to pair with my K10D (because of a very good price) I have become aware of the limitations of that generation of "Live View". I must also say that, despite the Live View comment, the K20D is more of an upgrade than I expected and I am very pleased with it. Just a question for owners of the K20D - do you use this Live View capability and if so what do you use it for? I was thinking that it may be useful for Macro? When I use Live View on my k20D it is for composition purposes when I'm shooting in a position that I have difficulty seeing the viewfinder. I don't know about how good it is for macro work because when you zoom in the image is very grainy. wll

06-27-2011, 01:28 PM	#3
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,597	I only use it when it's hard to get to the vf- and sometimes that's indeed macro

06-27-2011, 02:01 PM	#4
ismaelg Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puerto Rico Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,683	I only use it for composition with the camera high in the air, usually above a crowd. I hold the camera as high as possible with the right hand and I "steer" it pulling the strap with my left hand.

06-27-2011, 02:07 PM	#5
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,622	i know what you mean, the limited zoom resolution really hinders it for macro work.

06-27-2011, 04:34 PM	#6
klh Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2009 Location: West Lafayette, Indiana, USA Posts: 827	To be honest, I haven't used it much, except to turn it on when someone else wants to take a picture with my camera who's never used a DSLR.

06-27-2011, 06:25 PM	#7
mtansley Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ajax, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,139	Hardly ever use it, 99% of the time I forget it's even equipped. I find that my Pentax Right Angle finder works better for most macro work.

06-27-2011, 06:31 PM	#8
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	I always found live view on the K20d to be absolutely useless. In fact, unless someone mentions it, I still forget it was ever there. With respect to the rest of the camera however, I too found it to be a nice upgrade to the K10d (in spite of what all the (then) naysayers had to say about it).

06-27-2011, 06:32 PM	#9
adr1an Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Canberra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 739	I use it for compositional assistance when its very dim/dark.... I have quick-zoom enabled, and if I step it down to 2.8 (or fastest that the lens can do), I can get much better MF than using the optical... But in broad daylight, I don't use it...

06-27-2011, 06:44 PM	#10
fuent104 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: California Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,356	I absolutely love the K20, but I never use the live view. I will have to try the quick-zoom method mentioned above, though.

06-27-2011, 06:44 PM	#11
stevewig Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 773 Original Poster	Originally posted by adr1an I use it for compositional assistance when its very dim/dark.... I have quick-zoom enabled, and if I step it down to 2.8 (or fastest that the lens can do), I can get much better MF than using the optical... But in broad daylight, I don't use it... This sounds like a very positive suggestion (use) - I will try it!

06-27-2011, 06:49 PM	#12
adr1an Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Canberra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 739	Just remember that Live View includes the DoF preview and thus will step the lens to the aperture you've set, hence the need to step it down to compose/focus and then re-adjust if you didn't want it wide-open ... If you leave it at F/9 or F/11 then Live View will just be a black screen (And whenever I do this - I am reminded of why it would be cool if you could still get 'pre-set' lenses readily.... )

06-27-2011, 08:41 PM	#13
Nick Siebers Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Madison, WI Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,165	I use the live view on my K20d all the time with fast manual focus lenses. I get better results (what I want is sharp) a much higher percentage of the time than using the VF.

07-03-2011, 03:12 PM	#14
zekewhipper Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 307	I use the live-view sometimes when I'm having trouble focusing my wide M42 lenses.

07-03-2011, 06:11 PM	#15
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	The K20d is a very good body and my work horse for digital. However, the live view is arguable its weakest feature and I think Pentax's first dSLR with that feature.