[pingflood]

Not a K20D user, but I think the same applies.. I just got a camera with the feature and I find that it's useful for manual focusing with loooong glass on static subjects.

[Ian MUNRO]

New to the forum, and still learning the rules and format for posts.

I want the see live view on the screen of a laptop, so that I can see what the lens is looking, at when mounted on the end of a boom, out over a table, for copying large documents. - The camera sceen is out of reach to view.

Once I'm satisfied with the image on the laptop, the shutter button is then pressed, and by the time the timer has counted down, and the shutter opens, and "shake" has dissapted.

I could do this, successfull, with an older camera, but can't with the supplied USB cable. Have just acquired a video cable, and will try it when I get time, in the next couple of days.

Worst case, if, ultimately, I also have to take a monitor / TV with me when I go places, so be able to do the operation described above, so be it. (I can already hear the "why are you carrying so much more junk in the car" complaint, from the domestic department.)

[Mike Cash]

Do a search on "tethering", which is the name for what you want to do.

[Ian MUNRO]

Thank you Mike;

I will look up tethering, in the camera manual, then do a net search.

Ian

[Kerrowdown]

I have used for critical focusing with fast manual lenses with no available depth of field.

[baldrick]

I've never used it

I`ll second that, untill I read this I did not even know that my K20d even had Live View. Now I know I`m still not interested.

[Ian MUNRO]

Err, apology, if I've mislead anyone, or ended up on the wrong thread.

"Live View" was what caught my attention, - I've got a Kr, so if I've ended up on a K20 thread, sorry !!

However, it could be that the priciples would be the same, for any "Live View" equipped Pentax ??

Cheers

Ian

[gp1806]

Err, apology, if I've mislead anyone, or ended up on the wrong thread.

"Live View" was what caught my attention, - I've got a Kr, so if I've ended up on a K20 thread, sorry !!

However, it could be that the priciples would be the same, for any "Live View" equipped Pentax ??

Cheers

Ian

Yes. Look for P-K tether.

[HavocLP]

No no no. I dont even know how to turn on LV on my GX-20 :-D Using old manual. Cant imagine set focus with LV.

[RioRico]

I use LiveView on my K20D for macros and for weird optics like full-circle fisheye and distortion adapters, also for B&W shooting with the internal filters.

[raider]

I use my live view for the following situations

1. To compose the scene when I use the ND400 filter
2. To compose the scene when I m shooting at a level that I can't use the OVF comfortably
3. when I must ensure that the focus must be spot on
4. When I m doing a panarama shot so I can make sure the photos are overlapped sufficiently

[karma mechanic]

On the K-5 I don't use LV all that much, but when I do it is in order to get precise focus with a manual focus lens. I've got a better focusing screen in there, but even so for critical work the 10x magnification is brilliant.

On the K-7 I ONLY use LV - the camera is modified and only sees infrared so that's the only way to see what it is going to get. The composition of a scene is only accurate with the balance of tones seen via LV, the viewfinder image is completely different. The viewfinder image can't be used to focus, while contrast AF via LV is always spot-on in IR. I can't remember the last time I looked through the viewfinder on the K-7...

[Pauld]

I used it a couple times when I first got my K20 body just to see how it worked and a couple more times trying to figure out remote assist but since then I've disabled it through the custom menu. I got out of the habit of live view when I bought my istDL and haven't gone back since. I can't tell you how many times I've stuck my face to the back of a P+S camera forgetting that they don't have view finders.

[wwwmorrell]

Never had the need as yet, but I guess it's nice to know it's there. ?

[Verglace]

Not a k20d user but I use my live view whenever its convenient. When trying to shoot from a weird angle, also when using an ND800 filter, you cant see from the OVF at all, using liveview, turn liveview on, it increases sensitivity which helps composing.