How often do you look at your camera screen at a shot

Schizophonic · 10 Sep 2010 at 13:47

In today's age with SLRs, shooting in burst is often in the norm but I've been told to look at my screen after each shot or a burst. Before I wouldn't be doing this just due to being lazy or when I have a couple of mins to myself. After a shoot yesterday working with a flash and in manual mode it made me realise how important it is to be looking at the LCD screen after every shot.

Not only does it help me check I'm in the correct settings (ISO being one!!) but also make the pictures much more usable for processing.

Do you look at your screen after every shot?

Raymond Lin · 10 Sep 2010 at 13:55

After every shot almost.

RIZZEE · 10 Sep 2010 at 14:09

Raymond Lin said:
After every shot almost.

This, always tend to do it

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 10 Sep 2010 at 14:18

Since becoming more creative with exposure as much as I can. If I am just documenting then here n now.

kae2 · 10 Sep 2010 at 14:26

Only if I'm unsure of the shot I've just taken.

Then again, I used film for years, so learnt to get the shot I want without being able to check, so it's second nature now.

blastman · 10 Sep 2010 at 15:05

Raymond Lin said:
After every shot almost.

same as.

thats the point about DSLR's isn't? we can see the shot seconds after taking it without having to develop the film

ScarySquirrel · 10 Sep 2010 at 15:38

Every shot, or every other few shots possibly.

Rojin · 10 Sep 2010 at 15:56

Generally I only look at the screen to check the histogram etc. when I first set up. Then hardly at all after that, this is mainly with sports though. I used to "chimp" all the time, but tend to less now. Obviously if I'm experimenting with settings I'm chimping all the time!

bigredshark · 10 Sep 2010 at 16:43

I glance at the histogram if I'm unsure about the metering or exposure, otherwise no, 3" screen isn't going to tell me anything useful...

D.P. · 10 Sep 2010 at 16:44

Raymond Lin said:
After every shot almost.

+
And I will carefully examine the RGB histograms to check exposure, and also will examine the image for correct focus.

Now I can happily just have the screeen switched off ( I have done to save energy when on my last battery). But you somewhat mis the point of a DSLR.

Raymond Lin · 10 Sep 2010 at 16:45

It's not just about metering or exposure. I am also checking focusing too, often zoom in to see if i got the shot. Eyes blinked etc.

blastman · 10 Sep 2010 at 16:46

Raymond Lin said:
often zoom in to see if i got the shot.

this is what i do, just to make sure it's in focus. nothing worse than thinking you've got a bundle of cracking images on the camera only to get home to realize that their all rubbish.

Rojin · 10 Sep 2010 at 16:56

Raymond Lin said:
It's not just about metering or exposure. I am also checking focusing too, often zoom in to see if i got the shot. Eyes blinked etc.

I used to do that on the 7D, when I first did it on the 1D I thought it had focus issues! Not the best screen...!

tr1cky · 10 Sep 2010 at 17:23

Every shot.

lukechad · 10 Sep 2010 at 17:58

99% of the time.

If I do a burst of shots I dont look through them all, usually the last one as it comes up on the display.

Its hard to view accurately exposure and focus on the small screens so even if it doesnt look right I dont delete it off the camera, I just wait til i get home and view them on the big screen just incase they can be saved.

p0ss3s3d · 10 Sep 2010 at 17:59

Rojin said:
Generally I only look at the screen to check the histogram etc. when I first set up. Then hardly at all after that, this is mainly with sports though. I used to "chimp" all the time, but tend to less now. Obviously if I'm experimenting with settings I'm chimping all the time!

This.

I check for metering and WB. Apart from that I actually turn file review off because aside from occasionally looking to lock the best few shots to speed up sending files I never use any of the reviewing.

Also I never to delete things on camera, just incase. The reason for this is some numpty at Canon decided the reverse the controls on the Mk3 compared to the Mk2, so when I was shooting at the weekend "delete and wheel left" deleted one file on the 1DIII, but on the Mark II it's "delete and wheel right". Duh...

alexakasloth · 10 Sep 2010 at 20:12

I do not, because i'm still shooting on film. Looking forward to a DSLR next month though, hoping there are some d3100's left in stock!

neil_g · 10 Sep 2010 at 20:31

depends if im confident i nailed the shot or not..

as for burst being the norm.. thats subjective, the only time ive ever used burst is during a crash sequence.

this_is_gav · 10 Sep 2010 at 22:35

neil_g said:
as for burst being the norm.. thats subjective, the only time ive ever used burst is during a crash sequence.

I enable burst at racing events, but only hold the button if there's an interesting sequence appearing.

As for reviewing shots, it depends on the subject. Shooting portraits at work (a school) I review every individual shot on a tethered laptop immediately, zooming straight to the eyes.

If it's a racing event then I'll set the camera, fire off a few shots to check and review them, then keep the settings as is unless I notice a change in the brightness or something. If I feel I've captured a particularly good image or sequence, I'll look back through when there's time.

Gaffer · 10 Sep 2010 at 22:59

Schizophonic said:
Do you look at your screen after every shot?

It depends. I check once in a while just as a double check - occasionally I'll set the camera into a funny mode and forget to change it back.

But mostly I don't. Too often I have gone to chimp and missed something.

The one thing that I would *like* to chimp for is focus but alas, the 1DsIII does not zoom in to full detail on the screen - you can't be sure. Indedd it is a delight to get home, process the image and see that the thing is *so* much sharper than it looks on the screen.

I have my camera set to NOT automatically display the image. I don't like the distraction of the bright image being illuminated just below my eye.

Andrew