# Live View in Nikon D90 vs D300



## hoboahoy (Nov 12, 2008)

The owners say the D90's live view mode is worthless.  Is the live view function of D300 is as useless as D90's, or significantly better, or at least the D300's live view good enough to be fully functional?  If the feature is pretty much useless, I think it's rediculous to pay for a camera which includes such feature.


----------



## fightin14 (Nov 12, 2008)

I don't see why it is needed you have a view finder. If you want live view get a P&S. I would not let the fact that the live is no good sway you one way or another.


----------



## tirediron (Nov 12, 2008)

The Live View in my D300 is handy, on occasion.  I think I've used it twice since I've had the camera.  It works well, but has limited application IMO for the type of photography normally done with an SLR - as mentioned above, it shouldn't be a deal-breaker.


----------



## goodoneian (Nov 12, 2008)

the only thing i really use live view for is adjusting the white balance so i can see it as it's changing, rather than taking a picture every time i make an adjustment


----------



## manaheim (Nov 12, 2008)

My D300 has live view?  Wow.  Who the hell decided to put _that_ in there?


----------



## sabbath999 (Nov 12, 2008)

manaheim said:


> My D300 has live view?  Wow.  Who the hell decided to put _that_ in there?



Canon


----------



## JerryPH (Nov 12, 2008)

The only place I could see LV of being of any real value is in a crowd environment and you needing to shot overhead.  To be able to get the shot, you have to see what the camera sees and the only true way to do that, is via a live view.

Other than that, I could easily live without it too.


----------



## anubis404 (Nov 12, 2008)

I would think Live view is something they would be putting in D40s, not D300s.


----------



## kundalini (Nov 12, 2008)

I've used Live View a few times out of curiosity to see how it works.  I did a couple shots like *this* with it.    Other than that, I didn't really like the sensation with it.

Besides, LV is an energy vampire.  It will also increase your shutter count each time it is activated, whether you take a picture or not.


----------



## epp_b (Nov 12, 2008)

From what I read, the D90's live view is actually an _improvement_ over that of the D300...and it's pretty useless on the D90.  Autofocus is unusably slow and hunts like Elmer Fudd.


----------



## hoboahoy (Nov 13, 2008)

Though badly implemented (so I've heard ) the live view for D90 is probably rather a useful feature for its video, not necessarily for the still pictures.  Thanks for your comments, guys.


----------



## tenlientl (Nov 13, 2008)

I own a D90. One of my reasons of buying the D90 over D80 was the Live View.

I rarely use Live View. I use it to focus better sometimes, but that's just because I'm not wearing any contacts/glasses.

And with the video, I rarely use it. One of the reason I got the D90 was the D-Movie, but I don't use it. 

I don't regret buying the D90.


----------



## yogibear (Nov 13, 2008)

tenlientl said:


> I own a D90. One of my reasons of buying the D90 over D80 was the Live View.
> 
> I rarely use Live View. I use it to focus better sometimes, but that's just because I'm not wearing any contacts/glasses.
> 
> ...




sarcasm?


----------



## kundalini (Nov 13, 2008)

^^ At least he/she got what they wanted.


----------



## sabbath999 (Nov 13, 2008)

I occasionally use live view on the D300 but it is clunky as all getout... I use it for over the head shots only.


----------



## dEARlEADER (Nov 14, 2008)

i use it for some macro work.... handy to zoom to check focus... it's also good to use when my camera is only a foot or two off the ground or any other situation where using the viewfinder is uncomfortable...

using it to set white balance is also handy...


----------



## maxalmon (Nov 14, 2008)

dEARlEADER said:


> i use it for some macro work.... handy to zoom to check focus... it's also good to use when my camera is only a foot or two off the ground or any other situation where using the viewfinder is uncomfortable...
> 
> using it to set white balance is also handy...


 
I do a considerable amount of macro work and the liveview with digital zoom is a very handy feature as it allows me to finetune the focus. I shoot living corals where the individual polyps may only be 1/16" in size and thats fairly hard to manual focus, It's the actual zoom part in liveview that is the most useful feature.

I'm only 5'4" tall and the liveview comes in handy when doing tripod work where I need heigth and don't have a ladder or chair


----------



## droyz2000 (Nov 14, 2008)

I used to be very cynical about the LV on the D300. In the recent past though I have used it a few times. When I do real estate photography and want my tripod up really high, high enough that I cannot see through the view finder, I use LV. It is great when trying to frame at such heights. However, and this is a big however, the controls on the D300 suck. You have to hit the shutter release like 2 or 3 times to get it to take a picture. So sometimes I think I have taken a picture and I really haven't. It takes some getting used to as I still am.


----------

