Live View (Digilux 3)

[leonpro]

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Why does Live View mode sound (literally!) so complicated in this camera. All it does is let you frame your shot via the LCD monitor rather than the optical viewfinder. So in effect via Live View your just using it like a regular digital point and shoot camera.

 

So I understand that the mirror locks up and disables the optical viewfinder. Now that the sensor is practically exposed and ready to take the picture, why does it have to sound like it's slamming so many times (slamming twice in manual mode, and who knows how many in AFS mode) when all I'm taking is one picture? For example in manual focus mode via Live View, when I press the button the mirror slams down, then up again to take the picture then finally down to cover the sensor. But it doesn't stop there, it goes back up once again to expose the sensor to go back up since I am still in Live View mode. Being up already in Live View, can't it not even move the mirror and just take the picture? Then after I take the picture, it doesn't have to further move again since I am back in Live View mode. So essentially the mirror doesn't have to even move at all. I can just get an electronic shutter sound if I want to have one, but it's really uneccessary.

 

1. Is this really how Live View should work? Can there be a simpler method to take the picture than all those mechanical movements I hear inside?

 

2. How does Canon and Nikon do this with their DSLR camera when using the LCD to compose a shot?

 

If my description is correct on what is happening before one single picture is taken, then I'm hoping this movement can be fixed and totally eliminated with a firmware.

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[jdlaing]

The live view on the three cameras with porro, or side swinging mirrors, "is what it is".

I have the Digilux 3, the Panasonic L1 and the Olympus E-330 and all sound the same.

 

One other thing the Live View is good for besides framing the shot is as a manual focus verification for use with macro shots. It works very well for this.

[goodbokeh]

I understand that Nikon DSLRs do not offer a live view function. Canon only offers it on their Canon EOS-1D Mark III. The Canon live view appears limited to framing, from their February 22, 2007 press release: "New to EOS, Live View mode enables photographers to frame without having to look through the viewfinder – particularly useful for shooting from awkward positions."

[ajthornbury]

My Oly E410 does the same thing, a clunk when you press the shutter and another when the shutter resets. I am not sure why, it is something perculiar to 4/3 live view by the sounds of it.

[giordano]

I believe it goes something like this, starting with live view on and the mirror up:

1) close shutter

2) drop mirror in order to send light to the AE and AF sensors so exposure and/or focus can be calculated and set

3) cock shutter and mirror mechanism ready for the exposure

4) mirror up prior to exposure

5) shutter open and close for exposure

6) drop mirror

7) cock shutter and mirror mechanism

8) lift mirror ready for live view

9) open shutter for live view.

 

The obvious wasted motion is items 6 and 8, but these could only be got rid of in firmware if there are independent motors for cocking the shutter and the mirror. If so, items 2 and 4 could also be omitted when using manual focus and exposure.