the difference between electronic and optical viewfinders?

Sonya Volcko: Trouble with the a33 and a55 is that they don't really work. You may get 7-10 fps, but they actually don't give you the type of 7-10 fps performance that a Nikon D300s, D3, Canon 1D1/23/4 or 7D give. The buffers on these cameras are too slow, and the live view can't keep up with the speed of the image recording, so you get a bunch of stills shown on the screen. Also 14-16mp is already more than any amateur could ever need. Stick with a proper SLR, the a230 is the better camera....Show more

Asa Soho: Actually you don't necessarily "get what you see" wih either type of viewfinder. Neither optical nor electronic ones usually take into account the effects of the aperture on the depth of field (blurred background or sharp background), at least not until one presses a special depth of field preview button that is found on all but the cheapest DSLRs.The final brightness of the photo also can be different.

Elaina Adolfson: You get what you see only if th! e viewfinder has 100% coverage. Many viewfinders have 95% to 100% coverage. That means those viewfinders don't quite see everything. But the differences are typically quite small and most don't even realize it.On a DSLR, an optical viewfinder uses mirrors and lens optics to provide an optical path from your eye to the lens. "SLR" on a lens means Single Lens Reflex, which is a fancy way to describe the optics path. Part of this path is accomplished by mirror in the SLR system. When you take a photo, the mirror retracts, which then allows the sensor to be in the direct path of the lens to take the photo (although a shutter also opens and the aperture closes during this process as well). Then when the photo is taken, the mirror comes back down to it's normal spot. This is part of what actually makes the mechanical noise in the DSLR, and is why you get a temporary interruption of the view when looking through the viewfinder when you take the photo.An electronic viewfinder is! essentially a little video monitor built into the eyepiece. ! There are a few disadvantages of an electronic viewfinder; it is slower than optics (viewing lag), and it does consume some power. However, it is a lot simpler (and cheaper) to build than a SLR optical system in a SLR as you don't need a moving mirror, etc.A few compact cameras also have optical viewfinders, which are simple systems that are not unlike a mini monocular (half of a binocular) attached to the top of the camera. However, these are becoming very rare these days.Bridge compact cameras typically have electronic viewfinders.The terms "MILC" (Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera) or EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens), is also used to describe NEX, M4/3rds and the Nikon 1 V series cameras that have electronic viewfinders....Show more

Bettye Arre: Optical Viewfinder Vs Electronic Viewfinder

Stan Conley: No. With optical, you see what the lens sees. Optical is nothing but glass and mirrors. You see the exact light as it enters the camera th! rough the lens. Electronic viewfinders use the camera's digital sensor. Light from the lens is allowed to hit the sensor. The light is converted by electronics to allow the viewer to see it through an LCD. The electronic image can be enhanced so that if the scene is dark, the user can still see his target or if the scene is too bright, it is darkened a little for more contrast. In both cases, the actual picture taken is not exactly what you see. Optical just allows you to see the real thing while electronic allows you to see better. Picture quality will still depend on how you adjust the camera. The finder is only a tool....Show more