Viewfinder Position Top Left or Inboard over the lens ?

LX100

I have used  many cameras over the years. In recent times I have been thinking a lot about the user interface and trying to analyse why some design features work better than others, particularly after long association.

I decided last year  that I would never again buy any camera without a decent quality built in electronic viewfinder. Not one which has to be popped up and pulled out either.

I will revisit the arguments for viewfinder-vs-no viewfinder and optical viewfinder-vs-electronic viewfinder in another post.

Today I want to share some thoughts about the optimum location for a viewfinder.

I have used cameras with viewfinder at the top left position, with flat top  and  also at the inboard position on the lens axis, with hump top.

I have been moved to post this after realising that the more I use the Panasonic LX100 camera the less enthused I become about that camera’s top left EVF position. 

This is not about the EVF itself, which is quite decent, but about its location on the camera.

Advantages of  top left position 

* The overall height of the camera can be lower than is possible with the hump top style.  Even when the lens barrel diameter is as great as the height of the body a top left EVF can be fitted.

* Some right eye users might feel it better suits their viewing style. 

* Some left eye viewers might find it gets the user’s nose away from the controls on the right side of the monitor.

Disadvantages of top left position

* If a full eyecup is available and fitted it protrudes above and to the left side of the body. I had a Lumix GX7 with such an eyecup which was forever getting snagged as the camera went in and out of its carry bag.  The practical dimensions of the camera increased by the amount of the protrusion, so a larger than expected carry bag was required. In addition the likelihood of damaging or losing the eyecup increased. Both these issues are magnified by the location of the eyecup right at the bottom of the carry bag, (assuming handle side up insertion into the bag) which is usually narrower than the top.

* If a non protruding eyecup is fitted as on the LX100 or the GX7 without the accessory eyecup, I have found three issues:

1. Stray light often enters the eyepiece, interfering with image preview. Possibly because of this I find myself squinting more when I use a camera with top left viewfinder.

2. If I press my eye up to the eyecup to exclude stray light my eye ends up too close to the eyepiece for clear viewing.

3. I find it more difficult particularly in portrait orientation to bring my eye directly to the center of the eyepiece optical axis.

My workaround for all three  problems when using the LX100 is to form a makeshift eyecup with the index finger (landscape orientation) or  thumb (portrait orientation) of my left hand.  

Advantages of the over lens position

* A full eyecup can be fitted permanently. This greatly reduces the chance of stray light entering the viewfinder, and if the eyecup is well designed it automatically places the viewing eye at the optimum distance from the eyepiece and on the optical axis of the eyepiece, in landscape or portrait orientation.

* As the eyecup is not right on the corner of the camera, it is not so prone to snagging and damage as it goes into and comes out of the carry bag.

* I find I squint less when using a viewfinder on the lens axis and am also more easily able to keep the non viewing eye relaxed and open.

* With a long lens fitted I find the lens/camera combination better balanced with the viewfinder on axis with the lens.

* It is possible and usual to place the viewfinder, hotshoe and inbuilt flash in a fore and aft relationship on top of the camera, making space for more control modules than can be fitted with the top left viewfinder position.

Disadvantages of the over lens position

* Overall camera height is greater.

* Some left eye viewers might find their nose impinging on control modules on the right side of the camera back.

* If the user is to be able to look approximately straight ahead when previewing the scene, the viewfinder eyepiece needs to protrude back 15-20mm from the rear face of the monitor.

This requirement can also be seen as an advantage:

Cameras without this rear protrusion require the user to turn the head to one side in order to get the eye close enough to the eyepiece.

When I am using the Lumix FZ1000 which has a 20mm rear eyepiece projection,  I can look straight ahead in landscape or portrait orientation, preview the EVF image with my right eye and leave the non viewing (left) eye open to scan the wider scene if desired.

Conclusion

If a compact camera is to have a built in EVF and retain a low profile then the EVF must be located at or near the top left corner of the body.

But if the camera is allowed to gain a little height, I rate the optimum position for the EVF as being over the lens and on line with the lens axis.