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View Full Version : Test drove the G9 today, and......

marc515
26th of July 2008 (Sat), 14:44
Went to my local photo shop today and took a few pictures with the G9, and the Nikon Coolpix P5100. The G9 had the nicest prints, plus the longer zoom worked nicely.

The only oddball thing I noticed was the LCD. I was wearing polarized sunglasses, and could not read the G9's LCD, but was able to clearly read the P5100's LCD; wonder why that was??
John_T
26th of July 2008 (Sat), 16:35
I'll have to check that out. Could be the G9 LCD has a polarizing filter over it to make it more usable in bright light, and the others don't. Advantage/disadvantage.
maxwolfie
27th of July 2008 (Sun), 04:28
I'd rather not be able see with sunglasses than not be able to see without sunglasses :P
rpolitsr
28th of July 2008 (Mon), 02:11
The operation of LCDs (Liquid Cristal Dysplays) is possible due to polarized light.
They basically include at least one polarizing filter on the various layers of the display.

You can easily test:

Insert a polarizing filter between your eyes and the display, and rotate the filter, there will be a moment of maximum apparent brightness. Rotate the filter 90° from that point and the LCD display will turn absolutely black.

That is truth for a linear polarizer, with a circular polarizer the experiment may be a bit less evident.
John_T
28th of July 2008 (Mon), 07:35
The G9 display is linearly polarized horizontally, helping to keep it from getting blown out from light coming from above.

Funnily, my 5D display is polarized vertically to reduce blow out from the sides.

Perhaps the G9 is considered more oriented toward landscape and the 5D toward portrait.
Double Negative
28th of July 2008 (Mon), 12:14
The G9 LCD cover is a polarized piece of glass. As are your shades, apparently. Look under/over your shades and you'll see it fine. I wish the DSLRs would have as nice a cover...
John_T
28th of July 2008 (Mon), 12:17
The G9 LCD cover is a polarized piece of glass. As are your shades, apparently. Look under/over your shades and you'll see it fine. I wish the DSLRs would have as nice a cover...

No, the 5D is polarized the opposite pole to the G9. Surprised me to find this out just now.
rpolitsr
28th of July 2008 (Mon), 12:19
The G9 display is linearly polarized horizontally. . . .
Funnily, my 5D display is polarized vertically. . . .

Perhaps you can find the same thing between the G9 and the P5100; that’s why the polarized sunglasses of marc515 affect the LCD of each other in a different way.

Marc515 may test the cameras holding them vertically for a portrait; I guess he will see the G9’s LCD fine and the P5100’s LCD darkened :)
John_T
28th of July 2008 (Mon), 12:31
Not sure I follow you...

Wearing my polarized sunglasses, the G9 LCD is totally blacked out looking at it horizontally, rotate the screen 90 degrees to portrait and it's visible again.

The 5D screen is exactly the opposite polarity.
Double Negative
28th of July 2008 (Mon), 12:49
No, the 5D is polarized the opposite pole to the G9. Surprised me to find this out just now.

Ahh. Okay, so let me rephrase that. "I wish the 1Dxxx bodies had as nice a cover as that." :D
John_T
28th of July 2008 (Mon), 13:40
Ahh. Okay, so let me rephrase that. "I wish the 1Dxxx bodies had as nice a cover as that." :D
x2 + other goodies. :lol: