300D Image playback zoom question

[v6Goose]

Hi guys...

I am looking for a definitive answer to the zoom control (top right buttons) on the Digital Rebel in order to achieve a 1/1 zoom.

Technical specs state "...zoom range from 1.5x to 10x..."

I want to know what 'full size' is when checking for sharpness in camera.

How many button pushes = full size?

Very interested in your replies...

Cheers!

Goose :)

[jaypie77]

My take on this is that the preview LCD screen is not really good enough to be certain of sharpness. You can look at that screen and know the difference between total crap and in the range of usability, but I don't think that the screen is precise enough for more than that.

[v6Goose]

Hi Jaypie77.. good answer :) Everything looks pretty soft at 10x zoom on a little LCD. The histogram view is very good, but i have been dissappointed at some shots that later turn out to be too soft or blurry... cheers

[cookedart]

I actually want to know the answer to this question as well.. I've noticed this was an issue on both a Rebel XT and a 40D...

I would personally assume there is a zoom amount that would be equivalent to 100% on image playback... otherwise checking sharpness with an LCD is practically useless, or a guessing game, as it were.

Also, does anyone know if the images presented on screen on a Rebel/XXD series camera are thumbnails, or the actual file being displayed? I feel like there are stages on the LCD where the images definitely feel sharp, but become fuzzy again at a certain zoom level - my assumption is that this is past a reasonable zoom point (i.e. looking at the image at 400%)

Can anyone answer this?

[Tomi Hawk]

I'm not even sure that the LCD along with the zoom utilization is a true function for that sole purpose.
If you can tether to a PC, lap-top, or even use a card reader to upload asap to make checks, then perhaps it could be an issue solved that way?

Being from the ole film days, I hardly chimp that much at all.
If I'm stopped down at f/8, I'm pretty sure that my portraits are gonna be fine.
If however, I have my 85mm 1.8 wide open, I'm making sure that I use my focus points in the view-finder properly.

[cookedart]

There are definitely instances when shooting tethered is not an option for me... I definitely think this is the easiest way to check critical focus, as is MF with 10x live view, but I find this impractical for shooting even still subjects at night, out of a studio. At this point subtle camera shake can steal image sharpness away because shutter speed, iso, and aperture in situations like this are maxed out, and I have to rely on the AF point locking correctly (which it can miss in low light fairly easily), as well as there being absolutely no camera shake.

I guess you would suggest a tripod/monopod, but I think this is besides the point - this would not be an issue at all if I could rely on reviewing the image in the field and reshoot right away until I was certain that the image was taken with maximum possible sharpness.

Am I really the only one who wants/expects such a thing from the built in LCD?

[Tomi Hawk]

If you're in a "studio" with lights, you should have total control over aperture, shutter speed, etc ..
I see no reason to be hand holding a camera in a studio, a tripod is almost a certain must.
In my studio, if I must ... I can hand-hold all the way down to 1/50th and be confident.

Also, why are you "maxed out" if you're in a controlled environment like a studio?
How many watt seconds are your strobes? Or, are you using continuous *weak* lighting?

What readings are you saying are "maxed out"?
If you're below 1/30th and at f/4 or wider .. you most certainly should be on a tripod ...

[cookedart]

I was talking about the instances when I was NOT shooting in a studio, anywhere where controlled lighting was not possible.

I shoot more often outside a studio than in.

Lastly, the original question remains, do people actually not use their lcds to check sharpness? I can see it always being -easier- to do on a full scale LCD, but it should be possible to be 100% confident with an in-the-field shot by chimping, no?

[Tomi Hawk]

I was talking about the instances when I was NOT shooting in a studio, anywhere where controlled lighting was not possible.

I shoot more often outside a studio than in.

Lastly, the original question remains, do people actually not use their lcds to check sharpness? I can see it always being -easier- to do on a full scale LCD, but it should be possible to be 100% confident with an in-the-field shot by chimping, no?
Ohhh, my bad .. mis-understoodz you .. :p

Hmmm, wellll? I dunno. Like I mentioned tho, I hardly "chimp".
I'm quite comfortable once I'm set (even on location) and have the SS along with aperture.

I guess you can take the guy away from the film days, but you can't take .. no wait .. uhh

I have never bothered to use my LCD to check for sharpness ..
I mostly use it in the mode where the image shows along with the histogram ..

[cookedart]

Some users on DP review pointed out to me that on a 40D, the image shown on the LCD are actually thumbnails, on the 50D and newer cameras the images are actually 1:1.

The reason for my expectation is that I can rely on the 10X zoom during live view to get critical focus with the EXACT same LCD that I am using to review the images, but the reviewed images are much softer. Very frustrating.