20D: Dim info in viewfinder?

[lordjim]

Hi everyone -

I bought my 20D last week and I am learning to use it.

Coming from the 300D, my first impressions are very good. I like the possibility to choose the AF mode between one shot, Ai servo and Ai focus. I love the ability to choose the metering mode. I like the speed of the camera to switch on and to AF. The quality of the image is amazing.

However, I find the info in the viewfinder to be very dim compared to my 300D so dim that it becomes almost unreadable :( in bright light. I have tried the camera with the Tamron 28-75 F2.8, Canon 50 F1.8 II and Canon 100-400 L.

Is that normal? Is there anything I can do to fix this? Do I have a bad copy of the camera?

Thank you in advance for your help.

[Jon, The Elder]

Unfortunately it is typical. I had/have the same complaint as do many others. Can't get an answer anywhere about it. Particularly bad for me with glasses. Also - no ISO info in finder.
Still - it's one heck of a camera !

[badrotation]

mine is quite bright.....

[Nightcrawler]

Mine is bright too, but I don't have anything to compare it with.

[Andy_T]

I only find it hard to read it when I shoot wearing sunglasses.

But I really don't have a problem here ... I assume the LED display will be the same on both cameras, but the 20D has the brighter viewfinder ... I take that every day over a darker viewfinder that makes it hard to see the image :wink:

Best regards,
Andy

[lordjim]

I may have a wrong copy then as mine is really dim. I will check this out where I bought it. Thanks guys.

[jscotti]

I may have a wrong copy then as mine is really dim. I will check this out where I bought it. Thanks guys.

Mine is dim too - let us know what you find out.

Jim.

[tim]

I didn't notice any difference between my 300D and 20D when I upgraded.

[lordjim]

The attached is a thread I found on the subject:

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00CL9t

I also contacted Canon Support in Canada who answered that to better see the LCD, I just need to adjust the brightness of the LCD monitor!!! This was not my question. They probably did not read the question to meet their 24 hours turnaround target. :evil: So I asked again. Will see what they come up with.

I will go to the store to compare with other copies of the camera tonight. I will let you know what I find out.

I compared with my 300D again and it seems that the LED of the 20D is slightly dimmer but as the viewfinder of the 20D is a lot brighter than on the 300D, the LED becomes unreadable in bright light. Maybe an eyepiece extender would help. Have you tried this?

Too bad because the 20D would have been perfect without this inconvenience. Well, it is 99.8% perfect then (it also lost 0.1% for not having the Iso info on the LED).

Hope that helps.

[lordjim]

So I went to the store tonight and had the opportunity to test other copies of the 20D. They all have the same issue. :(

That being said, I obviously kept my copy as I am in love with it already. I can confirm that the 20D is only 99.8% perfect but I think I can live happy with its weaknesses. :D

[Simon Spiers]

Your sure your closing the correct eye when looking through the viewfinder:lol:
I must say the viewfinder is a bit dim in comparison to a lot of other cameras.
But it shines in more ways;)

[Rob612]

I have both the XT and the 20D and frankly I cannot notice a brighness difference in the leds. Could it be that since the VF of the 20D is much more bright than the 300/350 you just feel that ?

[lordjim]

Simon - Thank you for your advice. I am now closing both eyes simutanously to make sure that I am closing the right one. :lol:

Just back from vacations during which I got used to the viewfinder of the 20D. The eyepiece extender does not help for the dim info but it is so comfortable that I am no longer using the camera without it.

[jarod]

I shot in bright daylight the other day and have the same problem. When the sun is above you or behind you it's VERY hard to see.