Does LCD Size Matter To You?

The 2.5 LCD size is perfect if you ask me. The 1.8 LCD is deceptive. The size itself never bothered me. But the images look sharp and in focus on that tiny screen, which might actually be a little OOF. The 3" LCD is nice, but I think it looks a bit awkward on a DSLR. It just seems to take up a lot of real estate on the camera body. But the 2.5 is a great compromise IMO.

I used to use a KM 5D and it had a terrible resolution, BUT as soon as i hit the zoom button it zoomed in so that it was pixel for pixel, image to screen. I could instantly gauge how soft or not it was.

My issue with the 40D is that you can zoom in further than 100% and thus i have no idea how sharp an image is, or at least no where near as precisely as the KM.

I personally dont think the number of pixels matters if what you are doing is pixel peeping in camera. Where it does matter is it allows you to get a better idea of sharpness/focus without the need to zoom in.

Just zoom to max, then go back one zoom level, I believe, to get to 100%. I would want a larger screen only if the resolution was also upped. Same resolution on the 1.8, 2.5 and now 3.0 just seems to be more of a marketing item than a functional item. But once I have the 40D, I could end up changing my mind.

The biggest drawback to the 40D for me is that the 3" screen is the same resolution as the 2.5" screen.

Airedale1 wrote in post #4265750
Okay, I am talking strictly about DSLR's here. IMO the larger size LCD is nice but I don't really care. I currently have the 20D and it's 1.8" LCD is perfectly fine. Then came the 30D with it's 2.5" LCD and now the 40D with it's 3.0" LCD. To my way of thinking this represents overkill.

I am looking forward to getting the 40D very soon and it has a lot of nice features that my 20D does not, e.g. spot metering

So, in the grand scheme of things the trend toward larger and larger LCD's seem to me to be unnecessary. What do you think?

Everyone has a different take on this.

My personal take is that the LCD in the 10/20/30D's is big enough - the problem is that the Histogram only takes up 1/4 of the screen. If it filled the entire screen it would be very adequate.

I really don't use the LCD for anything important - except judging exposure of the three channels with the histogram.

On the 40D where one can literally focus using the LCD, then size will be important.

I did a wedding a few weeks ago and used the 20d and the 40d. I had been using only the 40d for a week and had gotten used to the larger LCD. I will never forget the feeling when I used the 20d again. I went HUH? I couldnt see a thing! I love that Big LCD. It was worth the upgrade for me for that alone as my eyesight sucks.

I have the 40D and the LCD is great for changing settings at night without having to look at the small screen on top. The 3" size is great compared to my 300D.

Under 2 1/2" is too small, but don't really need 3". The only thing I am looking for is the histogram and sometimes you can have a spike right next to the edge that is hard for me to see on a screen under 2 1/2". I shoot raw full time and try to have the average a little to the right but don't like anything "hanging over the edge".

The screen size on the 40D is nice, but it's also not a reason I'd buy the camera. The larger size is a bonus, I'd buy a camera based on other technical features.

I like the 3" LCD. My eyes need it!

Like the 3" screen for live view.
Very useful with TSE lenses and macro.

yes to me now. it didn't matter before when all i had was the 20d. but after getting the 1D MKiii, wow! the screen is just so big and nicer to look at! the 20d feels like a toy now!

The 2" LCD I have on my 1D Mark II is sufficient, although I prefer 2.5". I want a screen with the clarity of that found on my Epson P-3000.
I saw someone a few days ago with a Samsung Pro 815, which has a 3.5" LCD. Way overkill. It bordered on obscene.

I'm quite envious of the 30D's screen over the 20D's.. I think past that point it stops mattering quite as much.

I think I stumbled across the wrong thread, sorry!