Can 50D live view sensitivity be increased?

I was trying to use live view in a lowlight scene and it was useless. Just a black screen. Is there a way to "slow down the shutter speed" so to speak? There was plenty of light to the naked eye & even through the view finder, just couldn't get anything to register on live view.

1/100 f/5.6 ISO800

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Aperture and shutter speed controls in Live View are the same as in regular shooting through the viewfinder.
If enabled, Live View can also simulate exposure.

Enable Live View Exposure Simulation (C. Fn. IV-7 in the 40D). This electronically brightens or darkens the display according to f-stop and speed set and when the exposure is right the LCD will look pretty good. There is a limit, however, to how much brightening it can do so a very dark scene might pose a problem.

?? ?? ?? How does metering affect the viewfinder?

tzalman wrote in post #7709115
?? ?? ?? How does metering affect the viewfinder?

Ups, you got me on this one, thank you!

I was thinking about difference between the Live View and actual exposure.
Brighthess in viewfinder is always the same and doesn't depend on metering..

I am going to delete that part of my post now..

Hermeto wrote in post #7709097
Aperture and shutter speed controls in Live View are the same as in regular shooting through the viewfinder.
If enabled, Live View can also simulate exposure.

I'll try this. I know I have it enabled in the CF's but I don't think it was selected by pressing the info button till the histogram comes up.

Thanks for the info.

Try holding down the depth-of-field preview, as well - this will make the live-view screen brighten/dim to the level of what will actually be captured.

Watch out if you have a hot-shoe flash attached, though, as most will strobe to try and keep the scene illuminated. You probably don't have a flash attached for night photography, though.

Jeff wrote in post #7709159
I'll try this. I know I have it enabled in the CF's but I don't think it was selected by pressing the info button till the histogram comes up.
Tanks for the info.

Instruction Manual, pages 116 and 117 will tell you how to do that.

Jeff wrote in post #7709159
I'll try this. I know I have it enabled in the CF's but I don't think it was selected by pressing the info button till the histogram comes up.

Thanks for the info.

Once enabled in the C.Fn. it's always on. The Info button just adds or takes away the histogram. It was probably on but you didn't realize it. I've done that several times - turned on L.V. at night when the camera still had daylight settings from a previous use and gave myself a heart attack at the sight of the black screen, until I realized I had to open up, slow down and boost ISO.

tzalman wrote in post #7709522
Once enabled in the C.Fn. it's always on. The Info button just adds or takes away the histogram. It was probably on but you didn't realize it. I've done that several times - turned on L.V. at night when the camera still had daylight settings from a previous use and gave myself a heart attack at the sight of the black screen, until I realized I had to open up, slow down and boost ISO.

I'm sure it was enabled. But shouldn't the scene in the posted picture be bright enough to see something on live view? It was dusk but not really dark. Am I expecting something that live view can't reasonably do?

Agamemnon wrote in post #7709166
Try holding down the depth-of-field preview, as well - this will make the live-view screen brighten/dim to the level of what will actually be captured.

I don't think it can make it brighter. Live-view is done with the aperture wide open. All DoF Preview can do is close down the aperture, making the image darker.

The great thing about Live View in the 50D and 5D2 is that when you press the DoF preview, the camera compensates and brightens the view--making the DoF button truly useable for the first time in the history of photography.

If you've got Exposure Simulation turned on, Live View is going to look too dark or too bright until you set your exposure properly. This should not be surprising--that's what Exposure Simulation is supposed to do. I haven't tested yet to see how accurate it is--I just use it as a warning beacon at this point.

If you're shooting with studio electronic flash, you want to turn Exposure Simulation off, because except with Canon flashes, Live View doesn't know there's going to be added light at the moment of exposure.

Jeff wrote in post #7709608
I'm sure it was enabled. But shouldn't the scene in the posted picture be bright enough to see something on live view? It was dusk but not really dark. Am I expecting something that live view can't reasonably do?

If the camera was in manual and set for ISO 100, f8 and 1/400 from daytime shooting and what was needed was ISO 1600, f2.8 and 1/100, that's a 9 stop difference and the screen would be very dark.