how can I match brightness on LCD and viewfinder?
 

Hi there,
If I go by my lcd, I overexpose... so I'm now always checking my viewfinder. But I shoot handheld mostly, and would prefer to use the lcd... if only I can correct it and then learn to trust it.
I know I can go into menu and change the brightness level of my lcd, but is that all I need to do to set the lcd's brightness level?
I want to make sure I'm recording the best picture quality...
Would love some advice.
Thanks, Malcolm

Have you calibrated your EVF/LCD with the onboard colorbars/pluge?

Hi Bill, I'm also curious on how to do a calibration of the screen. So far I have left the LCD at the default settings n use zebras n the histogram to gauge exposure. Having an accurate screen would be really useful too.

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you (Cdn. Thanksgiving weekend).
Thanks for the advice re calibrating. So do I just get the colour bars up for both the LCD and the EVF, and make sure they look the same? Is "pluge" a typo? (don't know that word).
Thanks,
Malcolm

Picture line-up generation equipment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

perhaps someone would care to describe how to set up the pluge bars

Hi again,

I haven't tried to calibrate my pluge bars, but I thought I'd add a bit more information... all of which confirms what you said, Bill.
I got this from a guy I know, whose company just got an EX-1, and who seems to know most cameras inside-out.

First of all he told me that the LCD would never be 100% reliable:

"The built in exposure meter with Zebras at 67% IRE (caucasian skin) is the only accurate way to expose. The little LCD screens are not reliable"

I then asked if there might be a way of making my LCD screen at least "as reliable" as my EVF? As I put it to him: "In the menu, I can change both the Contrast and Brightness levels of the LCD; right now they're both set at '0'. My EVF has the same '0' settings for both of these. Since I find I expose nicely when judging by the EVF, and overexpose when using the LCD, should I not... (not sure which way to go) boost the contrast and brightness on my LCD? Either that, or do the reverse.

He wrote back to say:

"You're probably exposing the EVF more precisely because your eye is pressed up to it and blocks out ambient light.
The LCD is subject to ambient light, making it appear a little more dull, so you open up the exposure for more kick.
If you prefer to work visually then you must calibrate visually to pluge - the basic gray scale at the bottom right of the colour bars - that's why it is there. Contrast up, then brightness down just until the lightest pluge bar disappears. Note that as you move from bright ambience to darker spaces, you will have to adjust. Other factors are glare, viewing angle, eye fatigue and eye adaptation. Exposing visually in open environments is tricky business, I have found. Note that factory zero on the EVF does not necessarily correspond to zero on the LCD" (he said it would be fine if I quoted him here; he doesn't use this forum, unfortunately).

So there we have it—I'm back to calibrating my pluge bars.
Just thought I'd add this update.
Cheers all,
Malcolm