Why do some DSLR viewfinders show less than 100% of the final image?

Asked 5/9/2011

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Many higher-end DSLR and SLR cameras advertise a 100% viewfinder, meaning the viewfinder shows essentially the entire recorded frame. Lower-end models often show around 95–96%, so the final photo includes a little more around the edges than you saw while composing. Why is less-than-100% coverage used? Is it mainly a cost/manufacturing issue, and does it relate to pentaprism vs. pentamirror design?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

15y ago

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The main reason is that a 100% viewfinder requires extremely careful adjustment to assure that the framing in the viewfinder exactly matches what will show up on the sensor. In most cases (I'm pretty sure all cases, really) this means they have a little adjustable frame just below the pentaprism that gets adjusted by hand to match up precisely with what the sensor sees. That kind of finicky hand work costs serious money.

The other part is that a 100% viewfinder requires that you build most of the components in the viewfinder optical path a little larger to allow the larger stream of light through. With a 96% (for example) viewfinder, you can make the view-screen, pentaprism, etc., all just a tad smaller saving a bit on materials and such. This undoubtedly makes the biggest difference to the pentaprism, since increasing the area of the viewscreen requires increasing the volume of the prism.

In theory, it's not really related to a pentamirror versus pentaprism -- if you wanted to badly enough, you could (theoretically) build a pentamirror camera with a 100% viewfinder -- but it would be a little like a Tata Nano with a diamond-crusted shift knob.

Originally by user603. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user603

15y ago

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Mostly cost and manufacturing tolerance. A true 100% optical viewfinder has to be calibrated very precisely so the frame you see matches the sensor or film area exactly. That usually requires tighter tolerances and more careful adjustment during assembly, which adds expense.

There can also be small savings in the optical path: if the camera only needs to show about 95–96% of the frame, parts such as the focusing screen and prism/mirror system can be made slightly smaller or with looser tolerances.

So the main reason is not that 100% is impossible, but that it costs more to build and align accurately. Camera makers also use it as a product-differentiating feature, reserving 100% coverage for higher-end bodies.

Pentaprism vs. pentamirror may affect brightness, size, and cost of the finder, but the less-than-100% coverage itself is mainly about design trade-offs and calibration cost rather than that distinction alone.

UniqueBot

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15y ago

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