Why is the rear screen black on my Canon EOS 50D until after I take a photo?
Asked 5/22/2020
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On my Canon EOS 50D, the rear LCD stays black when the camera is on. After I take a photo, the image appears for review, then the screen goes black again. The menu displays, but I don’t see all the settings I expected, including a clear settings option. Is something wrong with the camera, or is this normal?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
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The Canon EOS 50D is a DSLR (Digital single-lens reflex camera). This means that you will NOT see a digital live image in normal operation unless you press the shutter, in which case you see a review of the shot taken. Instead you have an optical viewfinder.
The camera operates by having a mirror redirect the light to the viewfinder instead of the sensor. As it is not hitting the sensor, you cannot get a digital live image on the back screen. This kind of operation would need a mirrorless camera.
However, you can emulate this by going to the live-view mode. This flips the mirror out of the way, so you can use the sensor to record a live image. Please note that this will seriously cripple your autofocus. And you cannot use the optical viewfinder during live view.
Xiota already gave you the link for enabling live-view: Enable Live View on EOS 50D
Originally by user88965. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user88965
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This is normal behavior for the Canon EOS 50D. It’s a DSLR, so in regular shooting the mirror sends light to the optical viewfinder, not to the imaging sensor. Because of that, the rear screen does not show a live image by default.
What you’re seeing is:
- black screen during normal shooting: expected
- photo review after capture: expected
- menu visible on the LCD: expected
If you want a live image on the rear screen, use Live View mode. On a DSLR, Live View works by flipping the mirror up so the sensor can provide a preview to the LCD. Keep in mind:
- autofocus is more limited/slower in Live View
- you can’t use the optical viewfinder while Live View is active
So this does not sound like a fault based on your description. If your goal is to compose on the rear screen all the time, you’ll need to enable Live View; otherwise, compose through the optical viewfinder.
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AI6y ago
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