Photos or Videos -- tilting vs. flip out screen

I'm curious about the fuss being made about new camera models should have flip-out screens rather than tilting screens. Of course some kind of fully articulating screen would be the best of all worlds, if that would be feasible. The articulating screen on my A99 remain turned inward most of the time and not used often.

So I'm curious as to what the preferences are of fellow Dyxumers.
And are you mainly a stills photographer, a videographer or both?

I rarely shoot video myself and shoot mostly using the EVF, and not the rear screen. However for travel/street photography, I like to use the camera at waist height, like an old view camera, so I like a tilting screen for that. A flip-out screen seems awkward to me for my style of shooting. For vertical shots it might work well. I prefer the horizontal orientation for most of my photos.
It seems to me that the main interest of many is blogging selfies and such which just isn't going to happen with me.

This subject comes up a lot recently with those that are speculating about what features and specs the A7IV will have. I'm happy with my A7III so I'm not looking to upgrade at the moment, but I'm always interested in new products and technologies.

So obviously things have changed a lot since I first joined Dyxum. We have many new and younger photographers since then. I can tell you that I have a drawer full of video tapes from way back when and nobody is ever interested in viewing them. Same goes with the few videos I'm made with my A7 and A7III. But my photos and prints are viewed by myself and others often.

But that is just me. How about you?

Regards,

Kelly

I very very rarely record any video, but I do quite often use the rear screen to frame pictures especially if shooting near ground. The main problem with the tilting screens on most E mount cameras is that it does not suit situations where you want to shoot in portrait orientation (and use the rear screen rather than the viewfinder), the rotating screen on α77/99 series is therefor much better for such situations and I guess the flip-out type screen (as in α7S III) might work fine too, although I am not quite sure how well it will work for hand-held use in the landscape orientation when the screen is on the side...

addy landzaat wrote: @Wētāpunga: I do not understand why you prefer a flip out screen. I understand you cannot use the EVF with your current set-up but that does not explain why you prefer a flip-out screen.... Also, why bring a field recorder when you travel as light as you can? Also, also, did you consider the Sony ECM-B1M? It will allow you using the EVF I think.

I understood the flip out screen goes to the side of the camera, like the latest ZV cameras Sony has released, not up and down. Having it to the side would mean it would be clear of the obstructions on top of the camera.

The Zoom F1 field recorder I use is very compact and records in uncompressed wav format. So I don't have the compressed audio that would be recorded in camera. For recording bird songs or the like, a longer shotgun microphone with 'more reach' matters (plus an XLR cable). And it works. I recorded some very clear bird audio yesterday (the video was not nearly as good). The shorter shotgun microphone of the F1 recorder was not as good as the Sennheiser I now use.

From what I could see the ECM-B1M microphone is too short, it doesn't record uncompressed sound and to be honest, it is rather expensive.I couldn't mount it on a pistol grip either if all I wanted to do was record bird song.

So as with everything in photography, it's about compromises. The set up is large enough to get the reach I need, but not so large it needs a larger video cage or overweigh the camera.

Well, perhaps I have a different view (excuse the pun) about the articulating screen on the a99 and a77?

I find I have the screen turned in almost all the time when using the camera 'normally' and using the EVF. However, increasingly for flower shots and those times when I don't have a tripod for things such as ceilings (churches etc.) and where I need to use the camera away from the eye and also, perhaps, at an unusual angle (I'm not as agile as I used to be!) the articulated screen is a real benefit. Just a 'tilt and no turn' would be nowhere near as useful to me I'm afraid and it's one of the tings that puts me off other models who lack the articulation to the screen?

I consider myself fortunate in that I am able to hand-hold down to very slow shutter speeds which negates the use of a tripod much of the time; a non-articulated screen would probably result in me having to use a tripod more often (or lose those shots where tripods are not allowed).

Best regards, Neil.

@Wētāpunga: ah, the recording part is just as important or more important then the video. Yes, then it makes sense.

I started to use the screen more a couple of years ago with smaller lenses and street-like photography. In that situation an articulating flip out screen is cumbersome. If I want to make a picture from a lower point of view, I need to flip out the screen, turn it around and up - in stead of simply pull it.

addy landzaat wrote: @Wētāpunga: ah, the recording part is just as important or more important then the video. Yes, then it makes sense.

If the reach isn't important and I don't need to squeeze out all the sound quality I can, I use an Azden SX-30. It's a combination shotgun/twin capsule stereo microphone. But it connects via the 3.5mm microphone port, not XLR, and of course records in camera in compressed audio formats. I mean it sounds much, much better than the camera's microphones, so is good enough for a lot of purposes.

addy landzaat wrote: I started to use the screen more a couple of years ago with smaller lenses and street-like photography. In that situation an articulating flip out screen is cumbersome. If I want to make a picture from a lower point of view, I need to flip out the screen, turn it around and up - in stead of simply pull it.

Yeah, that makes sense for your shooting style. I guess there is no single design that is best for all users.

JST1 wrote: The articulating screen on the a99 is the gold standard for me. Anything less is a disappointment.

I suspect I would agree with that statement if I'd tried any other camera without this facility. It is a great piece of engineering and, for a change, doesn't seem to be a weak spot of the camera!


best regards, Neil.