A digital viewfinder is effectively a small screen that displays the image the camera is capturing in real-time. This allows the photographer to see exactly what the camera is pointing at and make any necessary adjustments to framing, focus, exposureThe amount of light that reaches the film (or camera sensor). It determines how light or dark an image is. The exposure of an image is determined by the aperture, shutter speed, and film speed (ISO). During exposure, the sensors or chemicals on the film in analogue models, are subjected to the light outside the camera for a certain time., and composition before taking the shot. Digital viewfinders can be found on most modern digital cameras, ranging from compact point-and-shoots to high-end professional DSLRsA digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex (SLR) camera with a digital imaging sensor. The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between a DSLR and other digital cameras. In the reflex design, light travels through the lens and then to a mirror that alternates to send the image to either the viewfinder or the image sensor. The viewfinder of a DSLR presents an image that will not differ substantially from what is captured by the camera's sensor but presents it as a direct optical view through the lens, rather than being captured by the camera's image sensor and displayed by a digital screen. DSLR is often (wrongly) used to describe cameras that are Micro Four Thirds or Bridge Camera - just because they look similar. This can bee seen when cameras are offered for sale. and mirrorlessTechnically speaking most DSLR, point-and-shoot and smartphone cameras are mirrorless, in that they don’t have internal mirrors. However, mirrorless camera is a specific term for a camera where the sensor is directly exposed to light and the photographer has a preview of the potential image at all times to view on an electronic viewfinder. For example the Olympus and Panasonic micro four-thirds cameras are mirrorless. cameras. They offer a clear and accurate preview of the final image, making it easier for the photographer to get the perfect shot. They hold advantages on an optical viewfinderA camera optical viewfinder is a small window on a camera that allows the user to frame and compose a shot by looking through it. Typically uses a system of mirrors and lenses (SLR and DSLR) to show the view through the camera's lens, giving a real-time, optical representation of the scene. On simple cameras it is just a lens that roughly lines up with the frame, but may not be accurate and may not change with a zoom lens. This can be especially useful in bright lighting conditions or when shooting fast-moving subjects where using the camera's digital screen may be difficult..
