If that sounds like you, a new feature that makes use of a smartphone or tablet PC as a remote viewfinder could help. One of the first cameras to offer this will be Sony's NEX-5R, which will be available in major markets in October.
At Berlin's IFA consumer electronics show, I got a chance to try out . (.)
The function, which Sony calls "smart remote control," is added to the camera as an application. With the WiFi-equipped NEX-5R, Sony includes the option for downloading applications from an online store, via a PC or from the camera's PlayMemories Store app. Users will also need to download a PlayMemories app to their handset. Sony says versions for Android and Apple's iOS will be available.
The base of the system is a peer-to-peer WiFi connection, so the camera needs to be connected with a smartphone or tablet before it can be used. A couple of button presses in the camera sets it searching for a compatible handset. In our test the process took about 10 seconds for the devices to automatically connect.
Once done, the smartphone screen shows a more-or-less realtime video image that matches the camera's viewfinder. It doesn't include any of the text that is typically overlaid on the viewfinder and lags the camera's viewfinder by a fraction of a second.