Consumer Reports says that 35% of you would like optical viewfinders on cameras, and yet they are becoming harder and harder to find. Why is this?

From CR:

To find out what’s taking place, we chatted with several camera manufacturers. Here’s what we found out:

• * It’s the result of two interrelated trends: Consumers want ever-smaller point-and-shoots, and they want them with larger LCD displays. And these two trends, they said, far outweigh the importance of including an optical viewfinder.
• * To build such devices, there’s no room on the camera body for an optical viewfinder. Indeed, LCDs that measured up to 31/2 inches dominate the entire back of some subcompacts, forcing such models to include touch screen displays.
• * With more subcompacts shipping with lenses that have greater optical zooms, as much as 10x or 12x, it’s very difficult to construct a tiny but accurate optical viewfinder that covers the same range as the lens.

CR has a list of a few cameras that still have optical viewfinders, should you be in the aforementioned 35%.

Can’t find a camera with a viewfinder? Here’s why [CR]

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