page_title: Bridge camera
section_title: Live-preview EVF disadvantages
hierarchical_section_title: Bridge camera / LCDs and EVFs as principal viewfinders / Electronic viewfinder (EVF) vs DSLR optical viewfinder (OVF) comparison / Live-preview EVF disadvantages
caption_attribution_description: English: Moon taken with Panasonic FZ1000
context_page_description: Bridge cameras are cameras that fill the niche between the single-lens reflex cameras and the point-and-shoot camera which are prominent in the prosumer market segment. They are often comparable in size and weight to the smallest digital SLRs, but lack interchangeable lenses, and almost all digital bridge cameras lack an optical viewfinder system. The phrase "bridge camera" has been in use at least since the 1980s, and continues to be used with digital cameras. The term was originally used to refer to film cameras which "bridged the gap" between point-and-shoot cameras and SLRs.
  Like other cameras, most current bridge cameras are digital. These cameras typically feature full manual controls over shutter speed, aperture, ISO sensitivity, color balance and metering. Generally, their feature sets are similar to consumer DSLRs, except for a smaller range of ISO sensitivity because of their typically smaller image sensor. Many bridge cameras have long zoom lenses which now often start at a super wide-angle focal length of 20 or 22mm equivalent focal length, so the term "bridge camera" is sometimes used interchangeably with "megazoom", "superzoom", or "ultrazoom."
context_section_description: The electronic screens of some bridge cameras do not work as well as the OVF of DSLRs in situations of low light (although some work better, allowing high gain and slow refresh). For bridge cameras with EVFs, the LCD screen might be difficult to see and use for framing in bright daylight. Also, especially with older or lower-end cameras, the screen resolution and refresh rate may be limiting compared to the very high resolution and real time view provided by an optical path in the OVF of DSLRs. Low resolution impedes some forms of manual focusing, but most modern bridge cameras implement a method called focus zoom which automatically magnifies a central frame within the screen (manual focus point) to allow easier manual focusing. A slow refresh rate means that the image seen on the screen will have a fraction of a second lag or delay from the real scene being photographed. The electronic screens used in modern bridge cameras are gradually improving in their size, resolution, visibility, magnification and refresh rate.
  Continuous operation of the sensor shortens battery life and raises temperature.  A DSLR's sensor (when not in live view mode) only operates when the shutter is open, and the electronic screen is typically off more, causing less battery drain.
caption: 1st Quarter Moon taken with Panasonic FZ1000
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