ceb wrote:

There are small cameras with viewfinders and the viewfinder is pretty
essential, as you already know, so I wouldn't settle if I were you -- you
won't be happy. I actually HATE using the viewfinder but wouldn't buy a
camera without one because on nice sunny days, the lcd screen is virtually
useless, especially if you are zooming in on a small target. I really
wouldn't compromise on this if I were you.

What she said.

I almost exclusively use the view finder, so a camera without one
would not be acceptable to me. About the only thing I use the LCD
for is macros, taking photos of the sun[1], and doing a rough review
to guesstimate whether or not I got the photo I wanted. On my
camera, I have turned off the LCD screen for everything except macro
mode and a quick review display of the photo that was just taken.
If I want to use it for anything else--like taking photos of the
sun--I have to go into the settings and turn it on. I really like
this set-up, because it saves a *huge* amount of battery life.

[1] That's really not something you should do through a view finder,
unless you're wearing UV sunglasses. I assume most folks know that,
but it can't hurt to point it out.

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