Switch Your Pentax Camera To Live View

All Pentax DSLRs, including the K-1, will have a Live View mode. Live View mode can be accessed through a dedicated button, on the back of the K-1, on the left-hand-side near the top. It's labelled 'LV'. It's an ideal mode to use for many different reasons, and the main ones are listed below:

See what you're shooting -  The main plus point of Live View mode is that you can see the image that will be taken on the screen, without having to look through the viewfinder. This can make it a lot easier to position the camera how you want it on a tripod, and compose your shot effectively. 

Still see important settings and levels - In Live View mode, the shutter speed, aperture, white balance and other settings are all displayed on the screen around the edges of the image. You can change how much is displayed by pressing the 'info' button. 

Easier access to flash, ISO, White Balance and timer settings - Using Live View mode makes it really easy to access the settings labelled on the d-pad. Simply press the button referring to the setting you'd like to alter, and a menu will open allowing you to change the setting. When the camera is set to manual mode, aperture and shutter speed settings can be changed by moving the front and back scroll wheels respectively. 

See over exposed and under exposed areas highlighted - If the image you're about to take has drastically under or over exposed sections, these will flash in Live View mode. Red represents under exposure, and yellow under exposure. This makes it easier to change setting to get a more balanced image, even before pressing the shutter.

See the effect changing aperture and shutter speed will have on shots before you press the shutter - In Live View mode, what you see on the screen will change according to the setting in manual, aperture priority or shutter speed priority modes. This makes it easier to expose the image correctly, as you can see if it looks too dark or light via the screen. There is also the option to have the histogram appear on the screen with a press of the 'info' button. 

To find out more about the Pentax K-1, have a read of our review.