Let's talk about disappearing LCD screens. It's something every mirrorless camera user has probably encountered at some point. You're shooting with the LCD on the back of your camera, everything's fine, and then suddenly it goes black. Frustrating, right?
Is your camera malfunctioning? Actually, there's a simple reason for this. Most mirrorless cameras with viewfinders have a little sensor near that viewfinder. You can identify them because they're usually rectangular and shiny. The sensor detects when something is close to it, like your face when you're shooting. When the sensor is triggered, the camera automatically turns off the LCD to save power and to avoid accidental touches, like your nose changing settings on the touchscreen. Makes sense, but it can also be a pain when something else like your camera strap accidentally triggers the sensor. Here's where it gets tricky. Let's say you're shooting from a weird angle and your camera strap brushes against the sensor. The camera thinks your face is there so it shuts off the LCD. Suddenly you're stuck wondering why your screen isn't working. And remember, you're at some weird angle and you have that angle just right and suddenly the screen disappears. It's a bit of a pain. So if this happens often, you can usually disable the sensor in your camera's menu, or just be aware of what's near the viewfinder while you're shooting.
There's another thing that you should watch out for. The sensor can get blocked over time. The rubber eyepiece around the viewfinder can shift slightly or wear down, partially covering that sensor. So then it's turning on and off at weird times, even though you're not obstructing the sensor, you don't notice that the rubber eyepiece is actually doing it. In that case, you'll need to replace the rubber eyepiece, or take it off altogether. Then there's dust and grime, which can also build up on the sensor, which might make it behave erratically. So keep that little rectangular sensor clean and unobstructed. It's easy to miss because it's so small, but giving it a quick wipe every now and then can save you a lot of hassle.
So whether it's your settings, a misplaced strap, or a dusty sensor, the disappearing LCD mystery is usually a quick fix once you know what's going on.
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