Even on the top end DSLR’s, live-view is still slow.

Benefits of the single lens reflex are difficult to argue with, you can see exactly what the sensor will see when you open the shutter, and as the sensor isn’t in use constant, the heat created reduces noise, and prolongs battery life.

One of the benefits I personally love about SLR’s is the sheer speed, they focus without the need of the sensor ( they have a seperate auto-focus processor ) and when you hit the shutter, the image is captured when you want it, not half a second or 2 seconds later, by which time you can easily have missed the shot you spent so long waiting for.

As for how to determine the exposure, you naturally get a feel for it with an SLR, if what you see down the lens is dark, you’ll adjust it without thinking.

… and even if you get it wrong, the quality of the RAW captures means you can nearly always retrieve up to 5 stops of exposure compensation…

Thanks your insight though, what camera do you use ?