*ist D LCD

Is there any way to turn the LCD on prior to shooting a photo?

I have a HP Point and Shoot Digital also and it nice to be able to hold the camera overhead a take a picture watching the display instead of looking through the lense (on occassion)

No – with the *istD the CCD is not exposed until the shutter is released. In a DSLR the mirror (and the shutter) covers the sensor whilst focusing etc, unlike the point and shoot digital cameras where the CCD is continuously looking at the image.

You can view images in the memory but can not view a ‘live’ image on the LCD.

There is at least one DSLR that breaks this convention (the Oly E I think) and splits the lens image between the viewfinder and the LCD monitor. There is criticism though that this degrades the image (for setting up the shot I assume rather than the eventual exposure).