For those of you who find the viewfinder to cumbersome - just detach the barrel!

Filmed at the weekend in bright sunlight - works a treat!

Pete

Nice one Pete

I think that should be added to Noa's blog where all the mods are in one place! Simple yet effective..I wonder if Sony designed it like that ....How does the bottom hinge get taken off? Is there a pin thru it or does it just "unclip" ?

Chris

Hi Chris - once you remove the small screws it just pops off - no probs

That's absolutely brilliant! Fantastic solution for me.

CLEVER!
I wondered once or twice, but never did it.

Now, all you have to do if figure out a way to make the hinge a "clip on-clip off" situation rather than having to remove and store screws..... It would be great to be able to go inside a venue and unclip the viewing tube and then when done, clip it back on before you go outside.

Otherwise maybe a hinge undernearth that has a pin you can slide in? I cannot see me carrying a little box around with a tiny screwdriver and the hinge screws. When either of my cameras are on tripod, I just drop the tube down so I can use the LCD touch focus facility but it does get in the way so being able to take it off quickly would be great!

Chris

Hi Chris,

As you know I don't have a 50, but thinking back to your Panny days and the set-up you had then , would it not be possible to have the sony viewfinder bonded to a hoodman loupe rubber extension component and then just popped into the eisting hood bit of the sony? It would mean the sizes would need to work of course but they look similar. Focal distance would need to be similar of course.( might be too unstable though, because of the length of the viewing tube.)

Or could a couple of magnets be bonded in place to replace the screws?

Or maybe use the Hoodman type wrap strap to hold the two sony components together. Just a thought.
Cheers!
Rod

Hi Rod

I used the Hoodman surrounds on my AC-130's and they were useless..very flexible and also the rubber is quite heavy. The Sony surround is actually perfect and the clips hold it securely. I guess if one is in the habit of using the tube on and off of the LCD then there is no reson why you couldn't mod the hinge so it becomes a "quick release" hinge At the moment indoors I simply just unclip the tube at the top and let it swing down ...all it really blocks is your menu button but Sony have another on top of the camera anyway.

The idea, however is appreciated!! I still have my modded Hoodman EVF's from the AC-130's lying around someplace! They were quite pricey too ..I think the EX-1 kit (which I used) was nearly $300!!!

Chris