Attaching the Hoodloupe
 

I just received the Hoodloupe. I bought the rubber bands, which are okay for being able to use it out of the box, but not a good long-term solution. The hood slides around too much and doesn't stay centered on the LCD. Also, the rubber bands don't have a clear, secure place to go - especially on the left hand side of the camera.

I've seen people post about velcro and stuff in various threads, but it wasn't 100 percent clear about what to buy and what to customize. Let's gather the best practices in this thread.

Thanks in advance!

I have the official Hoodman $20 rubber band which at least keeps the thing on the camera & off the floor but isn't great at keeping it centred over the LCD as it moves when you rest your eye against it. Incidentally this now appears to be the recommended way of attaching the $395 Z-finder.

Like several others I bought a $13.90 LCD shade off eBay took off the side wings & the clear plastic plate off the bottom & glued the Hoodloupe to the frame. The whole assembly fits very snugly & firmly onto the camera.

I am really surprised that Zacuto didn't go this route with all the R&D & testing that they did on the Z-finder. While admittedly the $13.90 LCD shade would have bumped the manufacture cost versus Velcro it's a far superior solution.

This is the LCD hood that I bought. I recommend that you buy a couple. You may not always want to use the Hoodloupe & the screen shade is well made & very effective in bright sunshine. LCD Pop-Up Screen Hood Shade Cover for CANON 5D Mark II - eBay (item 250405177379 end time May-11-09 00:15:56 PDT)

I did the same as Nigel. A good strong glue to glue the Hoodloup to the shade frame then a little strip of black plastic tape around the inside where the shade and loup attach A for extra strength and B to block our any light getting in.

Then a thin strip of black sticky back velcro at the inside bottom of the shade frame to connect better at the bottom of the camera. Hooks on the shade, loops on the cam just under the lcd.

really doesn't want to move now.

I was hoping I could keep the HoodLoupe and the shade frame apart until I needed them. I didn't want to end up with a bulky combo unit in my bag and thought the Velcro route was the way to go.

I managed to attach the loops to the edge of the frame without any real problem (apart from the difficulty in removing the plastic backing tape from the 'heavy duty' Velcro stick-ons, which was a complete pain).

I thought a thin two-line set of hooks on the HoodLoupe would give enough grip. But nothing I did would make the adhesive backing on the Velcro strips hold to the thin edge of the HoodLoupe. I spoke to Velcro tech support and they said it was unlikely any similar adhesive would work - something to do with 'plasticisers' in the rubber of the HoodLoupe.

Has anyone found a workable solution for the two-part Frame and HoodLoupe combo that allows for easy attachment and separation?

velcro solution
 

This is the solution I use. I needed a way for the camera to go in and out of my bag easily. That required the Loupe to come on and off without pulling on the screen protection.

Loupe

Norman

Thanks Norman.

You've given me some food for thought. I've already got the shade that attaches to the eyepiece/LCD covered with Velcro loops. But something like your DIY approach on the HoodLoupe would probably work, if I can't find an adhesive method.

I'm still hoping I can find some U-shaped push-on plastic clip strips that might go on the end of the HoodLoupe and also provide a surface that the Velcro hooks can adhere to. Like you, I just need enough Velcro stickiness to hold the loupe in place, but not so much that removing it becomes a problem.

I am working on a bracket that clips into the hotshoe on the mkII and has a flipup hinge that is spring-loaded so it makes good contact for the hood, and stays up out of the way when flipped up.

Hello Robert Esmonde

We share the same city and I'd be glad to have your opinion of 5d Mk II, particularly the video facility. Direct PM or whatever suits you ... thanks.

Hello Brendan Marnell,

I'm afraid I haven't had the time to do much with the 5D MKIi yet so don't really have much to offer in the way of an opinion. For the most part I'm just soaking up the info on this board with a view to getting a working kit together. From the little I've managed to try with the camera I've been very impressed with both the video and still output. Of course, like everyone else here I'm waiting and hoping for a firmware update that offers more control, and especially 25 fps, in video mode.

Jon,

I previously posted a pic of my rig. I use a single rubber band which hooks below the loupe eyepiece, wraps over the top of the camera (the band on the left side goes between the mode dial and the viewfinder), on both sides of the lens, back under the camera and hooks above the loupe eyepiece. The tension is adjustable so the loupe can be centered perfectly. I doesn't move much and if it does just readjust the appropriate tension. I got these at Office Depot (SuperSize Bands with 12", 14" and 17" bands). The 12" band works perfectly. Hope this helps.

I put the female side of velcro on the Hoodloupe. Then wrapped the outside of the hoodloupe with black plastic electricians tape. Can't hardly tell it's there. It looks like a hoodloupe with a fuzzy bottom or contact area.

I then cut a small slice of the male velcro and installed it across the bottom of the lcd cover..
I cut a smaller slice and put it on the top of the lcd.

It holds the hoodloupe on to my 5D and 98% of the time I have to pull it off. 2 times I have bumped into something with the hoodloupe and it has released.

Yesterday, I decided the velcro on the top of the lcd needed trimming. I pulled it off and trimmed it to even a narrower band. To my surprise no residue or markings were left on top of the lcd cover. This was after about 6 - 8 weeks of usage.

Anyway, I have been more than happy with my 4 dollar mounting job and it looks fine. It works even better.

Hey Nigel,

I got the Hoodloupe w/ rubber straps a while ago and couldn't use it because of it's inherent sloppiness. This looks very promising and I too am surprised Zacuto opted for the rubber band solution. So, how did you glue the loupe to the frame...Gorrila glue? Did you simply run a bead around the base of the rubber cup? And finally, is it easy enough to snap the eyepiece/frame on and off and is that the only thing holding the frame to the camera? Thanks

Jim

Zacuto actually opted for Velcro but I think now recommend the rubber band.

I just used an impact adhesive & ran a bead around the bottom of the Hoodloupe. The whole assembly can be fitted & removed very easily. I have no other fixing. Wayne Avanson has created the same fitting for his Hoodloupe & has a piece of Velcro at the bottom to attach the other end of the frame to the camera body. I may try that but it is clipped pretty securely as it is as the plastic of the frame wraps around under the base of the camera a little & clips into place.

Thanks Nigel,
So basically, you took away the visor/shield, wings and screen and just left the frame?

is the hoodloupe a home made device? I'd like to make one, the Z thing is a bit pricey.
jh

I just ordered the LCD hood. Great idea, and thanks.

You buy them from the Hoodman Corp in the US.


Yep. they pop out quite easily. Buy two though, because you may realise later how much use the LCD shade is for when you're NOT using the Hoodloup.

Homemade Hoodlupe
 

I build a perfect hoodloup from Hoddmanloup and LCD Screen Hood Pop-Up Shade from LCD Screen Hood Pop-Up Shade Cover for Canon 5D Mark II - eBay (item 260383734483 end time Jun-24-09 08:37:17 PDT) and i fit perfect to my camera.
My camera is like any other Videocamera with perfect focuscontrol.
No rubberband who make the Hoodluop difficult to stay in place.

Tommy,

Did you use velcro or some other temporary method to attach the Hoodloupe to the visor, or did you use glue or some permanent method?

Thanks!

Judging by the photos he used the same method as I did to neatly(!) glue the Hoodloupe to the LCD shade frame. My assembly works far better than using the special $20 Hoodman rubber band to secure it to the camera. I have ordered the i-cuff to improve function & comfort.

Ahh. You're right! (I hadn't clicked on the images to zoom in.) I'm wondering if I might not be able to use velcro on the edge, allowing for the Hoodloupe and frame to touch, but still having the option to remove the Hoodloupe. I'll see what I can do after my frame arrives...

As an added benefit you can also add the Sony PD-170 eyepiece and it makes the
hood loop that much better...

The part number is 3-087-515-01

It is also the one used on the Sony DCR-VX2100 camera

very flexable rubber and covers the entire eye area when in use...

This is v1 of my hotshoe adapter for Hoodloop.

It is very stable. It comes off and on fast.

The plate that attaches to hotshoe also holds a chordless mike or light or whatever.

When I have time I will refine it but for now it works great.

Olof, that looks a vast improvement on the $20 rubber band.

What is the rubber eye-cup?

The rubber eye cup is from an Pana AG-EZ1u that I have kicking around. It still works but I don't use it any more. And it is a perfect fit.

The eye cup really helps, Hoodman really should supply a better one.

Jon where did you order the Hoodman rubber band mount? I don't see it listed on B&H.

I purchased directly from Hoodman.

For those that do not have the hoodman loop or the " rubber band" from hoodman here
is some info that might save you some money if you are interested in the hoodman loop.

The hoodman loop is a nice addition to the camera...
The loop when you purchase it alone does not come with any way to attach it to the camera.
The " rubber band " that is offered by hoodman is actually a large " O-ring " not a rubber
band and as such is not cheap...

The issue when you connect the hoodman loop with the rubber band method is that the
camera to the loop interface is very slick, enough so that the rubber band does hold
the loop to the camera but the loop will slide around on the display and imediately you will want to find a better solution to keep it from creaping on the display...

If you still want to go the rubberband method, then I'd suggest you go to walmart and get
two of those small black bungi cords that the girls use to tie their hair back... they work
just as well as the O-ring and they are much cheaper...

If you want to fix the loop so there isn't any sliding you will need to either get the display
frame and modify it by taking the flaps off.. this takes all of one minute and then either
glue or tape the loop to the display frame... the frame attaches to the camera body
via the eyepiece... it works great and it easy to use and easy to modify.

The end of the loop is a semi hard rubber... it is not a eyepiece like on any video camera...
to make this work you will need to get a eyecup that just slips over the hoodloop end...

There are many to choose from that will work... I use the eyecup from the Sony PD-170
it covers the eye well, no light leaks and it is very soft rubber and helps with not bruising
your eye when shooting all day.... it also has the ability to fold back towards the
loop for storage...

I just got an i-cuff (delivered just 30 minutes ago). It makes the Hoodloupe much more comfortable & is easier to keep one's eye in the 'sweet spot' of the loupe as viewing anything less than dead centre is terribly distorted.

A word on i-cuff size is in order. The old joke is that in the army there are two sizes of uniform. They are either too big & too small. It's like that with the i-cuff. There are actually three sizes i-cuff DV (Fits circumferences <5.5"), the i-cuff PRO (Fits circumference up to 9 1/2") & teh icuff HD (Fits circumference up to 10 1/2"). Knowing that the circumference of the Hoodloupe is 6" & that Wayne Avanson has the smallest version & it is a tight fit that required extra Velcro I opted for the middle size. This was a mistake as it is too loose & the elasticated cuff doesn't grip hard enough so I will have to take out my scissors, needle & cotton & perform some surgery. However it should then fit perfectly

This is from Bruce Dorn's website, this is good if your not using the battery grip, but the way he mounts it I think is sturdier.

iDC Photo Store - Specialty gear for the photographer

It's a nice way of fixing it to the camera but it does cost $199 vs. $80 for the Hoodloupe alone (although you do save on the $20 rubber band) & you are still stuck with using the less than perfect Hoodloupe.

Fret ye not Nigel, I too have taken a needle and thread to the iCuff.

I discovered that pushing the iCuff forward a bit towards the hoodloup made a very nice shape for comfort of use. Also it's slightly nearer (by a few mm) the eyepiece of the hoodloup but not touching it and still great for getting your eye on the sweet spot easily.

So to make sure the gathered material stayed where it was, I sewed it. Boy that material's tough. You could never accuse iCuff of using second rate material that's for sure.


As an aside, I bought an eyepatch from the chemist for £1.70 for my other eye. The benefits are that I can keep both eyes open for comfort and it's much darker than just closing the eyelid.

AND!!! you get to look like a Pirate while you're filming! Childish but funny.

I thought I heard that RedRock was coming out with a solution that mounts your loupe at the correct height on 15mm rails. If this is the case it would be the best solution. No sticky velcro or ridiculous contraptions to hold it "on".

By Jove, I've got it! Rather than a Loupe, we just need the iCuff on the camera. And we need to wear a monocle! It will always stay centered on the eye. And it makes us look like old money.

The pirate patch on the other eye is optional...

Aah, so you're going the monocle/tweed suit direction are you? I'm sticking with the eye patch and frilly shirt.

Parrot is optional…

But what if you don't want to be lugging your rods system about? Just want pop it out of the camera bag and slap on a lightweight tripod and do some quick shots?

I think attaching to the camera with a quick easy way to slip it off when you want is the best.

personal choice obviously.

Avey

I agree & there are at least three different ways to firmly attach a loupe as alternatives to Velcro, a rubber band, $20 O-ring or elasticated hair band. You can use the hot shoe or the tripod screw or the route that you & I have chosen gluing to the frame of an LCD shade that clips over the optical viewfinder.

Evidently the optics in the Z-Finder are vastly superior to the Hoodloupe as it uses the lens assembly out of the Schneider 6x7 3X loupe. The Schneider loupe isn't that much more expensive than the Hoodloupe ($150 vs $80) but unfortunately you can't just take a Schneider 6x7 3X loupe & use it in place of the Hoodloupe as the base is too large for the LCD screen. This is the reason for the extra $250 cost of the Z-finder as in addition to a comfy eye cup they have replaced the base of the Schneider loupe with one that does fit the screen.

Perhaps the Schneider optics could be married with the Hoodloupe base?

Either choice is definitely more macho than Ray Bell's suggestion to "go to walmart and get two of those small black bungi cords that the girls use to tie their hair back"

I had been thinking that producing a clip-on loupe with good quality optics for the 5D would be an opportunity for some enterprising person & see that this has become reality. LCD ViewFinder for Canon 5D Mark II - $169!

Ha! Fair point. Although I have loads of those which I use as Studio Mic cradles so perhaps this pirate isn't as butch as he likes to think he is…