LCD Hood for EX1 like EX3
 

In another thread some of us digressed and started making hoods for the EX1s LCD in the manner of the EX3. After I made my own original I copied Serena model and found it excellent. I then set about taking the basic model a step further to incorporate two eye sockets. Last week in the hot desert I was holding one eye so tightly closed that it bled inside so why strain one eye and squint with the other when you can use two I thought.

Below are a sequence of pictures that start with Serena's model and follow the basic of my two eyed model to completion save for the eye-cups that I have not found yet. The picture names will add some meaning. Note these are just quick knock-ups not a polished final.

Excellent! That looks like something from a horror flick.

BE

You might want to paint or have the black foam core on the inside too - to absorb any bounce light of course.

I like your one eye idea though, maybe without a lense as I shoot on the bright beach all day.

As Mike mentioned, talk of putting a hood on the LCD got mixed up with the "film look" thread. There is a good reason for having the lens (eyepiece) because it magnifies the LCD. To save you going through that too long thread on film look, these are the relevant photos

http://www.dvinfo.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=961
http://www.dvinfo.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=962
http://www.dvinfo.net/gallery/files/2/8/5/1/7/box.jpg
http://www.dvinfo.net/gallery/files/...iewing_end.jpg

I would make a recess for your nose between the two eye sockets:)

You might want to give the idea to Hoodman and see if they would build you
one with proper materials and all... actually not a bad idea...

"Hey, who are you calling a big nose?" Life of Brian

See updates coming later today with two versions of face mask. As I told Serena, Hoodman uses a thin plastic covered with a nylon fabric. I will be trying that once I get a design I like

The trouble with mass production as opposed to custom like mine is that the diopter focus would need be adjustable. I do have a telescopic version that adjusts both eyes but would still need a balancing adjustment.

Hi Mike,

I made up the Hood unit you see in the Pics for my 4" monitor to use for outside work at Horse Shows.

You could just size it down to the Cam's side monitor size.

The flap of Tape at the entrance, conforms to your forehead to block out all outside lite. I've made up a few of these for my various Monitors.

I've got one of those "big noses", so I had to cut a small indentation in the lower edge to accommodate it. That's not shown in the Pics, as these are Pics of the setup before I used it, to know of the nose issue.

Harold

Until I can get eye-cups I have brought this project to a close by using the silicone insert from some old snorkeling goggles as a two eyed hood. It works very well. A good design, just now need to experiment with materials.

Mike, My wife says it looks like a parking meter, If that helps.

Has anybody purchased and is using an actual Hoodman sun shield for the EX1?

Yes Greg, I am using the H400 and must tell you that with the sun behind my back, its effectiveness is very limited.

Sometimes, in order to change the LCD angle and avoid reflections, I need to lift or lower the camera on my tripod...

But it's better than nothing!

Thanks Piotr.

I guess if the sun is behind the camera I should use the view finder.

Greg,

Since you agree with me (I assume you also read the thread here:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=121943) - perhaps the two of us would cooperate in pursuing the viability of replacing the EX1's EVF with the Xtrafine piece from the Z7?

Unfortunately, we don't have a Sony Broadcast servicing facility in Poland, but there is one in the UK...

You should add the snorkel for underwater use!

Yes and in sunlight its useless. For "real" sun you need 100% light exclution.

Guys, I really prefer the solution that the "El Cheapo" shoulder mount provides - I am fully capable of using either EVF or LCD, and the camera's weight is fully supported on my abdomen. I am posting two grabs showing myself in my bathroom mirror - sorry for the quality, but from how easy and relaxed I seem while shooting, you can hopefully understand my opinion that his is the way to go as far as hand-held (i.e. not tripod) EX1 usage is concerned.

Therefore, again please help me find a way to replace the viewfinder with the Xtrafne unit - I guess this is a much better idea than all those DIY solutions(with all due respect to their inventors).

Again, I doubt Sony has any interest in switching out viewfinders. Probably the only real option it to buy a Z7 and get someone to replace the viewfinders. These are not ENG cams with removable viewfinders so Sony is not going to bend over backwards to switch out part A on this cam with part B on another cam. They'd rather just sell you an EX3.

Absolutely, Benjamin - this is why I am not counting on Sony to help do the swap in any official way. Which doesn't mean it couldn't be done - it's just a question of costs involved, and technical viability.

But how would you get the Z7 VF?

All I need is the part number, and some engineering drawings before I spend some bucks!

Sony already sell a vewfinder that might be suitable, the HDVFC30W.
It's built for the F900 but reading the specs I think interfacing it to the EX1 wouldn't be too hard.
One word of caution. If you really are in a position where the sun could shine into your viewfinder then there's a risk of having the screen fried from the sun being focussed onto it.

Words fail me! We know about shoulder mounts. We know their benefits and disadvantages. The existing EVF on the EX1 is a waste of space. We would like the EVF to be excellent. Would we pay the high cost of having it replaced? No? Is there an effective alternative? Buy an EX3? Something cheaper than that? I wonder what it could be?

Piotr:
Make one of my hoods or one like Serena made and use the LCD. Believe me, especially if you use my "two eyed" binocular version, you will never want to look at an EVF again, even if you got the EX3 or equivalent.

For a few hours crafting you will have an LCD sized EVF like the EX3 and save yourself handsomely, if you try to put an expensive one eyed 2cm crap EVF on this camera (they are all crap anyway) you will waste money and be disappointed.

Seeing as how no one liked my $50 sombrero suggestion or my $9,900 Sony viewfinder how about this.

Seems to me the problem arises from using shoulder supports rather than a shoulder mount. With a shoulder mount which turns the EX1 into something the same as a real shoulder mount camera, the butt end of the camera is over the shoulder. This brings the LCD closer to the eye so a hood or whatever is going to be more effective. It'd also get around a problem mentioned elsewhere of shots being "up the nose".

Agree with you Bob. Of course your head might impede cooling (that slot between the electronics and the lens) but the problem (in my attempts) is that a well designed eyepiece is needed (as on the EX3). Stacking cheap lenses can get you close enough to the LCD, but the distortion is undesirable. One just about comes to buying the EX3 hood.

Someone should tell Sony to build an EX-3 like LCD hood/eyecup that could be fitted to the EX-1. It will be cheap for them to adapt the EX-3 eyecup part for that, and it surely will be a more popular accessory than the pretty much useless and unavailable USB card reader...

By the way, an EVF cap, to get away with the proeminent eyecup of the EVF would also be great.

And for the "El Cheapo" enthusiasts, stay tuned for my lightweigth and fully functional crane that I'm now designing... As soon as I can build something with head pan/tilt that works like a $3000 crane is supposed to work, I'll post my findings here.

Mike, I think we have the same eyepiece power, namely 7 diopter, which works well. I tried adding more to shorten the hood and I saw quite a lot of pin-cushion distortion. A bit of optics design work needed to overcome that.

Guess there's a thread I haven't been following, but I have one that works as specified. They appear to be available here.

Well, here in Spain, I had requested for the USB reader at the store where I bought the EX1, as well as the large BP-U60 battery. This was just before the Holy Week (which this year has fallen in the third week of March). I received the battery last week, but I'm still waiting for the reader.

The same happened with the EX1, we requested it in December and did not received it until March.

Don't know if things are equal in the rest of the world, but I assure you that in my country, one has to learn not to be stressed by delays or die in the attempt of being on the "cutting edge". Anyway, being in the cutting edge always hurts :P

Edit: Oh, and another thing against the USB reader is its prize, knowing that a PCI-e reader is cheaper (and faster) than Sony's reader.

Yes, the price is off-putting. Eventually I bought one and I'm pleased that I did.

Did something weird happen to this thread so that it got hijacked by another discussion about USB card readers??

Well - back to the LCD - I talked to Hoodman at NAB aboput making something like that and they were interested. i just emailed them to see if they were pursuing it. If you guys want to hit them with more emails it will support my statement that they would sell a ton of them.

They are the natural vendor to make such a unit and they already make an LCD loupe that's a similar idea for still cameras. It would probably work better and look better than a handmade one.
email Hoodman.

Leonard, Great idea...I was hoping that a third party would want to take this on and offer us a EVF attachement for the EX1 LCD. I will shoot them an email as well.

They already make a loupe kind of device for DSLR's LCDs, shouldn't take much redesigning to convert it for use on the EX1.

I just had an email exchange with Hoodman, and they are working on one. Expect to have it out by July / August.

Does sound like a larger version of what they have for DSLR's called a "HoodLoupe". I imagine the more requests they get though the more they might expedite it.

Lenny

Rollie already have one of these for up to 6x6 screens and Hasselblad has one with adjusting diopters but it is like $450. They are all single eyed. for a pro approach and to avoid squint in bright light really need a two eyed version. Using the two I have you would be surprised just how superior and image is got with the two eyed version.

I don't want a two eyed version. the image might be better, but I shoot alot of doc stuff and you need to be looking around.
I've never seen a two eyed viewfinder.