LCD viewer aid jpeg

[JohnSiq]

Finally got my website working. Here is the pix of my homemade accessory.
Hope it is of help.

[JohnSiq]

forgot to post this:
http://members.localnet.com/~jsiqueir/

[MackRoe]

John...Hello. Thanks for posting this subject, I find this forum so helpful, as just yesterday I bought materials to try and make a "magnified LCD viewer aid," that could be placed on the LCD outside in bright sunshine, but would allow the user to easily see his settings and get a better shot. I haven't started on it yet, but if I can get it built, I'll post my results here. Can you tell me where the eyepiece you have can be bought, or did you make it. By your pictures, I was a little unable to tell exactly what alterations you made to the eyepiece, It looks well designed and probably works like a charm. If you find time, please get back to me at shnewday@
bellsouth.net, O.K. ? Thanks again, Mackroe

[MackRoe]

John...After going back and looking at the pics again of the slide viewer...I realize its probably a generic slide viewer that one can buy at any camera shop ?? Right ?
MackRoe

[JohnSiq]

Hi Mackroe,
Yes the original is an off-the-shelf product. These were obtained about 40 yrs ago. I checked at the local camera store and the newer models are slightly different. Instead of a cone shape they are a little more on the square side. Still convertible though. They didn't have any in stock but could order them. The price is $2.95 (US).
I just removed the diffuser, which was just glued together and sanded smooth the internal edges.
The built-in maginifier is about 2x.
I thought of this as I noticed nearly everyone with a "less than top of the line" digital camera trying to shoot with their arms extended and neck bent back.
Cheers,
John.

[Jack W.]

That's very cool, John.
I bought the XtendaView from Photosolve. I made my own mounting plate from thin plexiglass and some parts I also bought from Photosolve (got the idea from the mounts that Photosolve sells). That way I can mount it to my cam without the velcro (I put the velcro on the viewer as you did for a light seal).
While the viewer was much more costly than yours, the mount I made was about $5. Worked out great.
Your idea of using a slide viewer is a winner.

[JohnSiq]

Thanks Jack.
John.

[MackRoe]

Jack W....Do you have any way to post the design of the mounting system you built ? maybe some instructions...I bought from Home Deepot fairly thin plexiglass and some epoxy to make mine with...haven't started it yet because after buying the junk I found Photosolve, too. Phil that owns Photosolve is a really cool guy. I'm ordering his Pro Optic ?? i think thats the name of i...."standard" for my G3...which comes with the velcro system to mount the unit, but then I anticipate prblms closing the LCD back into the camera body with velcro making the fight too tight !! Thanks, dude.

[John_T]

Try this one. It is really good.

http://www.silvestricamera.info/eng/news_eng/digibellow.htm

[Edgar in ATL]

How does one order the Digibellow?
It does not appear on their list of products to order on-line.

[JohnSiq]

I saw something similar to that Digibellow at the local camera store. It's primarily for cameras with LCDs that are permanently in one position, ie., flat against the body. It's attached to the body by thin velcro. It's fine if you are willing to give up the versatility of the G3 LCD moveability.
John.

[Jack W.]

Mack:
Here's a pic:
(Hope this works)

http://www.pbase.com/image/23027121

[JohnSiq]

Here's a few ways the viewer aid helps.

[JohnSiq]

Again I forgot my web adds:
http://members.localnet.com/~jsiqueir/

[MackRoe]

Jack.....Way cool idea for an LCD viewer. dude. If I'm understanding the way it hooks up, the plexiglass piece (which I assume is glued onto the slide viewer) has a metal screw-in piece that attaches where a tripod would attach, right ? Thats too simple yet works well, I bet. The only downside that I can envision is if the need arises to swing the LCD out away from the camera body, the viewer you made can't follow...it will only work with the LCD locked into the camera-back, correct. But maybe thats the best way to do so you can use your dialing finder for the shutter as you hold the camera ?? Anyway, not sure I'm reading everything the way you intend it to e used, but if you find time, holler back at me...and thanks for the picture....Later, Stephen Hill (alias MackRoe;ie "macro")

[luigi]

John_T wrote:
Try this one. It is really good.

http://www.silvestricamera.info/eng/news_eng/digibellow.htm


I agree with Edgar!
Where can we order the Digibellow for the G3?

[Jack W.]

Hi Mack. Right on how it attaches. I bought the knob from Photosolve. The viewer is attached to the plexiglass with two magnetic strips, also from Photosolve. The magnetic strips are adhesive backed. One is on the viewer, one is on the plexiglass. They're opposite poles, so they attract to each other. This helped line everything up. Once lined up, I put a few drops of Crazy Glue on the magnets, then pressed the viewer into place. Solid as a rock, but the viewer can still be removed if need be due to the adhesive backing (which is quite strong). The only thing I still want to do is cover the bottom of the plexiglass with cork, as the screw on the knob is a bit too long (notice the washer on the knob). I find it much easier to hold the camera up to my eye, like using a viewfinder. For me, it's easier to keep the camera steady, and easier to see the lcd screen, so keeping the lcd's back to the camera is not a problem. The only drawback to using magnified viewers is that they pixelate the screen somewhat, which takes some getting used to. But I feel it's a small tradeoff for the convenience it gives (tough to see that screen on a sunny day). Phil's a nice guy, and if I remember correctly if you don't like the viewer, it's returnable.
HTH
Jack

[John_T]

Sorry, been hanging out at Fred Miranda's for a couple of days.

I bought my Digibellows locally at a business for video and photo professionals. The Digibellows is popular among professionals for still and video camera LCDs. It attaches using a velcro frame that fits perfectly on the flip out LCD. I rip it on and off as I need it and stick it in my pocket or bag, always handy. The loup can be removed too. It comes in different sizes and models. One model has a fixed loup.

I don't know where you can get one, but I would suggest e-mailing Silvestri or try B&H Photo in NYC. Silvestri is Italian, so that explains everything.

[Edgar in ATL]

Thanks for the info. B&H does not seem to have it on-line. I will keep looking.

[John_T]

Hi Edgar. What I meant was you can probably ask B&H or other large professional houses to get it for you. I suggested B&H because they carry one Silvestri product already. Demand may open the supply.

[Edgar in ATL]

Will try. Thanks.

[luigi]

John_T wrote:

I don't know where you can get one, but I would suggest e-mailing Silvestri or try B&H Photo in NYC. Silvestri is Italian, so that explains everything.


I guess I've got it made...I'm Italian (snicker) and have emailed them. Waiting for an answer.

Thanks for the input John_T

Luigi Basco

[luigi]

luigi wrote:
John_T wrote:

I don't know where you can get one, but I would suggest e-mailing Silvestri or try B&H Photo in NYC. Silvestri is Italian, so that explains everything.


I guess I've got it made...I'm Italian (snicker) and have emailed them. Waiting for an answer.

Thanks for the input John_T

Luigi Basco


I have finally found and ordered one with the glass loupe. This web site shows a square magnifier, but it is wrong. They just called me to say that it should show as a round magnifier just like the Sylvestri site shows. This IS in fact the same product!

http://www.screen-shade.com/digcamshad.html

Happy ordering all!

Luigi

[John_T]

Dunno about that Luigi. The Silvestri loups are 4x magnification and the loup is removable so that you can view with just the bellows as a display shade or use the loup separately to magnify something else.

Screen-Shade doesn't show enough to tell if they are just copies of Digibellows or not. Better check it out 'cause I paid less in ungodly expensive Switzerland.

[luigi]

John_T wrote:
Dunno about that Luigi. The Silvestri loups are 4x magnification and the loup is removable so that you can view with just the bellows as a display shade or use the loup separately to magnify something else.

Screen-Shade doesn't show enough to tell if they are just copies of Digibellows or not. Better check it out 'cause I paid less in ungodly expensive Switzerland.

I will know next week when it gets here.
The young lady I talked with said that Sylvestri is a dealer/distributor for them, and the item is the exact same thing. We'll see and I'll post the results.

Luigi

[Edgar in ATL]

I have ordered the item from Screen-Shade.com and will report my experience next week. I had an e-mail exchange regarding the possible obstruction by the Velcro strips attached to the LCD frame when closing the LCD panel into its well and the possibility of attaching the shade with an elastic strap as an alternative. The response was certainly not definitive. Basically they said some people find they can close the LCD panel and others do not, and they were not sure why there was a difference from camera to camera. They said some people had fashioned straps using the Velcro on the base of the shade as the attach-points so they could run the strap around the LCD panel or the camera in the case of the panel being backed up to the camera LCD-well. I am going to give this a try as I do not particularly want to have Velcro strips stuck to the camera itself and picking up lint and whatever when not in use.

[JohnSiq]

Hi Edgar,
See my website re using velcro.
Hope this helps
John.
http://members.localnet.com/~jsiqueir/

[luigi]

Edgar,

I had the same thought and I do use the strap on my Hoodman because I tried a strip of the Velcro and could not close the LCD all the way.
I plan to buy a piece of stretchable material like the one on my Hoodman and see if I can jury rig it the same way. I don't see why it won't work. I will let you know.

By the way I took a closer look at the email confirmation and it says" Will ship in 1-2 weeks. Sound like it is coming from the UK rather than CA.