7d screen hardness clarification

So the way I understand things now most Canon bodies has rear LCDs with plastic top and you can easiy exchange the plastic top.

The 7d has a glass screen and can only be replaced as a complete LCD.

I'm a little confused as to whether the 7d is better off or not? Under the plastic top on the other cameras, what is the surface of the LCD?

Older cameras have the plastic screen protector, then an air gap, then the LCD. Advantage is that the protector is easily replacable. Disadvantage is that the extra air/plastic interfaces reduce the contrast of the LCD, especially in direct light. The 7D has a glass protector bonded directly to the LCD. Advantages are that glass is harder to scratch and that the LCD is easier to view.

I suspect that Canon found that a very small percentage of purchasers were actually replacing that screen and a very large number were complaining about the LCD being hard to view in sunlight. So the change was good for the vast majority and bad for a vanishinlgy small minority.

Wow, never knew that about the 7D, learn something new every day. In terms of hardness the glass will be harder to scratch, most likely it would take deliberate pressure applied with something like a piece of metal to do it. One downside of glass compared to plastic is it's not as flexible, thus an impact will crack it instead of just bending. Tbh I wouldn't worry about it, plenty of other stuff can break if you drop your camera.