Hoodman or other? (1 Viewer)

I need to be able to see my screen.

Is the Hoodman the best choice for my P6000? And do I need the very expensive cinemastrap, or is it easy to make a own from rubberbands?

I got the HoodLoupe 3.0 for my P6000 and have been very pleased with it. It is not inexpensive, but well made and the diopter adjustment works very well. I use a very large rubberband to hold it on, especially as I use the Swarovski UCA and I don't think their strap would work with my set up. The rubber band is not ideal, but workable.

One thing, the HoodLoupe does reveal just how poor the P6000 LCD screen is with regard to resolution, so be prepared for that.

Thanks Bill. I ordered it now.

I have been looking at the Hoodman, especially after seeing one on someone else's camera. As has been said, it is not a cheap option if you buy the Hoodman, the Hoodeye eyecup and the so-called Cimema strap - circa £120 for the lot.

Having used one:

1. In view of the screen resolution issue, does it really help to get in focus shots when used? Especially on bright days?

2. Is there an alternative around, or something which can be home made? I just balk at paying £20 for a length of elasticated string. Or am I being too bah! humbug! ?

Michael.

Bosque Bill said:

I got the HoodLoupe 3.0 for my P6000 and have been very pleased with it. It is not inexpensive, but well made and the diopter adjustment works very well. I use a very large rubberband to hold it on, especially as I use the Swarovski UCA and I don't think their strap would work with my set up. The rubber band is not ideal, but workable.

One thing, the HoodLoupe does reveal just how poor the P6000 LCD screen is with regard to resolution, so be prepared for that.

Click to expand...

1. YES, it helps tremendously.

2. Here in Asia there is a range of Hoodman clone choices priced from $30-$150. Most of these connect via double-sided tape arrangements to the LCD. Those with large, multicoated "easy-view" lenses and diopter adjustments tend to be in the upper price range. I paid about $80 for mine with MC lens. It can use diopter corrector lenses from Nikon.

Happy New Year,
Rick

It hurt to pay the £20 for the rubber string, but I decided to buy the hoodman and cinemastrap.

If I spent £1100 on a scope, £200 on a camera, £320 on a tripod, it feels silly to take unsharp images due to not being able to see the display. And the 3.0 version looks like a really good product.

mikenott said:

2. Is there an alternative around, or something which can be home made? I just balk at paying £20 for a length of elasticated string. Or am I being too bah! humbug! ?

Michael.

Click to expand...

mikenott said:

I have been looking at the Hoodman, especially after seeing one on someone else's camera. As has been said, it is not a cheap option if you buy the Hoodman, the Hoodeye eyecup and the so-called Cimema strap - circa £120 for the lot.

Having used one:

1. In view of the screen resolution issue, does it really help to get in focus shots when used? Especially on bright days?

Click to expand...

Yes, it totally blocks the light from the screen. There may be a tiny crack where it presses against camera, but as that is parallel to the plane of the screen does not affect viewing. I cannot imagine trying to use any LCD camera without something similar. I'd previously used a home made shade and that just didn't do it.

mikenott said:

2. Is there an alternative around, or something which can be home made? I just balk at paying £20 for a length of elasticated string. Or am I being too bah! humbug! ?

Click to expand...

I didn't buy the strap. I use a large rubber band. Elastic strips or other methods would probably work, too.

There is another recent thread where a poster goes into some detail on how he made his own hood with magnifying plastic lens. Search for that if you are intersted in a DIY solution.

I'm reading same excelent reviews about hoodman loupe magnifier so naturally I have few questions. Well, only one

- do you use hoodman only in manual focus mode? Beacuse I don't see any advantages in autofocus mode - camera don't relly on LCD screen for focusing. So I'm wondering how do you use Hoodman?

I'm interested in buying one, but I rarely use manual focus.

trco said:

do you use hoodman only in manual focus mode? Beacuse I don't see any advantages in autofocus mode - camera don't relly on LCD screen for focusing. So I'm wondering how do you use Hoodman?

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I almost always use Auto Focus. AF works much faster if you have the scope already in focus or close to in focus. I put the HoodLoupe on in the field and leave it on. I do all my shot composition and focusing through it. Works for me.

Also, I'm an older fellow who would need to put on reading glasses to clearly see the LCD, then take them off for binocs or whatever. With the HoodLoupe I adjust the diopter and then don't need the reading glasses to see the LCD.

Hoodman - alternative

mikenott said:

I have been looking at the Hoodman, especially after seeing one on someone else's camera. As has been said, it is not a cheap option if you buy the Hoodman, the Hoodeye eyecup and the so-called Cimema strap - circa £120 for the lot.

Having used one:

1. In view of the screen resolution issue, does it really help to get in focus shots when used? Especially on bright days?

2. Is there an alternative around, or something which can be home made? I just balk at paying £20 for a length of elasticated string. Or am I being too bah! humbug! ?

Michael.

Click to expand...

Michael

Check out my home made alternative under "Digiscoping Equipment" thread. All you need to do is bend some light tin about 90mm in depth into a U shape glue a piece of square cut acrylic magnified glass into it about 2/3rds up from the LCD screen. You will get minimal "grain" from the LCD, protection from the sun and a greatly magnified, clear view of your screen. Attach it via a couple of screws into the tin and held to camera with strong rubber bands. Cost... about AUS$20.

If you want more photos and details, I am happy to share via private message.

finno

I bit the financial bullet and bought the Hoodman. Could have got it cheaper from USA, but nobody traveling there in the near future. It is a basic bit of kit, but when used in the right way is a powerful tool.

I was given some advice by a very experienced didgiscoper that the optimum way to use it was to set it all up, adjust the diopter on the Hoodman eyepiece to get best focus on my P6000 screen. Then focus the scope on the bird, mount the camera + Hoodman and then half depress the shutter release. Looking through the Hoodman, you can then adjust the scope focus until the Hoodman enhanced image is in focus. Then fully depress the shutter. This assumes you are using a long remote release by the way.

We tried this technique in the garden and it worked very well. As well as getting good (uncomposed pictures) such as that below, it really highlighted to me how technique can make a difference. It also showed me that distance to bird is the key parameter. The robin was shot from 7 metres away. I normally expect this quality at 100 metres :smoke: but never achieve it!

Overall I am very impressed. Even in direct sunlight it shades well and is a significant improvement over my Delkin folding shade. Just need to get out now....

Michael.