Anyone tried one of these?

[HansenTsang]

The Hoodman loupe for 3" LCD screen.

http://www.hoodmanusa.com/products.asp?dept=1017

I can see far very well but I cannot see close up. I wear reading glasses. So I have a hard time manual focusing my Sony NEX with alternate lenses. I have all the adapters for Leica M, Contax G, Canon FD, Nikon, Canon EOS lenses. Unfortunately when I go outdoor I simply cannot see the LCD clear enough to manual focus. Even with magnified to 14X. So I bought all kind of gadgets to look at the screen better. I could manual focus very well with my Panasonic G1 because I can look through the view finder.

So I am waiting for Sony to come out with the add on EVF.

In the meantime I saw the hoodman loupe and that is exactly something I was trying to make myself. For $80 I think I can afford the extra clunkiness on the NEX. If I want compactness I can always just use the AF lenses.

 

[Vivek]

So I am waiting for Sony to come out with the add on EVF.

You are not alone but I do not expect miracles either.

Have you considered an alternate brand (ie non Sony and non NEX) for all the different lenses you have?

To be realistic, the NEX' aren't expensive (and for a good reason).

Why waste all the money on adapters and all these add ons?

 

[HansenTsang]

>>Have you considered an alternate brand (ie non Sony and non NEX) for all the different lenses you have?<<

I don't quite understand the question. I have the Panasonic G1 and I can use a lot of alternate lenses on that body. I can also manual focus easily so I use that body for manual lenses. The Canon T2i can handle a few of my alternate lenses and I also use that. I couldn't use the Canon FD lens on the EOS body though. I can use my Nikon and Pentax lenses and some Tamron adaptall 2 lenses with Pentax or Nikon mount.

>>To be realistic, the NEX' aren't expensive (and for a good reason).<<

No and it is very well adapted to my radio control helicopter for aerial photography. The NEX also has a very short lens register so it is very well suited to use the alternative lenses. I just want a solution I can manual focus the camera.


>>Why waste all the money on adapters and all these add ons?<<

No particular except just the ability to do it. It is fun to carry the NEX with a huge Canon FD 50 mm f1.2 lens to shoot in the bar.

 

[Terry]

I have a Hoodman and use it outside with the A900 when I can't see the LCD very well. I don't really know how comfortable it will be to need it every shot when trying to assess focus on a NEX.

 

[hot]

http://www.enjoyyourcamera.com/Kame...pe-Sucher-28x-fuer-Video-DSLRs-RED::3029.html

http://www.enjoyyourcamera.com/Such...aylupe-275x-Vergroesserung-30-Zoll::3296.html

http://www.enjoyyourcamera.com/Kame...laylupe-Sucher-28x-fuer-Canon-550D::3455.html

 

[HansenTsang]

Terry, I am sure it will get cumbersome at times. However I see that the Hoodman has a strap that attaches the loupe to the camera so I can free up my hand for focusing.

Hot, thank you for the links, those are very similar to the Hoodman and I can get it from B & H on this side of the pond.

 

[kitsVA]

The Hoodman loupe for 3" LCD screen.

http://www.hoodmanusa.com/products.asp?dept=1017

I can see far very well but I cannot see close up. I wear reading glasses. So I have a hard time manual focusing my Sony NEX with alternate lenses.

I am having similar problem and I only recently invested in 3 Zeiss lens and 2 adapters. Already thinking if I should take the A55 route but I sold most of my alpha gear except Minolta 85mm after I liked NEX :cussing:

 

[kitsVA]

HansenTsang, I have Contax G 28mm, and 90mm lenses and am still waiting to receive my adapter. I also have both the NEX kit lens and Zeiss Biogon 35mm f2.0 T* ZM M lens.

Is Contact G 90mm going to be good for people portraits? Will be taking Fall Portraits this weekend and will not have time to experiment. I should appreciate your feedback on that lens. Checked on Flickr and I see 35mm f2 also to be a great lens for portraits.

My back up plan is to just borrow a friends A700 and use my Minolta 85mm 1.4 lens.

 

[Vivek]

>>Have you considered an alternate brand (ie non Sony and non NEX) for all the different lenses you have?<<

I don't quite understand the question. I have the Panasonic G1 and I can use a lot of alternate lenses on that body. I can also manual focus easily so I use that body for manual lenses. The Canon T2i can handle a few of my alternate lenses and I also use that. I couldn't use the Canon FD lens on the EOS body though. I can use my Nikon and Pentax lenses and some Tamron adaptall 2 lenses with Pentax or Nikon mount.

Check where/how the feed for the LCD is (a flex strip). It is exposed and is fragile. Add-on hoods are not going to be kind to it (or the half tilt mechanism) and could make the NEX totally blind.

 

[Jim DE]

I find the Contax G 45mm good for handheld portrait work and the 90mm for tripod portrait work. But, in all honesty I rarely shoot portrait style shots; people shots just are not of interest to me.

My 45mm is my most used Contax G lens on my NEX, followed by the 28 and 90 in that order.

 

[HansenTsang]

HansenTsang, I have Contax G 28mm, and 90mm lenses and am still waiting to receive my adapter. I also have both the NEX kit lens and Zeiss Biogon 35mm f2.0 T* ZM M lens.

Is Contact G 90mm going to be good for people portraits? Will be taking Fall Portraits this weekend and will not have time to experiment. I should appreciate your feedback on that lens. Checked on Flickr and I see 35mm f2 also to be a great lens for portraits.

My back up plan is to just borrow a friends A700 and use my Minolta 85mm 1.4 lens.

If you have room to stand back the 90mm is a good portrait lens. The 35mm will be like a 50mm on the NEX. However you will get a little distortion if you are too close to the subject's nose. Some people don't like big noses.

 

[HansenTsang]

Check where/how the feed for the LCD is (a flex strip). It is exposed and is fragile. Add-on hoods are not going to be kind to it (or the half tilt mechanism) and could make the NEX totally blind.

Interesting thought. I wouldn't pull the LCD out if I use the hood.

 

[Wollom]

The Hoodman loupe for 3" LCD screen.

http://www.hoodmanusa.com/products.asp?dept=1017

I can see far very well but I cannot see close up.

In the meantime I saw the hoodman loupe and that is exactly something I was trying to make myself. For $80 I think I can afford the extra clunkiness on the NEX. If I want compactness I can always just use the AF lenses.

I have a Hoodman loupe on a NEX5. The loupe/magnification makes manual focusing more accurate, particularly at apertures wider than f2.

The viewable area covered by the loupe is not quite as wide as the NEX screen in the long dimension, and covers more than the short dimension. Careful loupe positioning makes it possible to see all that is useful of the LCD.

I'm still trying to work out a reliable/removable method of attaching the loupe to the screen. The loupe is heavy compared to the the LCD panel, in the long term I'd guess the loupe's weight will wear or damage the LCD articulation mechanism.

The loupe almost doubles the size of the camera+lens.

Most of the above sounds negative but overall the loupe makes the NEX quicker and better to use.

Wollom

 

[HansenTsang]

Thank you. I ordered the loupe and it should be here in a few days. I can understand how the hood is heavier than the LCD. It will be nice to have an abbreviated version. I tried putting on a loupe on my reading glasses and that gets to be a pain also.