Hoodloupe Mag 3.0

[Jon Fairhurst]

Originally Posted by Jim Giberti

...I didn't clamp or wipe my Gorilla VFmount™.

You must have used a very small bead. Did you not use water to activate it? If you use too much, wet the wooden surfaces, and fail to wipe, the result can look like a meringue pie!

And, yes, 4412s rock. :)

@ Stan - I didn't build the guitar. Maybe some day...

[Jim Giberti]

That's definitely the trick with GG...a very small bead. I learned that with something else so I put the thinnest of beads around one surface. The relevant point is how well it's adhered and stood up to use.

We're pretty kind to our gear given the circumstances, but we do an inordinate amount of sports film work and back country stuff and the Hoodloupe is on the second 5D that is used almost exclusively handheld/shoulder mount. It lives in a LowePro Trekker and travels on snowmobiles, snowshoes, helicopters etc. The VF comes on and off repeatedly day in and out in order to fit the camera in and out of the Trekker.

Through all of those hundreds of hours of rough use, it's as strong and tight as the day I stuck it on.

We've got an indoor TV shoot tomorrow and then I'm off again on locations. The new Mag will be here before I leave Friday and I'll get to test the hell out of it.

[Leonard Levy]

Hoodloupe will be coming out with a mounting system that is adjustable and has a solid attachment via the eyepiece. Hope its soon.

[Evan Donn]

My Mag 3.0 just arrived a couple hours ago and I've been playing around with it since. I've got to say that it doesn't feel like as dramatic a difference as I originally noticed when I tried it at the supermeet a couple of months ago, but that may be down to being able to try it side by side with the stock one at the time.

It's a definite improvement, the image is larger and clearer. The eyecup is a huge improvement over stock. I actually believe the eyecup contributes significantly to the feeling of improved clarity - it forces you to center your eye properly on the loupe. It also seals out light completely and is much more comfortable, so you can comfortably use the loupe as a third point of contact for stabilization purposes over extended periods of time.

The magnification is good but 3x seems to be a bit of an exaggeration, I'd estimate it's closer to 2-2.5x - but that's not necessarily a bad thing. When I've tried the z-finder I always feel like I'm sitting a little too close to the screen in a theater, it takes too much eye movement to take in the whole screen. With this one I don't get that feeling.

Overall I'm glad I've got it, I haven't gotten a lot of use out of the stock loupe and I think I'll use it a lot more with the new eyepiece. That said, it feels a bit overpriced at $40 for what it is and does - half that seems more reasonable, but honestly it really feels like it should just be the stock eyepiece on the Hoodloupe in the first place. However, at $120 for the combo it's cheaper than it's closest competition, the LCDVF (which doesn't include diopter adjustment). The Hoodloupe doesn't include a mounting system though, so that potentially adds to the cost... I'll probably go with Redrock's mount...

Originally Posted by Leonard Levy

Hoodloupe will be coming out with a mounting system that is adjustable and has a solid attachment via the eyepiece. Hope its soon.

Where did you hear about this? If it is soon I'll probably wait to see what their solution looks like before committing to Redrock.

[Jim Giberti]

Mine was here when we got back to the studios today. I don't know if you upgraded to the Hoodeye 3.0 that gave the Hoodloupe a decent soft eyecup and also aided in centering the image Evan, but the eyecup on the new Mag is twice it's size and much more comfortable, much better isolation and as you say, a much better third point than even the Hoodeye.

I'm just logging footage for a rough of todays commercial so I really didn't have time to do anything more than put it on and look through it quickly. Not putting them side by side, I'd agree - I don't think it's a full 3x like the Z, which I also think is a good thing.

When I heard about it, I wished that Hoodman went for a 2x rather than the "in your face" and a bit pixelated image of the 3x.
I think this actually granted my wish...not so magnified that you lose perspective but definitely a much cleaner image edge to edge and a far superior eyecup. I'm guessing you're right with 2-2.5X.

Anyway, it looks like it will make the Hoodloupe a very affordable, professional tool now for a lot of people.

[Evan Donn]

I never added the Hoodeye because I felt the eyecup wasn't deep enough to really be comfortable, the new one is definitely much better. And you're right - the magnification isn't so much that the individual screen pixels start standing out, I'm thinking it's just about right.

[Leonard Levy]

Heard about about mount in conversation with Hoodman salesperson a few days ago. No timeline though. They used to make flip out shades that mounted in this manner but not adjustable so it makes sense. It also makes sense for them to come up with a good mount and they are a pretty invention bunch.

Lenny

[William Chung]

Wondering how are your guys feelings about this product after a few days of use? I am in line to buy a lcdvf once they finally are available again but since this in some ways is even better than the lcdvf I was thinking about buying one of these also (need 2 anyways).

Thanks

[Jim Froom]

I got my 3x magnifier addition for my Hoodloupe this weekend. I also have two Hasselblad Chimneys that I use also on the Canons.
I have been testing with my 7D and 5D. They are pretty much identical to my eye.

I've never used a Z Finder so I can't compare quality. I will say my opinion (guess) is that there probably isn't much difference. I have 3 units ( 2 Chimneys and 1 Hoodloupe for a total of around $220 invested including a large roll of industrial velcro. From a value and usability standpoint, I'm very satisfied with my setup.

Even though the Hoodloupe is more money than the used Chimneys, I'd go with the Hoodloupe as it's a little lighter and I like the rubber unit more so then the metal Chimney. I only ask that they firm up the eye cup on the Hoodloupe as it moves around two easily.

[Stan Chase]

Originally Posted by Jon Fairhurst

Anyway, it looks like it will make the Hoodloupe a very affordable, professional tool now for a lot of people.

I received my HoodMAG today and agree with Jon's comments. The eyecup is about 50% larger, but not deeper, than the non-magnified HoodEYE and made of softer, more comfortable, and easily bendable material. I like the 3x but it's not a night and day difference from 1x. Once I get used to it I doubt I'd want to go back.

When Hoodman comes out with their mount, they should package it with the HoodLoupe and HoodMAG as the Cinema Kit II (or something similar) and price it around $125-150.

Now all I need is a ND filter kit and a generic battery grip and I should be through with accessories for my T2i. Then I can save for a 70-200 2.8 IS telephoto zoom.

[Tony Davies-Patrick]

Originally Posted by William Chung

Wondering how are your guys feelings about this product after a few days of use? I am in line to buy a lcdvf once they finally are available again but since this in some ways is even better than the lcdvf I was thinking about buying one of these also (need 2 anyways).

Thanks

Hi William,

You sent me a question about the Hasselblad finder that I use.

There are many ways to use the Hassleblad chimney finder with your 5D, either unfixed, fixed, semi-fixed to camera or simply in hand.

The Hoodman rubber cross-strap probably fits, although it is far cheaper to simply buy some cheap thin fixing straps or tough rubber band straps and then form a loop and cross-over with the camera body. I've used a home-made rubber strap. The only problem is that the Hasselblad finder is made of sturdy metal and not plastic/rubber, so the base can scratch the LCD or body of the 5D if it moves slightly in use, so it is best to place some velcro or thin strip of material along the finder base. However, the LCD pop-up shade mount is the one I now prefer (see Vimeo clip below).

For a more fixed device you can make a simple metal L-shaped bar and screw this to the actual wall of the finder (boring tiny holes for screws or mini-bolts) and fit a universal tripod spacer at the other end so that you can fix it via the tripod hole on the underside of the 5D.

You can also fit it to a quick-release tripod plate, such as the Manfrotto.

I made my own cheap rubber strap mount (similar to Hoodman strap mount) but now use a clip mount. This was made by removing the shade flaps on a LCD 5D pop-up shade and then simply glueing the hasselblad magnifier to the LCD shade mount. This makes it easy to clip the Hasselbald finder on and off the 5D Mark II.

Here is a video of how to do it with an LCDVF, but the technique also works with the Hasselblad. The Hassy viewfinder is well made and sharp with inbuilt magnification of the image on the focusing screen at 2.5x for a full-frame view of the screen without the need for moving the eye and manually adjusts from 3.5 to -2.5 diopters:

LoupeTalk DIY Adapter for Hoodman Loupe on Vimeo

I hope this helps.

[Tony Davies-Patrick]

Here is a photo of the Hasselblad finder with diopter adjustment extended:

[Jon Fairhurst]

Personally, I find solid mounting - so the loupe can't slide around the LCD - to be critically important. For normal shooting, you don't need something so solid that you can lift the camera with it, it just needs to not slide around - at all.

Then again, I wouldn't want to use the Z-Finder sticky frame in an open helicopter without using the lanyard. The Z-Finder pops off easily, which is really nice, until the day it falls off a cliff. The new Zacuto mounts should solve that, as does the Red Rock mount for the Hoodloupe.

In any case, I'm no fan of the rubber bands. As soon as you notice that the loupe has slipped, it's hard to concentrate on framing, focus, footing and all those other important things.

[Tony Davies-Patrick]

Yes Jon, I agree entirely about a solid or fixed mount. That's why I prefer the adapted clip-on mount (shown at the end of the video). At least this keeps the finder firmly in place during filming and can be easily and quickly removed.

The rubber bands option I hated because, as you mentioned, the finder kept moving slightly out of place - OK for tripod work but not for run-n'-gun hectic stuff, and the same can be said about the magnet technique - even a slight knock sends it flying off the camera...

[Evan Donn]

Yeah I haven't used mine a lot since I got it because I don't have a solid mounting system. I just went ahead and ordered one of the LCD hoods to do my own mount, looks like a good solid solution.