Has anyone used the Petrol LCD hood with the Sony FX1000/z5? It appears to be inferior to the Sony one, but I can't get over the $60 price for the Sony. The LCD on this camera is useless in most outdoor settings.

I was surprised at how much worse the EX1's top screen was than the old FX1 when viewed in direct sunlight, so does your FX1000's screen have this unnecessary 'multi-coating' that adds the wash of colour over the image?

Of course the EX1's screen is far more detailed than the FX1's, but the loss of brightness is very noticeable, and might well explain the sales success of the Hood-Pro LCD loupe.

These are unretouched pictures of the FX1 alongside the EX1. I know which screen I'd rather have for run 'n' gun work outside in the sunshine.

tom.

I agree - the lcd in direct sun light is far from usable. I also have Petrol hood, but I can't figure out how to put it on. It keeps sliding off the LCD. Anyone could help - maybe some pics?

I made a paper hood (flat black) and tried in on my Z5U. It fit perfectly and was 4 inches deep. It didn't help enough to make me want to purchase the Sony hood. The brightness of the LCD is the only thing that I am unhappy with on the camera so far (I have had it for about one week). My PDX10 is much brighter and can be used in daylight. Even my Canon HV30 is better. I'm glad that the viewfinder is very usable.

One of my favorite features of the FX1000 was the LCD, until trying to use it outdoors.

Based on my last three shoots, which all had outdoor components to them, I can say for the first time definitively that I do not recommend this camera. I wear heavy prescription glasses and viewfinders are difficult for me to use. Even when the sun was in front of me and directly on the viewfinder the LCD was useless.

The HV30 is much better that way, which is pathetic.

We're likely going to see more complaints on this as the season progresses.

My advice: buy the Hoodloupe from Hoodman or the Z-Finder from Zacuto and turn your Z5 into a shoulder camera with perfect monitor viewing even in the brightest sunlight.
I have a Hoodloupe on the Z7 and it fits almost perfectly.
@Jeff: the camera has so many advantages that I wouldn't go so far to avoid it just because of the monitor. there ar enough solutions to work around this. Did you know that the Z5 even has coloured peaking, just like the EX1 and EX3?

One of my favorite features of the FX1000 was the LCD, until trying to use it outdoors.

Based on my last three shoots, which all had outdoor components to them, I can say for the first time definitively that I do not recommend this camera.

Jeff,
When you sell the cameras what will you go for?

There's the rub, Phil, I have no idea.

Don't get me wrong, indoors the LCD is superb. But I actually couldn't see what I was filming at the soccer match last week on both cameras and the sun was in front of me, not behind. Did Sony even try to use it outdoors before manufacturing it?

Luc, enough solutions? The camera is supposed to be the solution.

The hoodloupe and the Z finder are viewfinders. Why in the world would I want to buy a viewfinder to hold up to the LCD screen to view my LCD screen. I do appreciate your attempt at a suggestion, but that doesn't even make sense. Not for run and gun shooting.

Having a camera with a proper LCD screen would seem to make more sense. Seeing as how I spend relatively little time outdoors, it is a shame, but the time I do spend outside shouldn't have to be spend attempting to view my subject under nearly impossible conditions.

What is ironic is I have gotten used to the camera, and like the images a lot.

Jeff, I just got the Sony hood last week. Saturday's wedding was going to be outside so I ordered the hood in time for the wedding. Ended up going indoors because of weather so I didn't use the hood. I went with the Sony over the Hoodman because I want to be able to snap it on in a rush and it just looks better. I turned the brightness up on the lcd when trying out the hood and I think it will help but can't be sure how much until I use it at a wedding.

$44.95 @ B&H

Thanks Tim! I'm anxious to hear how it works out, keep us posted!

Waiting for review too, Tim. Take some pics of the camera witn LCD hood, so we can see how well it's made and fitted. Thx.

Luc, enough solutions? The camera is supposed to be the solution.

The hoodloupe and the Z finder are viewfinders. Why in the world would I want to buy a viewfinder to hold up to the LCD screen to view my LCD screen.

I'm used to shoulder camera's so I hate it to keep a camera in my hand. That's why - for me - the Hoodloupe is a good solution, as it converts the Z7 into a semi-shouldercam. Just a shame the optical quality of the loupe stinks. Therefore Sony should make one that snaps on the LCD-screen and has better optics. I'm in for two then.

Tim, do you own a FX1000? Because the Sony $44.95 Hood is for the FX1000 according to B&H. For the Z5, Z7 and S270 you need to buy the $ 61.95 Sony Hood (SHL-32WBP). But I'm curious if the Sony SHL-32W LCD Hood will also be mountable on a Z5.

I have the FX1000.

Here's some pics of the Sony LCD hood for the FX1000.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/members/tim-akin-albums-fx1000-lcd-hood-picture282-100-1303.jpg

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/members/tim-akin-albums-fx1000-lcd-hood-picture284-100-1305.jpg

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/members/tim-akin-albums-fx1000-lcd-hood-picture283-100-1304.jpg


http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/members/tim-akin-albums-fx1000-lcd-hood-picture285-100-1306.jpg

Tim, those are excellent pics. Well done. Thank your for your effort, much appreciated.

I will be ordering mine directly. This is clearly a nice little hood, and it cannot hurt a thing, especially at under $50.

Your welcome Jeff.

It is so compact and looks good enough that I may leave it on all the time. It seems to help indoors also, easier to pull focus. I'm not sure that's the case outdoors yet, but like you say, it's got to help some.

Tim, I can see it would help indoors, and I would likely leave it on all of the time also. It looks great.

Here's some pics of the Sony LCD hood for the FX1000.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/members/tim-akin-albums-fx1000-lcd-hood-picture282-100-1303.jpg

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/members/tim-akin-albums-fx1000-lcd-hood-picture284-100-1305.jpg

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/members/tim-akin-albums-fx1000-lcd-hood-picture283-100-1304.jpg


http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/members/tim-akin-albums-fx1000-lcd-hood-picture285-100-1306.jpg

The viewfinder in these photo's looks much better than mine. I have attached a photo of mine with the brightness on high and the backlight on high. Hazy bright day.

Come on guys, this doesn't even make sense. Robert, yours looks like mine looks outdoors.

Tim are you doing anything besides hood to improve image? How about your settings?

I don't have the Fx with me right now, but it seems like the brightness is set a few notches above midway, turning brightness all the way up made things worse. In the display menu, I believe there's a setting to set the LCD on high or bright....this is on.

I'll look when I get home to see for sure.

EDIT: Brightness - 6 clicks past halfway point
LCD BL - Bright

I've discovered something interesting. I was shooting outside in direct sunlight and had the LCD open. With the sunlight falling directly on the LCD, and at a certain angle, the sunlight seemed to reflect off of the LCD and produced an image that was very acceptable for composition purposes. Peaking is definitely required to confirm focus. With a hood over the LCD, the image was too weak to use.

Thanks guys, and thanks Tim for sharing your settings.

Tragic story. I had a hoodman for 4 years, lost it, found it, packed it, moved house and can't find it!

Really miss it though.

Will get myself one of these Sony LCD shades for my FX1000 which by the way is my great mate now.

I have accepted its pitfalls as there are so many things to like about it the -'s are not so many as firest thought.

LCD screen whilst high res is still a bit small for me.

Martin.

I just made a prototype for the lcd screen of my Z5. I used the originitial Sony lcdhood. You can very easy take away the upper part. The rest is made of 3mm photo carton. The inside is wiith black felt. The lens is from the viewfinder of my old Mamiya 645 photocamera. The result is very good, only left and right 2 or 3 mm is missing.
Dirk PEL Karlsruhe Germany

With a lot of sowing help from my fantastic wife, I've made a comparable contraption, that attaches to the screen with velcro. I used the focusing ocular of an even older Mamyia: the C33. As you can see on the pics, I put the ocular out of the centre, more to the left, as I'm looking through my left eye when focusing. This way my Z7 (which has the same shape and LCD-screen size as the Z5) becomes a shouldermounted camera. Especially with the wide-angle convertor on, that is a blessing, because the combination is quite heavy.

Luc,
Shows very good! It was at my opinion a of compicated sewing.
Today i usedthe system for filming a rhododendron exposition. It worked fantastic.
de groeten van Dirk Pel

Luc,
Shows very good! It was at my opinion a of compicated sewing.
Today i usedthe system for filming a rhododendron exposition. It worked fantastic.
de groeten van Dirk Pel

Yes, very complicated sewing! I rewarded my wife with her own camera, a Z5...
Groeten terug van de Belgische kust!

Thanks for these Tim - do I take it from the top photo that the hood can stay attached when the lcd is folded back in place? - I'm assuming it's folded back in the face-up position. Great if so, makes it worth the little extra.

Thanks, Paul

That would be correct Paul.

I just want to throw in that I'm using the hood and it is definitely a help outdoors. Not as much as I'd like, but it is still better than nothing.

I just want to throw in that I'm using the hood and it is definitely a help outdoors. Not as much as I'd like, but it is still better than nothing.

+1 - a must during photo session. I love how easy it is to mount it and remove it.