Hello folks! I have to say that the single biggest thrill I have had this year has been getting my Canon t3i and my second biggest has been discovering the forums here.

There's so much stuff here that I'm going to be lurking for weeks reading these threads. At some point I'd like to contribute something of quality to the discussions but for the most part I'm keeping my mouth shut.

That being said, I do have a question that can't wait (and then I'll get back to my lurking again). I'm concerned about protecting my investment and wondered if anyone had any suggestions on the best ways to protect the LCD. Is there a recommended film or glass cover? I was curious if anyone had suggestions on any other must have items. If this issue has been addressed in a previous thread accept my apologies.

Any pointers would be appreciated. Thanks once again for being such a great community to learn from.
Julian Cook

Don't do the glass screen protector as it have adhesive sticky and when you remove it it will damage your LCD because the glass will brake if you remove the beside u can't close the LCD if you use glass one because it thicker. I use the iphobe screen protector just cut to the size. I had hard time when using the matted one the screen it hard to see so just use the clear on happy wit it on my 60d

There's no need for sticking any sort of glass or plastic on the screen as you can fold the screen away with the LCD inwards so the there is not chance of damage. I am not sure that there is a need for a protector anyway. My 5DII has been knocking about in my camera bag for a couple of years & I had had no problems. Then again I don't have anything stuck on my iPhone screen either.

I have a T2i, and I think you might get some good tips from my experience with it:

First, I didn't buy anything because everything was insanely expensive- like the Zacuto viewfinder you see advertised on the top of this web page. That worked fine for a while.

Then, somehow in my camera bag, the camera and something with a slight edge got together, and in one short trip, the whole bottom of the LCD screen got scratched. Thankfully, it's near the edge, so it doesn't really get in the way of my shooting, but it's definitely prominent... and could have been worse. So it was time to pony up some dough.

But THEN, I found out about all these wonderful knock-off viewfinders. After a lot of research, I settled on this one:
Amazon.com: NEEWER Hoodeye HD DSLR LCD Foldable Viewfinder with 3.0x Magnification: Camera & Photo

It's great. I mean, really great. Just as good as the overpriced Zacuto- the glass, the build, everything. And several times cheaper. It has a glass protector, a magnifier, the whole thing.

Now, you're in a different spot. You have a fold-out viewfinder- this creates a different set of needs and issues. So, my advice is, don't buy the ones made for the T2i. Someone will design a better fit for your camera, and charge a ton of money for it. Don't buy it- wait, and then someone will make something similar for a lot less money- and then you can buy that.

The advantage you have is, with a fold-out viewfinder, it is safely protected from harm 95% of the time, unlike mine. So the risk of damage is much lower. You'll still want some kind of magnification, though, because shooting outdoors, even your viewfinder is hard to see into.

Bottom line, wait until the model and price is right. At the moment, your options are pretty crappy.

But THEN, I found out about all these wonderful knock-off viewfinders. After a lot of research, I settled on this one:
Amazon.com: NEEWER Hoodeye HD DSLR LCD Foldable Viewfinder with 3.0x Magnification: Camera & Photo (http://www.amazon.com/NEEWER-Hoodeye-Foldable-Viewfinder-Magnification/dp/B004HD3G6Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309531613&sr=8-1)

It's great. I mean, really great. Just as good as the overpriced Zacuto- the glass, the build, everything. And several times cheaper. It has a glass protector, a magnifier, the whole thing.That loupe isn't a knock-off of a Zacuto or an LCDVF. It's actually an original design from China branded as 'Perfect'. I have a couple & it really is good value. The optics are excellent & it even has a dioptre adjustment (which the LCDVF does not) that aides those with less than perfect vision. It can be found even cheaper on Ebay delivered direct from China. The plastic construction is a little more flimsy than the Zacuto but it is 1/10 of the price so I can afford to have a spare. I use mine on my Canon 5DII but you cannot use it on the T3i(600D) because of the articulated screen. I cannot see how you could use a mounting with a stick-on LCD protector with the T3i & still be able to fold away the screen. I just ordered this one for my 600D (T3i) that fixes to the tripod mount it's also about $40 delivered hopefully will do the job 2.8x LCD viewfinder loupes for Canon 600D 60D 7D T3i on eBay (end time 15-Jul-11 00:34:34 BST) (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140549564288&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:GB:1123)

Invisible Shield from ZAGG (ZAGG | invisibleSHIELD | iPhone, iPod Cases, Screen Protectors, Covers, Shields, Skins (http://www.zagg.com)), a transparent film developed to protect helicopter rotor blades. It's EXTREMELY scratch resistant, optically clear and pretty easy to apply. I have it on my 60D and have one for the T3i on the way. $14.95 if I remember right.

Can't even tell it's there.

For the viewfinder loupe, best solution I've found for the 60D and T3i is the Hoodman "Cinema Pro Kit". Loupe with diopter adjustment, mounting crane (slides into the hotshoe on top of the camera), and 3x eyepiece all in one kit. It mounts or dismounts in 5 seconds or less, no adhesives, no magnets. Going from camera to camera may require slight adjustment of loupe position over the LCD but that takes me 30 seconds or less.

Obviously this setup can only be used when the LCD is turned facing the operator and folded into the back. For using the LCD folded out I either use an under $12 slide on hood (found on amazon) or for the time I need to focus and compose I briefly hold a spare Hoodloupe in place by hand.