I've created a custom solution to the C100 eyecup issue, and I wanted to share it here ahead of a Kickstarter campaign. Pictured below is a casting from a handmade mold, of which I have a few really solid copies. The next step is to make a high-pressure, high-heat mold for mass production, which will have to appeal to Kickstarter if I'm going to be able to produce this in quantity.

I'm posting this here so I can get initial reactions and feedback. This is a very simple solution, and I designed it to be exactly what I want as a C100 user. My criteria were that it must provide a comfortable third-point of contact, it must connect securely to the camera, it must block out light, and it needs to be simple and affordable. I think we've achieved that with this latest prototype. I use it on every shoot and wouldn't think of using my camera without it!

Any thoughts or questions are welcome. I'm especially interested in identifying a price point that works for users, and I'd love to get in touch with any bloggers who have an interest in the C100 specifically. Getting this thing priced right and getting the word out is crucial, particularly because the eye cup only works with the C100 (which makes for a relatively tiny market).

Thanks ahead of time for your thoughts. I'll try to answer any questions ASAP, although I'm off to shoot on the Mississippi river all next week, so bear with me for the week of 2/10 - 2/16.

Looks good. I guess 20-30 euros would be what I'd be willing to pay

Thanks Andrew, that's very helpful to me.

If the market will bear something close to your numbers, I think we'll be able to do this. We haven't yet nailed down our plan for overseas shipping - so if anyone has insight on that please share it!

This looks great!

The tiny viewfinder on the C100 really is usable and this would help a great deal by keeping out light.

Great design. If it was $40.00 or so I think that would be a fair price.

Good luck,

Steve

Looks great to me too! Price ballpark mentioned above is fine. Please get a plan for overseas shipping when you start making them :-)

That so much Andy and Steve. Very helpful.

I'll get to work on the overseas shipping plan!

Count me in for a kick starter campaign! It looks great and looks like it works a treat. Any idea how it performs when wearing glasses?

It's what canon should have included with the c100 in the first place.

Thank you Drew! It is indeed what the eyecup should have been in the first place, which was exactly what I was after with this project.

I don't wear glasses, so I can't really say how effective it is or is not. I suppose that all depends on the glasses, but I can say that the eyecup is pretty traditional in design and probably works similarly to what you might expect. I'd love to get a prototype to a blogger who can give us an objective opinion on that and any other questions.

can you detail the advantages of this over some of the other solutions, such as the zacuto replacement eyecup, or the microplush cup that people are successfully using?

Sure Darren, I'll do my best.

I haven't used a Zacuto replacement eyecup so it's difficult for me to give an opinion on that. I have used a microfiber pad, which I found did help to improve the original eyecup's shortcomings. Compared to both of these, I think my solution distinguishes itself in that it's custom designed to fit the C100's eyecup. Where any of these other solutions are trying to adapt existing products to fit the C100, mine was created to fit the C100 perfectly.

As you can see from the pictures - it looks like it belongs on the camera. Because it is form-fitting, I'd wager the connection with the camera is more secure than any other solution currently out there. The lip of the camera's OEM eyecup fits perfectly within a groove inside of my eyecup. Certainly it is an improvement over a microfiber pad. That pad falling off in the middle of a run and gun shoot was a problem for me, and I'm sure any other user would be familiar with that.

Having not used the Zacuto, I don't know how effective that is. I can tell you that mine fits perfectly, so the operator can apply as much pressure as desired, really getting that third point of contact in just the same way you can with the C300. The outside edges of my eyecup rest on the outside of the eye socket, the eyebrow, and the cheekbone. It's strong, but has a good amount of flex, making it quite comfortable. At least that's how it fits on my face!

I'd would say it has a distinct advantage over the Z-Finder, and not just because it's hundreds of dollars cheaper. Without throwing too much salt on any company or product, I think mine works perfectly. Hopefully we can get some objective, third party opinions involved as we get ready to launch a campaign here in a short while.

Thanks for checking it out. I hope that's helpful, and let me know if I can answer any more questions.

So awesome! Hope the kickstarter campaign is succesfull. I'd be willing to pay $40 for one (but would probably pay whatever it costs).

I´d also say that you probably need to move quickly on this type of thing as it won´t take your competitors very long to fill the void.

I got my C100 in Nov 2012. Those "competitors" have already had 15 months and we have seen nothing! I think the main reason is the very small niche market as outline by Andrew at the start of the thread, i.e. too small for anyone except a C100 owner, just like him, to be too bothered with.

That's not saying that I don't want to have my hands on one as soon as possible! I already feel I want to buy Andrew a beer for getting this on the table (it will have to be a cyber beer, unfortunately....sorry Andrew).

I also often, but not always, wear glasses so will be interested in how that goes too.

Really looking forward to getting one of these Andrew so the very best of luck with it and keep us posted on progress.

Thanks very much Slavik! And thanks everyone. I'm very glad I posted this here as your feedback and support is extremely helpful. A round of virtual beers on me!

Andrew I definitely have been concerned about letting this information out and do want to move quickly. In fact, the first meeting I had on this project was just about a year ago and it's been everything I can do just to keep my mouth shut. I haven't even been very successful really, as a lot of folks around Austin know something about my project (which I'm calling the C-Cup, by the way). Incidentally, I'd like to have been much farther along by now, but my partner in this, the guy with the manufacturing know-how, suffered some health-related setbacks to the extent that we nearly had to drop the project. Fortunately, I've had an early prototype for 6 months (works great) and my partner is feeling better than ever.

Over the last year, as Andy points out, I've learned that the market for this is extremely small. I simply don't think it makes economic sense for an established company to have one of their engineers/designers spend time on a project like this, which is why all we're seeing is existing products being adapted to fit the C100 - if anything. The market is so small that it doesn't make sense to patent this, as one might normally do. Fortunately, the combination of CAD programs, 3D printers and the advent of crowdsourcing make this possible (not to mention a strong Texas heritage of trading favors for liquor). I think that's pretty cool, and while it's possible to make a few bucks on this, it's the tantalizing thought of being able to fix my own camera, and yours, that's driving me on this. I know, I know - a real hero.

In any case, the Kickstarter is just about ready to go. I'm going to wait to launch until I get back from a doc shoot next week, as I understand running a Kickstarter is a very hands-on process and I'll be incommunicado until 2/17. Another week will also allow for me to get prototypes in the hands of a few people, which will generate some objective opinions and perhaps even yield further improvements to the design before we move into manufacturing. When I do launch the KS, I'll be sure to post here first, and to include a handful of early-bird options for you guys.

Thanks again!

Andrew

Don't be shy about using twitter to run the kickstarter campaign. I've watched many campaigns become successful through social media. I follow a lot of c100 users who would definitely support this. Retweets and shares will help.

Looking forward to it. Keep us posted.

Drew.

I guess now is as good a time as any to figure out exactly what Twitter is. Thanks Drew!

Looks comfortable!

How accessible if the diopter while the eyecup is on?

im game, keep us updated

Looks comfortable!

How accessible if the diopter while the eyecup is on?

Great question Chris.

The computer model is designed with a notch cut out so users can access the diopter switch. The prototypes I have on hand do not have that notch, though, as that area was problematic in that air bubbles in that area were getting trapped inside the mold and thus making their way into the castings. Taking out the notch, as well as modifying other parts of the design, was the only way to mitigate the air bubbles and pull good prototypes out of the mold.

This is only because we're making prototypes with a handmade mold. We don't have a vacuum chamber either, which might make our castings an easier process. Suffice it to say, each of these half-dozen prototypes was difficult to make, taking about 2 hours each. Assuming we get enough backers to go into production, we will be using a high-pressure, high-heat mold that can crank these things out flawlessly and in seconds. The production run models will be a bit cleaner than the prototypes, with a few enhancements, and they will also take into account any feedback and improvements we receive during the Kickstarter campaign. It's actually pretty easy to modify this thing in the computer (says the guy who asks the other guy to make modifications in the computer) based on what we learn from the prototypes.

All that said, the prototypes work great, and accessing the diopter without a notch isn't much of a chore. They fit securely, but you can easily install or remove it to make a diopter adjustment. I don't wear glasses, so for me I just pop it on and use it.

can you detail the advantages of this over some of the other solutions, such as the zacuto replacement eyecup, or the microplush cup that people are successfully using?

I use the C100 handheld with the viewfinder pretty much exclusively, so for me the eyecup is super important (and am really excited to try Andrew's solution). I have tried the Zacuto eyecup, the Blue Star cushion, and the IKKUP, or a combination of all of them. The Zacuto by itself is okay, but doesn't stay on, and because it's so thin if you try to use it as a point-of-contact (which is the whole point for handheld), it flaps backward on itself and ceases to be an eyecup - until you flap it forward and try again.

The Blue Star is comfy and you can definitely use it as a point of contact, but it's small and doesn't wrap around your eye much. The combo of Zacuto and Bluestar is better, but it still falls off the C100 anytime you move the camera in or out of a bag. Plus you have to glue them together - I tried to use velcro... and it was not good.

Probably the best combo is the IKKUP (available at B&H) and Blue Star, also glued together. It stays on, and is fairly rigid for using as a point-of-contact, but together they're over $55, and because the IKKUP tunnel puts you so far away from the C100 viewfinder, you can lose the image unless your eye is directly in the center.

Anyway, looking forward it trying out this solution!

Andrew:

Looks good, my only suggestion, and maybe its already has this in the design, is to make sure the eyecup can take a "standard" size chamois. Count me in for one, $40 is a fair price.

Jeff

Looks good, my only suggestion, and maybe its already has this in the design, is to make sure the eyecup can take a "standard" size chamois.

Thanks Jeff, great suggestion. The outside diameter of my prototype measures 3 3/16" which is larger than the "large" Bluestar camois (according to B&H). I've ordered that and the XL size for verification purposes, and if you'd like me to test another model please specify. If needed, I think we could lose that 3/16" without affecting utility.

...Anyway, looking forward it trying out this solution!

Thanks Slavik. I'll have a prototype sent out to you in Alaska this morning. I look forward to your feedback!

Andrew, how long do you think it'll take you to get everything up and running? Have you calculated how much you'll need through the kick starter campaign?

We are essentially ready to launch the KS at any moment, but I want to wait until I return from a shoot before we do, as all next week I'll be floating on the Mississippi River - where cell phone connectivity is light and where it would be difficult for me to manage a campaign. I'm hoping to launch on 2/17 or 2/18.

We've got a relatively modest number we need to hit, although it may come down over the next week as we still have some bids we are waiting to hear back on. However much the goal ends up being will be a break even point (not including costs up til now).

This project will sink or swim depending on demand from users alone (no t-shirts for incentives, just eyecups). Canon does not publicly release sales figures so it's difficult to know how many C100s are out there, but with a bit of tenacity I think we've come upon a solid, conservative estimate. Even if our goal doesn't come down from where it is currently, I'm confident we can do pull it off as long as I can convince users not just to back us, but also to notify other C100 users about the eyecup.

Hi Andrew,
Well done for your initiative in doing something that Canon or anyone else didn't consider!
I shoot and edit a lot of doco and indi projects and love my C100 - except for the viewfinder setup. I wear glasses and to have an eyecup which looks like it will incorporate that feature is VERY attractive to me.

Could you send me a link to your crowd funding so I can contribute to the development.

Goodonya mate!

Phil

We are live on KS: http://kck.st/1p3ciUQ

Tell your friends!

To help spread the word, I'd like to continue this conversation on Twitter, where possible. If you wanna holler at me there I'm @raddosilver. Do it!

i have bestowed you sir andrew, the gift of backing.

Big thanks Darren! You're going to love it.

Hi Andrew,
Well done for your initiative in doing something that Canon or anyone else didn't consider!
I shoot and edit a lot of doco and indi projects and love my C100 - except for the viewfinder setup. I wear glasses and to have an eyecup which looks like it will incorporate that feature is VERY attractive to me.

Could you send me a link to your crowd funding so I can contribute to the development.

Goodonya mate!

Phil

Thanks Phil. I hope it works for folks with glasses. One tester told me that, while comfortable and secure, while wearing glasses it still allowed for light to come in. I suppose it really depends on what kind of glasses, and for the next 30 days I'm open to hearing all ideas!

Backed - with international shipping :)

Looking forward to it.

Thanks Dave! 98% to go, we're almost there!

Backed with international shipping too!

I'll spread the word to my friends with C100's!

The early bird gets the worm Chris! Thanks!

Just missed the early bird for the first 20 (well we do have to sleep here in Europe) but I'm now a backer. Posted it on twitter too. Good luck Andrew!

Big thanks Andy. That first 20 went more quickly than I thought. I hope the same is true for the next 1,000,000 or so!

Backed. Looking forward to seeing this happen!

We did it! Hit the goal in just 5 days. I appreciate all the feedback and support coming from everyone on this thread, sincerely. http://kck.st/1p3ciUQ

Excellent news!!!

well i'll be damned. i have to admit i was skeptical of the 8500 number at the start. but then again i was the first backer.

i'll be sure to make a review and post of it once i receive it. do you plan on setting up an order page for post-kickstarter sales?

With the new firmware that moves the magnified view to the EVF, this will make this little bit of plastic invaluable!

Some nice news from Andrew came into my email inbox today. Head on over to the Kickstarter link earlier in this thread to find out more.

EDIT: Might be easier if I just post the email contents here :-)

……………………..

First of all, thanks to everyone who has backed the project. This is really very cool. I'm super jazzed that we've been funded and that I will be enabled to provide us all with exquisite C-Cups. They're going to be a huge improvement over the existing eyecup, and I think you're all going to love them.

We reached our goal more than a week ago, and in the meantime I've been looking into ways I might sweeten the pot. I found one:

C-Cupdate #1 on Vimeo

As the above video says, I'd like to send out a chamois with every C-Cup - and if we hit our $15,000 stretch goal I'll do it. So just as soon as you get this message, please post something. Give us a tweet, post it on facebook, or maybe pass it on to some camera ops you know.

C100 users are going to want to see it, and I'm looking forward to seeing what this Kickstarter does when we all make some noise at the same time!

…………………….

braveheart meets austin powers font.

you're a sick, sick puppy andy. keep it up

I had no idea this existed! Immediately backed it haha.

braveheart meets austin powers font.
you're a sick, sick puppy andy. keep it up

It's really true, I am not well. But the project is going as planned, no worries there.

That was the ugliest font that grabbed my eye when I opened the text tool - I just added a little purple. It is kind of Austin Powers, isn't it? And sorry I missed your earlier question here Darren about post-Kickstarter plans. I haven't thought that far ahead honestly. We're going to work on Kickstarter fulfillment immediately, but hopefully yes we will have some post KS sales plan in place by May.

Welcome aboard Edward! Thanks for sharing the post Andy!

Is it too late to order an eyecup?

No better time than now Glen! Still a few days left on the Kickstarter. I would add a link but my phone won't seem to allow me... its in this thread and I think you can just Google: Miller C100

Which is pretty cool!

How does the kickstarter work, does everyone who backs you get a c-cup?

John.

How does the kickstarter work, does everyone who backs you get a c-cup?

John.

Hi John. Kickstarter works by offering incentives, which backers can choose depending on how much they donate. In this case I only have the one incentive (The C-Cup) and to choose that you have to donate at least $40 (add $8 if international shipping is required).

So in this case, everyone who backs the project for at least $40 will get a C-Cup.

Sounds like a good deal to me, i don't even have a c100 yet, just waiting till NAB starts before making a purchase :)

John.

Backed and shammie tweeted :) Steelyjohn on twitter :)

John.