Well the eyecup on the A1 is totally unprofessional and pretty rubbish...

But guess what I found?

The excellent eyecup from the Z1/FX1 fits over the Canon's eyecup like a glove (well good enough to work).

Now my FX1 actually belongs to someone else, who may not be terribly impressed at getting it back without an eyecup... So where can we find a supply of Sony Z1 eyecups?

I would be very, very interested in this as well.

That was one of my intitial first concerns.

Photograph please!

Here we go. It's a bit dusty but you get the idea...

https://servicesplus.us.sony.biz/PartsPLUSSearch.aspx?ArrayVal=6

Here is a link to the sony site, but I didn't want to sift through the whole thing. I really would like this to go over the stock one. If there are any other nice looking alternatives I would be interested as well (hoodman looks cheap).

I want one too.

I made a $30 bet that this one would work, but I lost:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&Q=&is=REG&O=productlist&sku=161275

It's too small. No amount of stretching would make it fit.

If anybody can figure out how to order the Sony ones, I'll jump in line too. It's always been difficult to order a Sony part unless you're a dealer.

Would something like this if slighty modified? Does anyone know the size of the canon's viewfinder?


http://cgi.ebay.com/Eye-Cup-VIEWFINDER-for-CANON-EOS-30D-20D-5D-y84_W0QQitemZ160057344834QQihZ006QQcategoryZ15215QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I have a 20D still camera, and the viewfinder is a lot smaller than a video camera. I don't think any still camera eyepiece will work. There are chamois covers used mainly on 16mm and 35mm film cameras a lot, and some of them might fit. They're not the same as the nice big video camera eye cup, but probably better than what's there. I'm talking about these:
http://cinemasupplies.stores.yahoo.net/eychamsmal.html

I used to use these on a CP16R years ago, and they provide a little padding. Lots of film cameras have crappy eye cups too. I'll order a package of these if I can figure out what size. Better than nothing until somebody figures out how to get a proper eye cup.

It is the Sony Large Eye Cup, Part Number 217941401

It seems to sell for $38

I searched "Sony 217941401" in Google without the quotation marks and it turnd up a few places that carry it as a replacement part. I got the part number out of an online parts list for the box of the Z1. Give me a broadband connection, Google and I know anything...

I have been looking for a better eyecup for my 30D, thanks Holly.

Thanks Jay...

That's very helpful.

never used this store before so cant vouch for them, but they have it

$38.40 plus shipping

http://www.partstore.com/sl/lamps-batteries-remotes/233380960-Sony-217941401-Large-EyecupExcept-J-Model.html

I used mine today for the first time and was very pleased with it. If you are at all frustrated with the stock setup, get one. You will be glad you did.

Same here. Used the large cup from SONY and it works perfectly.

Don't you think $38 is too expensive ?

Just look at it as a $4038 A1. But yes, I would shy away from telling someone how much I paid for a piece of rubber. They might think I'm crazy. Then again, I shy away from telling anyone how much I paid for the camera too.

Anyone tried the Hoodman Hoodfinder? $22.95 at B&H:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&Q=&is=USE&O=productlist&sku=800492389

Seems like it might be a nice option for less than the Sony eyecup, but I've never used it personally. Anyone have any experience with it?

The link mentioned in msg 11 defaults to an incredible $38+$38 for shipping at least to Alaska. Found another supplier that ships for $6.95 that has it in stock:

http://store.nexttronics.com/217941401.html

fast forward two hours: Just got a shipping confirmation. Life is good.

I just ordered the Sony eyecup today from that Sony parts site. With shipping and tax it came to about 48 bucks. I've shot several interviews with the standard eyecup and managed to get by. Today I did my first exterior shooting, and the first thing I did after upacking the car was to order the eyecup. If you don't wear glasses you probably can live with the standard crappy one, but the Sony is worth the money, I think.

What a great tidbit of information. I myself was concerned about the eyecup when considering the A1, but now I know a good alternative. Thanks!

Several people on here have bought the Sony eyecup, and it seems to fit perfectly. As mentioned, there are other alternatives, too, including iCup, and B&H and others sell those little chamois covers used on film cameras a lot.

Got mine direct from Sony... Glad I did!

I think I will order the Sony eyecup soon.

Just look at it as a $4038 A1. But yes, I would shy away from telling someone how much I paid for a piece of rubber. They might think I'm crazy. Then again, I shy away from telling anyone how much I paid for the camera too.


Same here. I found out that my uncle shoots wedding videos. He's mainly a stil photographer guy but I found out he shoots wedding videos on the side. I asked him what camcorder he uses. "The uh... GL1. What kind of camera was it that you just got?" "Just a little camcorder I don't know much about it..."

Not to beat this topic to death, but the only eyepiece that does the job was the SONY eyecup. It fits properly and prevents light from entering the sides.
Yes, it is 38 US dollars but well worth the increase in focus and viewing capability.

LOU " LOVE MY CANON A1" BRUNO

Several people on here have bought the Sony eyecup, and it seems to fit perfectly. As mentioned, there are other alternatives, too, including iCup, and B&H and others sell those little chamois covers used on film cameras a lot.

Just placed an order for the Z1 eyecup and the total was $54.09.

I just got mine in the mail last night. Put it on today and it's a perfect fit. The price from the Sony parts site was 38 bucks. Shipping, handling and tax got it up to about 48. Pricey for a little piece of rubber, but it's an indispensable piece. Stores like Zotz, Tapeworks Texas, etc., ought to sell a package deal with that eyecup and the XH A1 so you could order it with the camera. I thought at first I could live with the standard eyecup, but a week ago after shooting exteriors all afternoon, I came home and ordered it immediately.

Still awaiting mine. It really should be available as an option. Does it interfere in any way with the diopter adjustment?

No. The diopter adj is still accessable.

here is another option
http://www.i-cuff.com/buy.html

Duane

Thanks for the tip guys & gals, the Sony Eye Cup is totally worth it. It's like it was custom made for the XH A1. To quote Bill Pryor - "you really, really want the eye cup ..." especially if you've got the XH A1 up on a shoulder mount, and even if you don't.

I thought I could live without it until my first exterior shoot in the bright sun. I had an iCuff on an old TRV900 a few years ago, and it works but is a bit of a pain. I don't really like it. The Sony one is worth the money, although it's overpriced.

There must be somebody on Canon's video camera design team who used to be in their still camera division and has never shot with a pro video camera, and he's the guy who came up with that dumb hard, worthless eyecup, or lack thereof. They could put a real one on and charge another 20 bucks and make money on it and everybody would be happy. Except then the camera would have to cost $4,024.00 (USD) and the marketing department would be screaming that all prices have to end in 99.99 in the U.S. or nobody will buy it. Like gasoline.

Does anyone have a link to a picture of the Sony eyecup?

Does anyone have a link to a picture of the Sony eyecup?

You can see it on page 1 of this thread (attached to my camera!) :-)

You can see it on page 1 of this thread (attached to my camera!) :-)

duh.... I missed that. Thanks!

I received mine today. What a difference. Now I have to get in the habit of tilting the viewfinder up to fit in my bag though. Life is tough :)

Bill

I know what you mean, Bill. I had to move all the dividers in my back to bring the eyepiece away from the edge.

Man, the things we have to do for our art!

;-D

One note of caution: A guy who bought the Sony eyecup emailed me thinking he had to take off the Canon hard eyecup and asking how I did it. DON'T TAKE OFF THE CANON EYECUP. The Sony one will stretch over the Canon one, and it makes a perfectly sized base for the new one.

One note of caution: A guy who bought the Sony eyecup emailed me thinking he had to take off the Canon hard eyecup and asking how I did it. DON'T TAKE OFF THE CANON EYECUP. The Sony one will stretch over the Canon one, and it makes a perfectly sized base for the new one.

That goes to show the importance of reading all threads. That was mentioned before in a post, & maybe twice... but of course I'm not going to go look for the 2nd one :)

Bill

Out of stock from Sony right now.

I bought mine from this place someone mentioned in an earlier post

http://store.nexttronics.com/217941401.html

38.40 + 6.95 shipping

Out of stock from Sony right now.

Heh! Heh! It's all the Canon owners.

Sony are probably thinking, "Wow - so many people are having problems with their eye-cups all of a sudden"

OR....... WOW!!!! We are getting more customers buying SONY.

Just ordered my eyecup! 45 and some change! After filming out in African sun for a month, I wish someone would find a sony parts supplier that also sold time machines - so I could go back and use this eyecup for all that daytime shooting!

Does the Sony cup help the Smeary look ofd the VF? Like, if your eye moves too far to the side, the image (or whites) smear a bit....

too bad we cant get a group buy together and get a better deal on this eye cup.

It's just a matter of time before some enterprising dude buys a few hundred of them wholesale from China or wherever and sells them for 20 bucks each.

too bad we cant get a group buy together and get a better deal on this eye cup.

The attitude on the price of the eye piece is amazing. The Sony authorized parts dealer cost is $29.15. Assume that you are prepared to grant the dealer some cost in order taking, unpackaging from Sony, order fulfillment, delivery packaging, credit card processing costs, and post sale customer service plus a normal profit; just how much effort should any legitamate dealer spend on something like this that has a list price that can be bought directly from sony in the $38 range. Do you really think that some dealer is going to have his parts department take away from service and repair orpportunities to make virtually nothing to deal with a bunch of internet buyers that he will probably never see again? Get real. Good luck in finding a "group purchase" even if you had 200 orders.

I think it's more that $38 dollars (regardless how much Sony charges an authorized dealer for it) is quite a lot for a shaped piece of rubber. We're all obviously willing to pay the price as a somewhat necessary evil, but sure, it would have been nice hypothetically to have all gone in and gotten, say, $5 off the price. Not really going to happen, but nice to dream about.

I just noticed that my GL2 eye cup fits into the current XH-A1 Eye cup and when looking through it, it does not block anything, I am looking for a good way to attach it without adhesive but this might be a nice solution. My GL2 came with a small eye cup similar to what the A1 has as well as a larger one similar to the sony... Hmmm...

I think it's more that $38 dollars (regardless how much Sony charges an authorized dealer for it) is quite a lot for a shaped piece of rubber. We're all obviously willing to pay the price as a somewhat necessary evil, but sure, it would have been nice hypothetically to have all gone in and gotten, say, $5 off the price. Not really going to happen, but nice to dream about.

I agree the Sony eyecup is expensive and it probably cost less than $1 to make and Sony is charging a lot of money for it. It cost me over $50 with tax and shipping.