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Maybe a stupid question for some, but here we go. I just recently return from sea side holidays. One of the problems that I had was checking photos "on spot" when most of the time it was sunny, with very little shadow. Do you have some tricks/tips to overcome this situation beside capping hands around screen? Or did I perhaps somewhere in manual missed function how to view photos through viewfinder like many compacts have (I have Canon 500D).

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    \$\begingroup\$ That's natures hint to let you know this is not a good time to take pictures ;) \$\endgroup\$
    – Itai
    Commented Jul 21, 2011 at 18:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Itai well can you resist not to take interesting photo :P \$\endgroup\$
    – peter_budo
    Commented Jul 21, 2011 at 21:35
  • \$\begingroup\$ No, it's nature's way of saying that where the photographer is standing, it is bright. The subject itself may be very nicely lit, under some shade or canopy. \$\endgroup\$
    – Martin Krzywinski
    Commented Jul 21, 2011 at 23:15
  • \$\begingroup\$ @cmason you just 4 months too late with comment that is not really helpful \$\endgroup\$
    – peter_budo
    Commented Nov 8, 2011 at 9:57

10 Answers 10

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I had a sun shade on my D100 years ago... that lasted exactly one shoot. I'd look into the HoodLoupe. I have a couple. Great product.

They're made by Hoodman Corporation — http://hoodmanusa.com/.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Bryce Alan Flurie in deed seems to be practical product. Thank you for suggesting it. \$\endgroup\$
    – peter_budo
    Commented Jul 21, 2011 at 21:31
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    \$\begingroup\$ I have a hoodloupe, goes round my neck, doesn't add anything flimsy to the camera and works great - better than any LCD shade. \$\endgroup\$
    – Matt Grum
    Commented Jul 21, 2011 at 23:02
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    \$\begingroup\$ Matt - exactly. Great that it doesn't actually attach to the camera... but you do look like a dork when you forget it is around your neck and you walk into a restaurant. Happens to me at least once a trip... \$\endgroup\$
    – Bryce Alan Flurie
    Commented Jul 30, 2011 at 1:59
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I just use a toilet roll, which I covered in black tape, then colored the inside with a black permanent marker. Good news is it is cheap, folds flat, has almost no weight and readily available in a pinch.

Poormans LCD viewer

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I have a 3" loupe for examining the viewfinder in bright sunlight, but if you can get the same effect with a homemade solution at almost no cost then that's great! \$\endgroup\$
    – Matt Grum
    Commented Jul 21, 2011 at 22:58
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You can buy shades which clip on on to the LCD and flip out. However, if like me you don't mind looking slightly odd if it saves you money, you can just keep the inner cardboard tube from a toilet paper roll in your kit, then you can just put it against the LCD and look through the other end. Works a treat.

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Your DSLR has an optical viewfinder (thank god...) rather than EVF like in those compacts, so no - you did not miss such settings.

That said, you do have a brightness settings on your menu to enhance the rear LCD. Might not help in full sun, but can make the difference in less demanding situations. Note that it eats your camera's battery faster, though.

In addition to @ishmaiel's link, you can actually construct such a hood from scrap cardboard.

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This is a very common problem. No LCD will be bright enough to compete with the sun and the glare off the front of the screen.

There are a large number of LCD shades available, which mitigate the problem by allowing you to view the image in a darkened environment.

I haven't tried any of these. Other than the added bulk, they look like a good solution.

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you can use something like this - costs only 12 USD.

enter image description here

But I mostly use my baseball cap, to shade the screen.

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I carry a very small umbrella and I get great view of my screen when I have the umbrella out.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I've upvoted to cancel out the downvote since I think the answer is fine. \$\endgroup\$
    – Eric S
    Commented Jan 17, 2018 at 23:41
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    \$\begingroup\$ Lets try to keep it civil, people! \$\endgroup\$
    – jrista
    Commented Jan 18, 2018 at 20:31
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Try a Giotto's glass screen protector. Your 500D's screen does not need a bulky, annoying hood loupe thing. You just need a decent anti-glare screen cover, and set your screen brightness to maximum!

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I have the same problem, but I think I am going to try something different than what is suggested here. I wear a baseball cap when I am out, just because I have always worn one. I turn the cap backwards when I am shooting. So, what I am going to try is to carry a cloth(handkerchief) in my back pocket. When I want to view the LED, I will flip my hat around and tuck the cloth under the hat so it hangs down. Then, as I lean foward. The cloth should block the sun so I can view the LED and what I am getting ready to shoot. I like the check the histogram prior to taking pictures, so this should allow me to do that on a sunny day. Evan if it doesn't work or I just don't like doing it. It wont cost anything.

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I can review my photos by looking at them through my viewfinder. That way it eliminates the use of having to use my reading glasses to look at my pics on the LCD screen. It's an option I have on my Panasonic Lumix camera.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Hi. Welcome to Photo.SE! The OP is using a Canon 500D. And DSLRs don't have a screen that you can see through the viewfinder (see answer by @ysap). I guess that's why you got a down-vote. I recommend you check out the Tour to get a grasp on how SE sites work. \$\endgroup\$
    – Roflo
    Commented Jan 16, 2018 at 14:52

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