Customer Reviews

Hoodman H-CAPD3 Nikon D3 Hood Cap

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been using a D3 for almost a year and noticed a few very fine scratches on the tempered glass LCD monitor viewscreen. Recently I bought one of these Hoodman covers for my D3. After using it for about a month I have one long fine scratch on it. If that saved the tempered glass from such a fate, it was well worth the expenditure. One tip: I tried removing the cover and could not do so (I was concerned that it might break if I forced it further). I got a fine, flat screwdriver and, with a slight twist, was easily able to remove the cover by doing so.

This protector is saving me from wiping my nose sweat from the LCD. It's totally worth it. You don't know how many times the protector on my D2X saved the LCD from being scratch up in the Grunewald. I had to get one for the D3 just because it's insane not to have something relatively cheap protect the LCD. You will regret not getting one the second you scratch that LCD.

The Hoodman shield has its merits: it is inexpensive, it does indeed protect the LCD, and it attaches and removes easily. But in my use of it I have encountered what to me is a serious problem. If I am using my camera's viewfinder (rather than working with Live View), and if the weather is cool, then moisture from my breath condenses between the shield and the LCD. The moisture is opaque, and it persists for minutes, reducing the usefulness of the LCD --- for photo review or whatever. I have the problem when the air temperature is at or below the low 60's. I have not used the Hoodman on a very cold day, but I assume that in air at or below 32 degrees the moisture would freeze or at least persist for longer still. For whatever it's worth, I'll add that I have replaced the Hoodman shield with a Giottos Aegis, and so far with the Giottos the moisture problem has not recurred. The Giottos does not snap into place over the LCD as the Hoodman does. Instead it attaches with an adhesive, and the adhesive appears to have the side-benefit of working as a seal.

This cap snaps on firmly, in fact it's a bit difficult to pry off, which is probably a good thing. It provides good protection for the main LCD but not the smaller one below it. The main problem I have with this product is that the plastic appears to be quite soft and is easily scratched simply by cleaning dust off of it. This makes it difficult to see through if the ambient light reflects off the scratches at the right angle. In summary, it does the job, but you'll probably end up replacing it fairly often.

This was a real waste of money. Besides having difficulty installing the cover, the cover was too easy to remove. Sure enough, on my first outing, I looked down at the back of my camera and, yes, you guessed it, the cover was gone.
SUGGESTION: Don't waste your money.

I bought this lcd screen cover hoping that since it fit the D3, that it would fit the D3s. It does and it works great. I haven't tried to take it off and I don't intend to until it needs to be replaced. I cleaned the screen before I put it on, and although there is a *small* glare because of the plastic, it's not anything that will keep you from taking great pictures. I'd rather the *small* glare than a scratched screen.

This is a simple product which is well worth the price. It is perfectly manufactured for the D3x and is easy to clean and keeps those anoying fingerprints off the screen.

I believe if you own a Nikon D3 then you will find this product a life saver. I would never leave home without one attached to my Cameras.

I have this on my Nikon D3S to protect the LCD. It does a decent job, but could be much improved.

Pros:
Fits nicely on the camera, is snug and doesn't come off easily.
Protects the LCD from bumps, scratches, etc

Cons:
Cheap, soft plastic. Scratches EASILY - using a soft cloth to clean it can leave fine scratches.
Distorts the quality of images viewed through the LCD - in paricular, it produces a flare of "rainbow colors" when viewed from different angles.

Conceptually this product is great, but it seems as though the material used in the production of the product was not designed for the purpose in which it's being used. If they switched to a better grade of plastic it would be a huge improvement. Despite the negative aspects, I'd still rather have this on my camera than nothing at all.

Hi all.

The Hoodman hood cap fits perfectly, can be removed and replaced easily and completly protects the LCD. In short, it performs as advertised.

JIM