I am way behind on posting this, but I have been on vacation, editing video for Symphony in the Flint Hills and keeping up with 12 hours of summer coursework. I had to find a quick solution to a common DSLR video problem: seeing the LCD screen during sunlight. The problem with shooting video on a DSLR camera is that you have to view it on an LCD screen, which in sunlight is hard to see clearly. You can't tell if your exposure settings are OK, if the white balance is correct... and it makes things difficult. Many companies offer professionally-made viewfinders to overcome this, but I cannot afford one of these... so I made a DIY one that costs $20 including all the tools and supplies if you don't already have them. This is a picture - courtesy of Amy DeVault's iPhone - of me using it (to much laughter from my peers) at the Symphony in the Flint Hills. I even had one person say they did not want to be seen with me while using this. Although it looks less attractive than the professional counterpart, it accomplishes the goal and I was able to see my LCD screen clearly, set my exposure correctly and get the right focus. Here's how I made it:
1. Late night trip to Wal Mart
2. Small tupperware container ($5)
3. Utility Knife ($3)
4. Rubber foot - for chair legs ($4)
5. Black adhesive or duct tape ($6)
6. Toilet Paper Roll ($1 for pack of TP)
I cut the tupperware bottom (with a utility knife) to the size of my LCD screen. Then I covered (inside or outside) the bottom piece with black adhesive to keep light out. Then I cut a hole in the lid slightly smaller than the rubber foot and squeezed the foot so that it fit firmly in that hole. I used this to anchor the toilet roll (which is necessary to extend the distance so your eye can focus the screen). I then covered all the remaining areas of the lid and the toilet roll with black adhesive and placed the lid on the bottom piece. The DIY viewfinder worked to keep sunlight out and allowed me to set my exposure and view my screen clearly.
