LarryK Posted July 14, 2006 Share #1 Posted July 14, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello, From what I have read of the speculation about the specifications of the new M8, it appears that the LCD screen on the back will be exposed. I love the design of the LCD screen on the R-D1 because it allows me to swivel the LCD screen around in order to hide it against the back of the camera. That way, I'm never worried about scratching the screen when I stick the camera in my camera bag, one of those MClassics (old Leica style) bags which is great for quick access to the camera but does not have a lot of padding. Besides the potential for damage, there is also the problem of nose prints on an exposed screen. I wonder if Leica has come up with a new way to cover the screen. I have tried various screen protectors on my PDAs but I have never been that happy because the clarity of the screen gets reduced and the screen protectors gets scratched up after a while, which is good because the screen is protected but is bad because it is hard to see the screen. I also like the fact that the R-D1 doesn't look like a digital camera from the back. That way, people think it is an old, worthless, film camera! ;-) Any thoughts? Regards, Larry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 14, 2006 Posted July 14, 2006 Hi LarryK, Take a look here Exposed LCD on M8? - How to protect it?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
marknorton Posted July 14, 2006 Share #2 Posted July 14, 2006 If we can't have a folding LCD screen, I'd vote for the clear plastic clip-on which Nikon use; certainly an unprotected screen is unlikely to be durable enough. It will be interesting to see just how well the M8 is suited to withstanding the rough and tumble of field use. However hard you try to look after cameras, mishaps happen! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
starwatcher Posted July 14, 2006 Share #3 Posted July 14, 2006 Mishaps can happen, that is certainly true. Let me briefly tell you my experience with the DMR, which, as you know, has an unprotected LCD screen as well. I carry the DMR with me more or less on a daily base. I have it in various bags, carry it over the shoulder, put it in the grass etc... normal treatment as a device for work... After 8 months not a single scratch or whatever is visible. I believe it is very robust; not sure what type of glass it is (similar to a mineral glass of a good watch - my SeaDweller has a saphyr glass and sometimes I believe you can use it as a hammer). So in essence I would not be worried about an unprotected screen. Just my 2 cent... best -Klaus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stnami Posted July 14, 2006 Share #4 Posted July 14, 2006 I scratched mine already and that really pisses me off baa!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryK Posted July 14, 2006 Author Share #5 Posted July 14, 2006 If we can't have a folding LCD screen, I'd vote for the clear plastic clip-on which Nikon use; certainly an unprotected screen is unlikely to be durable enough. It will be interesting to see just how well the M8 is suited to withstanding the rough and tumble of field use. However hard you try to look after cameras, mishaps happen! Yeah, some kind of plastic clip-on screen would be ok but I'm afraid that there isn't going to be any place on the back to clip the thing on. I think thin plastic screen protectors are going to be the only option, with all of their problems. I have a sapphire crystal on my Sinn watch (another nice German product, although it has a Swiss movement, of course) but I doubt that Leica could afford to make sapphire crystals of the right size to cover an LCD screen. ;-) That would be a luxury product! Regards, Larry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
starwatcher Posted July 14, 2006 Share #6 Posted July 14, 2006 I scratched mine already and that really pisses me off baa!! Leica Management: pls consider saphyr glass... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zebra Posted July 14, 2006 Share #7 Posted July 14, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) my SeaDweller has a saphyr glass and sometimes I believe you can use it as a hammer That is exactly what you should never (!) do with a "saphyr glass". Constantin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat_mcdermott Posted July 14, 2006 Share #8 Posted July 14, 2006 While at I haven't tried it personally, you can get thin plastic shields for various camera LCD screens at http://www.shieldzone.com. I've seen their covers for iPods and they don't seem to distort the screen image. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
starwatcher Posted July 14, 2006 Share #9 Posted July 14, 2006 That is exactly what you should never (!) do with a "saphyr glass". Constantin ok, if children are reading here: never use sapphire glass as a hammer! best - Klaus edit: just learned how to spell "sapphire" in english - thanks! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted July 14, 2006 Share #10 Posted July 14, 2006 I have 2 DMR's for about a year now and even under pro use , not a scratch but a lot of nose grease and sweat which wipes right off. i tried some PDA protection screens and they work but it makes viewing the images sometimes hard when looking at the details Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted July 14, 2006 Share #11 Posted July 14, 2006 If we can't have a folding LCD screen, I'd vote for the clear plastic clip-on which Nikon use... Agreed Mark, Epson did a folding LCD in a rather slim body (39.50mm depth against 38mm for a M7) so i dont see why Leica could not do the same or better. Otherwise the Nikon clip-on works fine that's true. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuny Posted July 14, 2006 Share #12 Posted July 14, 2006 My DMR I mysteriously developed a crack in the outer glass, though I've never dropped it or abused it. The repair involves replacing the entire back cover at a cost of about $US300. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted July 14, 2006 Share #13 Posted July 14, 2006 I shot my R-D1 with the screen exposed - developed many scratches very quickly! My Digilux 2 is 30 months old and has fewer scratches (essentially none) than the R-D1 did after 1 month! I think Leica/Panasonic is using a very hard coating for the LCDs - and with luck Leica will do the same on the M8. Clearly Epson's coating was much softer. I got a set of peel-off/stick-on 'skins' for my 2nd R-D1 (repair replacement from Epson) not unlike the one the camera ships with. And will likely use the ones I still have left for the M8. With a nice big juicy 2.5" screen, the small amount of blurring (if any) from the skin is meaningless. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertknappmd Posted July 14, 2006 Share #14 Posted July 14, 2006 I have been using pre-cut plastic covers made by screenpatronus.com They make one for the DMR already and custom made a second one for the instrument panel below the LCD. They are marvelous and highly recommended. See their website. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptomsu Posted July 15, 2006 Share #15 Posted July 15, 2006 Folding screen is a good solution, on the other side it is making the design bulkier. And you always have to turn around if you want to judge the result, which I do quite frequently. I hav a DMR and of course there is the problem of grease and even more fingerprints etc. but in the end of the day it is always possible to do picture check. I have also a D2X and this comes wit a protection, which I then never dismount. But quality suuffers through the protection. So also no perfect solution! I am afraid that screen protection does not do it for ma, as I do not like bulkier design, so also no folding screen! What I rather prefer is a large screen with good readability in full sun light and from fifferent angels and with a good non scratchable anti reflection coating. Something like on the DMR, but at least double the size and better readability in bright light. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frc Posted July 17, 2006 Share #16 Posted July 17, 2006 If they can get the coating to be as tough as the frontglass of the viewfinder, I don't see why not, I wouldn't worry to much about it. I'm amazed not having a single scratch on it after using my mp daily for almost 3 years now. Let's put it this way; we pay a lot, we may expect to get something that works and lasts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravastar Posted July 17, 2006 Share #17 Posted July 17, 2006 I shot my R-D1 with the screen exposed - developed many scratches very quickly! My Digilux 2 is 30 months old and has fewer scratches (essentially none) than the R-D1 did after 1 month! I think Leica/Panasonic is using a very hard coating for the LCDs - and with luck Leica will do the same on the M8. Clearly Epson's coating was much softer. I got a set of peel-off/stick-on 'skins' for my 2nd R-D1 (repair replacement from Epson) not unlike the one the camera ships with. And will likely use the ones I still have left for the M8. With a nice big juicy 2.5" screen, the small amount of blurring (if any) from the skin is meaningless. My R-D1 screen scratched when wiped with a soft cloth. I think it's the anti-reflection coating that's so soft. It appears to be on the back of a thin transparent film that's stuck onto the plastic cover. You can just see the edge of the film around the screen periphery. Canon 1D series have a very resistant screen. There seems to be a toughned layer of plastic on the surface. If you try to remove scratches on these you soon find that the scratches are very hard to polish out and when you do it exposes a much softer plastic underneath. Bob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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