Q Sitting on my shelf.

**PenPusher** · 10-23-2017, 06:45 AM

I'm afraid my Q10 has not been getting the attention and use it deserves because of its viewing screen. Its a highly reflective surface and I want to look at the view not my face. I did have a little JJC pop up screen on it until yesterday when it fell off and broke but it didn't seem to make that much difference.

So I was wondering if anybody had devised a satisfactory way of reducing the reflectivity of the screen.

Thank you

LensBeginner · 10-23-2017, 06:58 AM

I've used a LCD loupe with my K-01 for a couple of years in order to overcome the same issue.
You lose some portability, but gain magnification and stability (face - third contact point).

Na Horuk · 10-23-2017, 07:18 AM - **1 Like**

I'm surprised about so many complaints about reflectivity of the LCD over the years. I have K-01 and used it in bright places like Alps, seaside, desert..
I rarely had problems with screen glare, so here are my tips:
a) set screen brightness to maximum
b) use a colour scheme that works best for you. The red scheme is great in low light conditions, the grey one is nice in everyday setting
c) Position and angle yourself. You can almost always angle yourself so that your head casts shadow on LCD, or at least the gripping hand. Get closer or further
d) Know that some conditions are more ideal that others and deal with it
e) Wear a hat with a brim. This helped me that one time in a botanic garden around high noon on a hot summer day. Very bright conditions, but a brimmed hat (can be baseball hat, barret,, cowboy hat..) cast shadow on my face, so the face was no longer reflected in the LCD.
f) Mount lens hood. Bright conditions are not ideal for any part of photography. Glare, flare, ghosting, bland landscapes because shadows don't give it texture, etc. Lens hood helps with some of those problems, but not all. Circular polarizer can help with some others. But I guess that is no longer about the LCD

Edit: There are also tools like lcd hoods, lcd loupes, even some adhesive foils that claim to lower glare.. I never tried those personally, so I won't comment. But some people on this forum used them and posted threads about it

**csa** · 10-23-2017, 07:36 AM

I also don't use the Q as much because of the glare on the LCD screen, and will be interested in what others have used to help with this. There are many times I don't have a hat with me, and on a clear, bright day; no matter how you position yourself, you still cannot get a satisfactory view on the screen!

Let's see some of the gadgets, folks!

**barondla** · 10-23-2017, 07:39 AM

To add to the tips already posted, highly recommend wearing a black shirt. I also have a Matin hard screen cover on the Q that has antireflection coating that reduces reflections and protects the screen.
Thanks,
barondla

**PenPusher** · 10-23-2017, 09:13 AM - **1 Like**

Thanks lads for the advice.

I can skip the black shirt though, its usually a black anorak with reflective stripe and boots and I already have the screen brightness whacked up as far as it will go. I have other small mirrorless cameras the screens on which do not present the same problems.

A search on the European Union e-bay site for screen protectors brought up several thousand, adding Pentax Q to the search field reduced the number considerably and by further ticking the Matte/Anti-Glare box under features in the side bar brought it down to these two types offered in various quantities:

1. 2 x upscreen® Reflection Shield Matte Premium Screen Protector for Pentax Q @ €5.92

2. 2 x Mikvon AntiSun Screen Protector for Pentax Q @ €2.79

Having due regard to the family finances I've gone for the Mikvon, if it does't work I'll try the other one.

cd

reh321 · 10-23-2017, 07:17 PM

Originally posted by PenPusher

I'm afraid my Q10 has not been getting the attention and use it deserves because of its viewing screen. Its a highly reflective surface and I want to look at the view not my face. I did have a little JJC pop up screen on it until yesterday when it fell off and broke but it didn't seem to make that much difference.

So I was wondering if anybody had devised a satisfactory way of reducing the reflectivity of the screen.

Three years ago at this time I was investigating purchasing a Q-7. By this date, then, I was down to finding solutions to several "issues" I had identified, including being able to see the screen in bright sun. I did purchase a Q-7 in December 2014; the picture below shows the two kits built about it.

The birding kit {above} has a Hoodman clone which attaches to the tripod mount on the camera.

The compact kit {below} has a collapsible Hoodman which I keep in place by friction between it and the camera,or by holding it somehow with fingers not otherwise in use.

**PenPusher** · 10-24-2017, 01:32 AM

Originally posted by reh321

The birding kit {above} has a Hoodman clone which attaches to the tripod mount on the camera.

The compact kit {below} has a collapsible Hoodman which I keep in place by friction between it and the camera,or by holding it somehow with fingers not otherwise in use.

Thank you.

I fully understand the birding kit, the extra lens length possible with the Q for birding was one of the reasons I bought one, its mostly sea birds around here who don't usually venture near the shore, I have a Chinese red dot thingy as well, you just get frozen while waiting for something to oblige as its usually November when they turn up en masse, geese mainly.

However while I can understand the reasoning behind the compact kit I'm too much of a Barnack fan to go for it myself which is why I want to use the Q in more or less the same way one would have used the original Leica, light and portable for a quick shot. Probably doesn't make sense but that's the way I was looking at it.

I have the 01, 02 and 06 lenses and I find them a pleasure to use, I would like the 08, just to round out the kit, it was never cheap but its price lately has gone through the roof.

Kind Regards

CD

**Mikesul** · 10-24-2017, 05:04 AM

To handle Arizona sun I always found it effective to just turn up the brightness on the LCD when I was outdoors.

CarlG · 10-24-2017, 08:40 AM

I own and use several Qs, and also find so many complaints about reflectivity of the LCD surprising. I am happy to use it in bright and low sun on snow and ice, in the mountains or at the seaside, etc.

**PenPusher** · 10-24-2017, 10:57 AM

OK so there appear to be two groups of users, those who find the screen ok and those who do not so this begs the question were all Q's fitted with the same screen in all markets by the same screen maker.

I have compacts by Ricoh, Fuji, Nikon and Samsung all of which have occasional readability problems in sunny weather, the only one I have problems with all the time is the Q which reflects in all weathers. Turning its screen up to maximum makes no difference.

cd

**Mikesul** · 10-24-2017, 11:57 AM

Differing expectations, differing eyesight (with and without glasses), differing styles of shooting, different lenses, etc. We are all very different people. I prefer a viewfinder but the Q does not have one so I adjust. Not all cameras are for all people.

**PenPusher** · 10-26-2017, 09:55 AM

Well the Mikvon screen protector has arrived and been tested with the 01, 02 and 06 lenses on the first partially sunny day in a good while.

The package has two protectors which do exactly fit the screen without interfering with doors or buttons, a small applicator which is a thin square of plastic and a credit card sized microfibre cloth, it says there should not be air bubbles when correctly installed but it took me a couple of goes to get a clear installation.

Firstly to my eyes it has completely removed the reflections so in that respect it is successful as you can see what you are looking at and not a reflection of your face and anything else which happens to be behind you but in order to do that it diffuses the screen image so that it looses a good bit of its sharpness and clarity. I found manual focussing with these lenses difficult.

So it is a question of deciding which you find the more annoying, sharp reflections or a diffused image.

I am debating with myself if the premium version would be an improvement.

CD

**barondla** · 10-26-2017, 11:05 PM

PenPusher your screen protection film sounds similar to non glare glass put over enlargements. Those always diffuse the image and reduce contrast.

The Matin I have is a thick, rigid piece of material. It fits the Q so well people don't guess it is there. The surface is not diffused. It has coatings on it like a camera lens. If the upgrade you are looking at is multicoated it should be a true upgrade. If not it won't be worth it. There are other brands that also make coated protectors. Not saying this will make the Q immune to all sunlight, but it helps. I don't even use a hood on my Q. Never found one with low enough optical distortion. They bug me.
Thanks
barondla

abruzzi · 12-02-2017, 03:43 PM

I thought it would be useful for somone to make polarized glasses with adjustable polarization. They might look funny, but in some conditions they could block sunlight and glare but allow LCD light through. They would darken things so maybe they wouldnt work, but I'd be curious if they did. I guess i could try by holding a polarizing filter to my eye.

10-23-2017, 06:45 AM	#1
PenPusher Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ireland Posts: 1,048	Q Sitting on my shelf. I'm afraid my Q10 has not been getting the attention and use it deserves because of its viewing screen. Its a highly reflective surface and I want to look at the view not my face. I did have a little JJC pop up screen on it until yesterday when it fell off and broke but it didn't seem to make that much difference. So I was wondering if anybody had devised a satisfactory way of reducing the reflectivity of the screen. Thank you

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
My Semi-Retirement Shelf	LaurenOE	General Talk	16	12-04-2013 03:11 PM
Landscape Rock shelf	rod_grant	Photo Critique	3	01-19-2012 07:34 PM
See how lenses are made cradle to the shelf...	brecklundin	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	6	07-20-2009 01:51 AM
Winter Ice Shelf	navcom	Post Your Photos!	8	03-17-2009 01:37 PM
A sunset, or as close as I can get to one! (and a shelf)	cputeq	Post Your Photos!	3	06-08-2008 06:20 PM

10-23-2017, 06:58 AM	#2
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	I've used a LCD loupe with my K-01 for a couple of years in order to overcome the same issue. You lose some portability, but gain magnification and stability (face - third contact point).

10-23-2017, 07:18 AM - 1 Like	#3
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	I'm surprised about so many complaints about reflectivity of the LCD over the years. I have K-01 and used it in bright places like Alps, seaside, desert.. I rarely had problems with screen glare, so here are my tips: a) set screen brightness to maximum b) use a colour scheme that works best for you. The red scheme is great in low light conditions, the grey one is nice in everyday setting c) Position and angle yourself. You can almost always angle yourself so that your head casts shadow on LCD, or at least the gripping hand. Get closer or further d) Know that some conditions are more ideal that others and deal with it e) Wear a hat with a brim. This helped me that one time in a botanic garden around high noon on a hot summer day. Very bright conditions, but a brimmed hat (can be baseball hat, barret,, cowboy hat..) cast shadow on my face, so the face was no longer reflected in the LCD. f) Mount lens hood. Bright conditions are not ideal for any part of photography. Glare, flare, ghosting, bland landscapes because shadows don't give it texture, etc. Lens hood helps with some of those problems, but not all. Circular polarizer can help with some others. But I guess that is no longer about the LCD Edit: There are also tools like lcd hoods, lcd loupes, even some adhesive foils that claim to lower glare.. I never tried those personally, so I won't comment. But some people on this forum used them and posted threads about it

10-23-2017, 07:36 AM	#4
csa Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Montana mountains Posts: 10,133	I also don't use the Q as much because of the glare on the LCD screen, and will be interested in what others have used to help with this. There are many times I don't have a hat with me, and on a clear, bright day; no matter how you position yourself, you still cannot get a satisfactory view on the screen! Let's see some of the gadgets, folks!

10-23-2017, 07:39 AM	#5
barondla Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: midwest, United States Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,714	To add to the tips already posted, highly recommend wearing a black shirt. I also have a Matin hard screen cover on the Q that has antireflection coating that reduces reflections and protects the screen. Thanks, barondla

10-23-2017, 09:13 AM - 1 Like	#6
PenPusher Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ireland Posts: 1,048 Original Poster	Thanks lads for the advice. I can skip the black shirt though, its usually a black anorak with reflective stripe and boots and I already have the screen brightness whacked up as far as it will go. I have other small mirrorless cameras the screens on which do not present the same problems. A search on the European Union e-bay site for screen protectors brought up several thousand, adding Pentax Q to the search field reduced the number considerably and by further ticking the Matte/Anti-Glare box under features in the side bar brought it down to these two types offered in various quantities: 1. 2 x upscreen® Reflection Shield Matte Premium Screen Protector for Pentax Q @ €5.92 2. 2 x Mikvon AntiSun Screen Protector for Pentax Q @ €2.79 Having due regard to the family finances I've gone for the Mikvon, if it does't work I'll try the other one. cd

10-23-2017, 07:17 PM	#7
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,180	Originally posted by PenPusher I'm afraid my Q10 has not been getting the attention and use it deserves because of its viewing screen. Its a highly reflective surface and I want to look at the view not my face. I did have a little JJC pop up screen on it until yesterday when it fell off and broke but it didn't seem to make that much difference. So I was wondering if anybody had devised a satisfactory way of reducing the reflectivity of the screen. Three years ago at this time I was investigating purchasing a Q-7. By this date, then, I was down to finding solutions to several "issues" I had identified, including being able to see the screen in bright sun. I did purchase a Q-7 in December 2014; the picture below shows the two kits built about it. The birding kit {above} has a Hoodman clone which attaches to the tripod mount on the camera. The compact kit {below} has a collapsible Hoodman which I keep in place by friction between it and the camera,or by holding it somehow with fingers not otherwise in use.

10-24-2017, 01:32 AM	#8
PenPusher Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ireland Posts: 1,048 Original Poster	Originally posted by reh321 The birding kit {above} has a Hoodman clone which attaches to the tripod mount on the camera. The compact kit {below} has a collapsible Hoodman which I keep in place by friction between it and the camera,or by holding it somehow with fingers not otherwise in use. Thank you. I fully understand the birding kit, the extra lens length possible with the Q for birding was one of the reasons I bought one, its mostly sea birds around here who don't usually venture near the shore, I have a Chinese red dot thingy as well, you just get frozen while waiting for something to oblige as its usually November when they turn up en masse, geese mainly. However while I can understand the reasoning behind the compact kit I'm too much of a Barnack fan to go for it myself which is why I want to use the Q in more or less the same way one would have used the original Leica, light and portable for a quick shot. Probably doesn't make sense but that's the way I was looking at it. I have the 01, 02 and 06 lenses and I find them a pleasure to use, I would like the 08, just to round out the kit, it was never cheap but its price lately has gone through the roof. Kind Regards CD

10-24-2017, 05:04 AM	#9
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	To handle Arizona sun I always found it effective to just turn up the brightness on the LCD when I was outdoors.

10-24-2017, 08:40 AM	#10
CarlG Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 417	I own and use several Qs, and also find so many complaints about reflectivity of the LCD surprising. I am happy to use it in bright and low sun on snow and ice, in the mountains or at the seaside, etc.

10-24-2017, 10:57 AM	#11
PenPusher Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ireland Posts: 1,048 Original Poster	OK so there appear to be two groups of users, those who find the screen ok and those who do not so this begs the question were all Q's fitted with the same screen in all markets by the same screen maker. I have compacts by Ricoh, Fuji, Nikon and Samsung all of which have occasional readability problems in sunny weather, the only one I have problems with all the time is the Q which reflects in all weathers. Turning its screen up to maximum makes no difference. cd

10-24-2017, 11:57 AM	#12
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	Differing expectations, differing eyesight (with and without glasses), differing styles of shooting, different lenses, etc. We are all very different people. I prefer a viewfinder but the Q does not have one so I adjust. Not all cameras are for all people.

10-26-2017, 09:55 AM	#13
PenPusher Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ireland Posts: 1,048 Original Poster	Well the Mikvon screen protector has arrived and been tested with the 01, 02 and 06 lenses on the first partially sunny day in a good while. The package has two protectors which do exactly fit the screen without interfering with doors or buttons, a small applicator which is a thin square of plastic and a credit card sized microfibre cloth, it says there should not be air bubbles when correctly installed but it took me a couple of goes to get a clear installation. Firstly to my eyes it has completely removed the reflections so in that respect it is successful as you can see what you are looking at and not a reflection of your face and anything else which happens to be behind you but in order to do that it diffuses the screen image so that it looses a good bit of its sharpness and clarity. I found manual focussing with these lenses difficult. So it is a question of deciding which you find the more annoying, sharp reflections or a diffused image. I am debating with myself if the premium version would be an improvement. CD

10-26-2017, 11:05 PM	#14
barondla Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: midwest, United States Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,714	PenPusher your screen protection film sounds similar to non glare glass put over enlargements. Those always diffuse the image and reduce contrast. The Matin I have is a thick, rigid piece of material. It fits the Q so well people don't guess it is there. The surface is not diffused. It has coatings on it like a camera lens. If the upgrade you are looking at is multicoated it should be a true upgrade. If not it won't be worth it. There are other brands that also make coated protectors. Not saying this will make the Q immune to all sunlight, but it helps. I don't even use a hood on my Q. Never found one with low enough optical distortion. They bug me. Thanks barondla

12-02-2017, 03:43 PM	#15
abruzzi Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: New Mexico Posts: 788	I thought it would be useful for somone to make polarized glasses with adjustable polarization. They might look funny, but in some conditions they could block sunlight and glare but allow LCD light through. They would darken things so maybe they wouldnt work, but I'd be curious if they did. I guess i could try by holding a polarizing filter to my eye.