Originally posted by jon404 I tried a Clearviewer on my Olympus XZ-1, and sent it back. Two reasons -- first, it didn't stop strong sun glare on bright sunny days. Second, its main effect was to magnify the screen pixels, which was no help to me, as I am nearsighted, and could see them well enough to start with.
As I mentioned in another reply, when I hold my Q and view through the clearviewer, I follow the suggestion to shield the screen by placing my hand to shield the screen. It actually is better than trying the same with the camera held away from my in the "dirty diaper hold".
The key for this to work is that I am able to hold the camera up to my eye. I am also nearsighted, but wear glasses to correct my presbyopia. With the clearviewer, I can hold my Q up to my eye. It is more stable and with a baseball hat and/or my left hand, I can shield the LCD from the glare and it is quite useful outside. The second key is the good image stabilization and autofocus.
The reason I like the clearviewer is that the tripod socket mount version can fold making it very easy to carry. See my pictures of the Q with clearviewer in the clearviewer thread in the Pentax Q forum. Otherwise, the hoodman style is MUCH better since the LCD is shaded. It is also more bulky.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-q/217892-clearviewer.html
This thread proves that Pentax made a significant error is designing the Q and the K-01 without an optional or integrated EVF. Pentax is not alone in this human interface error. Look at the Nikon J1/J2/J3/S1, the Canon S90/S100/S110 and EOS-M, the Panasonic GF-3, and the Sony RX-100.
Sony corrected their design error when they updated the Nex 5 to 5n, introduced the NEX F3, NEX 7 and NEX 6. They also continue to err with the new NEX 3n.
Olympus err'd with the Pen EP1, but all micro fourthirds PENs since then have had an EVF option as well as the XZ-1 and XZ-2. The XZ-2 is notable since it has the accessory port for the accessory EVF, but the nearly identical Pentax MX-1 does not. Pentax continues to introduce cameras without the option for an EVF. This is very frustrating. In fact, the VF2 EVF used by olympus is identical to the EVF being offered for the new Leica M type 240 (and the Olympus EVF will operate when attached to the Leica.