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This is a personal review for the H-EYEC22 for Canon 1D MARK III & 1DS MARK III models.

I have been using the H-EYEC22 on my EOS 1D Mark III for a little over a year now.  On a 5-Stay scale I give the product a 4.5 star rating.

First and foremost, the HoodEye does EXACTLY what it says it will do.  If you put your eye/face into the HoodEye properly (read on) all external light is blocked from your view of the viewfinder.  This makes the viewfinder much easier to read and gives you a much more connected feel with your camera.  One of the “problems” I have had with the 1D Mark III and the ultra-large 3″ LCD screen is getting nose grease on the screen.  Again, when the HoodEye is used properly it not only backs your face off from the back of the camera a bit, it also turns your head enough that most noses will probably no longer hit the screen…at least mine doesn’t.

I’ve touched on pretty much the only reason that prevented the HoodEye from getting 5 stars: putting your eye and face into the HoodEye is a requirement for it to work properly, and in some cases this can be a huge adjustment.  If you are used to looking straight on through your viewfinder you will need a period of adjustment.  To really get your eye into the cup properly you’ll need to turn your head to the left or right at an angle to the back of the camera body.  Once you get used to this and it becomes second nature it’s really no longer an issue.  Also, since most of your eyebrow ends up inside the cup, sweat transferral is inevitable.  During the summer months you’ll probably want to carry a small cloth to wipe it off.  The cup itself is made of a soft flexible rubber which is comfortable and cleans easily.

The HoodEye rotates for both left and right users.  It rotates fully around the mounting ring, so you can also turn it 1/4 of a turn for vertical shots.

Mounting the HoodEye is simple, and HoodMan provides videos on their site to help you make sure you get it right.  I’ve never taken my HoodEye off after installing it, although removal seems relatively simple.

The product is well made and solid and feels like it belongs on the camera…not a cheap aftermarket part made to fit a wide range of camera models but a quality accessory made specifically for your brand of camera.

Overall I think the H-EYEC22 is worth every bit of the $30 I paid for it, and I’m sure you can find them cheaper at various online outlets.  Once you get used to it, it does a great job of making your camera viewfinder easy to read, and in the case of the Canon 1D series it helps get your face away from the LCD screen a bit: in both cases it makes your camera more enjoyable to use, which is worth a minor $30 investment.

http://www.hoodmanusa.com/prodinfo.asp?number=H%2DEYEC22