Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood - for 2.7" Diameter LCD Monitor on Sony HVR-A1U camcorder

Comments about Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood:

I use this for my independent filmmaking on a Panasonic AG HMC40. It fits the screen perfectly without covering any of the viewing area. A little more area at the bottom to allow access to the manual buttons would have been nice but are seldom an issue during production. Also a simple sheet instruction on how to fold would have been nice, but it only takes a few minutes of fiddling with it to figure it out. Very nice, simple product that really adds a nice touch to my camera package.

Comments about Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood:

at first i thought this was just for show. but as i was recording events, i couldn't get my eye out of it. it removes distractions and helped me see exactly what i will see in the videw, versus w/o it, i'd be watching the event more than the lcd. good price.
as a beginner, it didn't come with instructions. i'm kinda tech savvy but still took awhile to put it together as a first time user. as an engineer, i believe manuals are important regardless of simplicity, for all users.
not that easy to put on. my lcd has a joystick, and one has to be careful or may damage it upon continuous application. however, once applied, it doesn't cover the joystick and side buttons.

Comments about Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood:

Ok. It comes to you with no directions. It looks like a mask with a piece of cardboard attached to it. Good thing I didnt throw the cardboard out. I'm thinking.... what in the world... well, after reading a bit of reviews and playing around with it , I figured it out. The thing kind of folds into itself. You will see a piece of velcro - and then hidden (under two straps on the side are 2 more velcro) - take the cardboard piece and shove it behind the two straps. (the strap holds it down and it sticks to the velcro.)and Viola! you have your hood. I hope this help everyone.. Once I had it assembled I thought it was great! Good luck to you. - oh and I have the Sony HVR HD IOOOU

Comments about Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood:

It was recommended to me for my low end, 350 USD video camera.It came in a bag with no instructions, nor package content, nor warnings. This kind of stuff usually get BBB's attention.It has two pieces that seam to attach together with Velcro, but then is only one spot for it?!?!?!It supposes to shelter the LCD screen from direct sunlight. How in the world you use it on a compact camera (the size of a palm) without being in the way of any of the control buttons? It supposes to be universal. Take out of this statement my two cameras that I've tried it on.I couldn't figure it out how it works. My friends gave a shot at it with same results. I guess it might work with higher end equipment. [...]I'll turn it into a social game for my 2009-2010 New Year's Party to put my money to use.Therefore it has a great hidden entertainment value.

Comments about Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood:

I bought this hood to use on my Sony HDR-HC9, making the LCD screen more useful for framing the shot when outside in bright sunlight.

It requires a little bit of oregami type work to figure out how it assembles, but once assembled it makes perfect sense.

It is a little hard putting on and requires a little patience, but that is in part because it fits nice and snugly.

But once on it fits, and works, perfectly though one should be aware that any controls on the frame immediatly surrounding the LCD are now blocked by the hood.

As an example, on my HC9 on the outer left portion of the LCD frame are three buttons for zoom in, zoom out, and start/stop. Access to these buttons is blocked by the hood. As those controls are available elsewhere on the camera it is not a big deal to me.

Comments about Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood:

Adequate for blocking out the glare. To see monitor clearly...

Comments about Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood:

This is a perfect fit to my HC9. I can now use the LCD screen outdoors in bright sun with no problems. Actually works better than I was expecting.

Comments about Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood:

I put the PMH hood on my Sony HVR-A1u (after I got it folded correctly). Its a specific fit so line it up carefully or you'll cover part of your screen. It made life a lot easier during a bright July afternoon covering an outdoor event. I didn't have to squint at the screen or resort to the viewfinder. On the downside, its easy to bump it out of place while setting up a shot or adjusting other gear. It overbalances the screen just slightly, enough to make it 'click' past the detent. It took a minute to unfold/fold/and install, but bright guys like you won't have any problems.

Comments about Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood:

Give great light blockage plus gives a professional look and build. Collaspsible and light weight. Does limit viewing angle when some accessories are attached to camera hot shoe. Still a good item to own

Comments about Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood:

I use this hood on my HV30 and it is a perfect fit blocking out external light so that I can see a nice, crisp image on the lcd. It flattens for easy storage and can be assembled in seconds, once you practice a few times.

Comments about Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood:

Clips & velcro make for quick assembly, though the elastic tension straps made me feel like I had to take my time slipping it onto the LCD screen for concern of stressing the LCDs connection to the camera. The hoods a little deep, so I use a wooden stylus to access the touch menu feature on the LCD. With these in mind, the hood works like a charm and you can't beat the price.

Comments about Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood:

I use it on my Canon XH-A1 and love it...

Comments about Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood:

It's a bit of a pain to get on the LCD, but works fine once on.

Comments about Petrol PMH-A1U Micro Hood:

This isn't a fancy product, but it is useful. I'm rating 4/5 ... an extra star would have been added if it had better instructions. It's a bit of a puzzle-box but it's not hard to setup after a few tries.