Here's a couple of differences Letus has come up with since first introducing their Hawk VF DSLR View finder. The earliest model came in a Carbon Fiber body with a hard mounted camera belly plate. The original Hawk VF was also designed for the normal 3" LCD found on the Canon 5D Mark II, 7D, and for other cameras with a similar sized LCD. The new Hawk VF lineup now comes in both Carbon Fiber and a black Aluminum body (I like the black Aluminum), has added more products to meet the correct size of the Canon T2i 3/2 LCD size (or even Canon 60D). The new lineup of Hawk VF's also come with a Quick Release belly plate to make using your camera in both video mode and photography mode quite easy by removing the Hawk VF. If you're rocking the battery pack on a Canon 5DM2 or 7D, there's an optional adapter for that too. I don't think these LCD's were ever marketed towards Canon 60D owners, but I found it perfect for mine. With the Canon 60D's swivel screen, you can see why i'm using this setup instead of sticky metal frames normally used with other view finders. I'm still able to flip the LCD backwards into the camera to protect the glass. I like the hard mount that keeps it from falling off, and the quick release option should I need to swing out the LCD or use the camera's eyepiece for Photography.
Aluminum Letus Hawk VF
The Hawk VF's plate has a flush mounting screw to hold onto the camera, and still allow threads for to mount your tripods quick release plate (should you need one). This same plate is also designed to work with the ever growing accessories from Letus like the Rod system, and DSLR cages. The Letus design also allows you to migrate from one body to the next simply by removing the glass eyepiece, should you decide to use it on a different camera with a different size LCD, or if you want to change out the 'finish' of the VF from Carbon Fiber to the Aluminum version. It's a fine crafted piece of equipment that won't ever see landfill that's for sure. This materials used on the VF make this a solid product to take any type of abuse you can throw at it and should last you for years. You can check out more about Letus and the DSLR accessories over at https://LetusDSLR.com or even hit them up at their Twitter @letusdirect.
Emm
Post author@Richard - The 7D and 5D have the same size LCD so they would use the same Hawk. The 550D / T2i has a wider LCD so it would use the 3:2 hawk.
Richard
Correction:
They are no single 7d version of the trusMT.
It seems that maybe the 550d 600d versions or the 5d version is working for the 7d. Maybe you should google before buying.
Richard
Hello,
I also bought the Clone Letus by TrusMT.
Great piece - i saved 230 Dollars.
There different versions from TrusMT:
* for 550d 600d 60d
* for 7d
* for 5d
*one version with adjustable Baseplate
Letus versions have a quick release and have adjustable baseplate.
Shipping to germany cost me additional tax + customs fees and so it was around 150 Euros for me.
Still cheap!
Svean
Just bought one - its an OEM version of the Letus because Trusmt is manufacturing them for Letus. The Difference is that the Letus Hawk has better dslr compatibility due to a adjustable baseplate while the trusmt version are fixed to only one kind of camera (5d/7d versions, 550d T2i 600d t3i versions or GH1 version).
Payed 100 Dollars and its nice.
Emm
Post author@Cameron Magee - They are both solid view finders. I know Letus makes one to fit the 60D Wide LCD screen, the Zacuto I think only makes for a 3" square version which might have a bit of crop on each side.
Cameron Magee
Would you pick this one over the Z-Finder for the 60D? 🙂 thank you!
Emm
Post author@spaceflows - The Base plate was in the standard position under the camera. I did not flip the LCD out. I'm not sure the LCD is strong enough to support a view finder, especially when you lean in on it. I think the swivel could break.
spaceflows
@ Emm- How exactly did you connect this to your 60D articulating LCD? I'm a righty who's left eye dominant, so I'd like to be able to flip out the screen when shooting and use an LCDVF. How do you keep the Hawk attached to the screen? Or, do you not flip it out?
Thanks!
xlerate
@Jason, Thanks.
I did buy an LCD glass protector, not sure if it is the $20 one you are referencing, but I paid about $6 on eBay for one that sits without any crop on my T2i LCD. It does not seem that it sits that far off of the LCD to help that much, but I will check when I get home.
Do you have a link to that screen protector?
This is the one I got, that is a perfect fit: https://goo.gl/zNgvu
btw, only sometimes I come back to check the comments, but I am on twitter @xlerate also.
Thanks
Jason
@xlerate look into em's article about the LCD glass protector. In combination with the LCDVF clone, because it brings it back a bit, it actually lines up perfectly and no longer crops the t2i screen. You should check it out as it's only $20 and is cheaper then for you to send it back. Also it allows you to epoxy or put the metal frames on the protector rather than directly on the camera body..
xlerate
I made the mistake of getting the LCDVF Clone for my T2i before reading all of the comments. It has a noticeable crop as it was designed for the 5D/7D.
Attempting to send it back was going to cost me $27 in overseas shipping.. WTH? (It's for sale cheap 😉
I've noticed that the T2i LCD VF clones are not playing catchup with quick-release. I am hoping this changes soon.
The prices on the Letus flat out kill me.
$375?
Emm
Post author@Jason - The quick release is standard now.
Jason
sorry for the double post, but I can't tell. Does it come with the quick release plate now? It doesn't say anything in the description....do I have to buy it separate? $89 wow.
Jason
lovely article. i don't think i'm going to buy a clone LCDVF anymore...I've always had my heard set on one of these..and now there is a t2i specific one? DROOOL.
any word on an extender frame for the t2i+ battery? like they got for the 5dm2/7d ?