Canon 5d mkii - where to buy a rear body cap?

Hi

Would anyone know where I could buy a rear body cap/cover for my canon 5d mkii, to attach at the back where you put your eye to take the photos?

I do not ever remember ever having one in the box when my camera was new and now that I have a remote control I think its a good idea to have that rear eye body cap attached.

I looked everywhere online and cannot seem to find one for sale.

Any suggestions would be great.
C.

On the thin part of the strap there is a little rubbery thing that can slide back and forth - on careful examination you'll see it has little grooves on it to slide over the eyepiece.

Can't lose it!

I just looked and you are right. It is attached to the strap but I do not know how to put it on the eye viewer. The cover is tiny to fit and stay where its supposed to stay.

I have to check youtube to see how I can make the cover stay on...

victorian squid said:

On the thin part of the strap there is a little rubbery thing that can slide back and forth - on careful examination you'll see it has little grooves on it to slide over the eyepiece.

Can't lose it!

Click to expand...

I got it.
The eye piece comes off and you stick the little plastic cover on.
Well that is a bit of a nuisance having to take the camera eye piece off... hmmm

thanks Victorian for the help ;P

the rubber surround over the eyepiece comes off - slides off I should say - and the little guy on your strap slides on in place of it. Just don't misplace the rubber surround while you're shooting!

It's in the owner's manual, I promise!

They're all the same - it's something that doesn't get used all that often (long exposures) so they haven't improved it much since film days.

I carry a roll of black vinyl electrician's tape in my bag. Works great. It's opaque, leaves no residue, and is disposable. It's handy for many things.

Haha, funny I have a roll right next to me.

Did not try it out but if it leaves no residue then I am more than happy to use it )

DotCom Editor said:

I carry a roll of black vinyl electrician's tape in my bag. Works great. It's opaque, leaves no residue, and is disposable. It's handy for many things.

Click to expand...

When I want to block light from entering the viewer I put my thumb over the eyepiece. I always have my thumb handy ; )

For decades all the stuff I've had and used for electrical work has GOBS of adhesive and leaves terrible black residue on every and anything - that's the idea! It's supposed to hold and insulate and never come off!

Now, the black photographic tape on the other hand (like very expensive masking tape) is a lot closer - but harder to find.

Is there some brand out there I've never seen or heard about? I'm most used to 3M (rubber or vinyl).

I also put my thumb over the eyepiece. You only need to cover it before the mirror goes up. Just be sure not to jiggle the camera when you do it.

I am a long time Canon guy, and plan to remain so, so no flaming please But as someone who does a lot of long exposure photography (including astrophotography) I really envy the dedicated little viewfinder manual shutter that my friend has on his D700. It is way easier to deal with than the canon solution, and does not require you to remove (and then keep track of) anything else.

I only mention it here in the hopes of getting more Canonites to start lobbying for a similar feature on a future Canon DSLR. it is not a big enough deal to cause me to switch systems obviously , but it WOULD be nice. In the dark I have spent a couple minutes looking for the viewfinder eyecup thingie when it was placed in a stupid place in the heat of taking images. Not fun. especially when it is cold outside.

ML

Costs just a couple of dollars at Home Depot, or probably anyplace else. I use the stuff all the time when I'm out on jobs. Works great for me.

CameraCarl said:

I also put my thumb over the eyepiece. You only need to cover it before the mirror goes up. Just be sure not to jiggle the camera when you do it.

Click to expand...

The thumb idea is good when you are close to the camera but when you take pics in a group using a remote control then you cannot use your thumb any more.

I started using Canon a couple of years ago and I am trying to build up my gear collection - starting with a flash, cleaning products, remote control etc...

And at the same time I am learning how to use this camera by reading the David Busch's 5D mkii DSLR guide. Its a slow process and I envy those people who take amazing pics without referring to a book because they remember everything about its functions. I have already take some very nice photos thanks to the auto function PP (kidding!) and some of the knowledge I have learnt from DB's guide.

Mike you are right, canon could make it simpler for us by adding those little nifty things like your friend has on his D700.

The electrician tape does not sound too bad when you really need it. We make do with what we have I guess.

Also the lens cap can be misplaced easily. So I am going to make a little tiny hole (in around the edge of its border somewhere - without damaging it) on the side and put a string through it and attach it to the camera belt so I do not keep misplacing it. Canon could have done this for us for free. At the moment I attached 2 round velcro bits on the outside of the cap and I stick it to the camera belt when I take pics, but it could fall off when I am not careful.

mikeyL said:

I am a long time Canon guy, and plan to remain so, so no flaming please But as someone who does a lot of long exposure photography (including astrophotography) I really envy the dedicated little viewfinder manual shutter that my friend has on his D700. It is way easier to deal with than the canon solution, and does not require you to remove (and then keep track of) anything else.

I only mention it here in the hopes of getting more Canonites to start lobbying for a similar feature on a future Canon DSLR. it is not a big enough deal to cause me to switch systems obviously , but it WOULD be nice. In the dark I have spent a couple minutes looking for the viewfinder eyecup thingie when it was placed in a stupid place in the heat of taking images. Not fun. especially when it is cold outside.

ML

Click to expand...

The 1 series (currently 1ds and 1d have a lever at the side of the eyepiece that closes a shutter over the viewfinder. Don't know why EOS cameras like the 5D and 7D don't have them.

Cristina B said:

I just looked and you are right. It is attached to the strap but I do not know how to put it on the eye viewer. The cover is tiny to fit and stay where its supposed to stay.

Click to expand...

Canon explains how to use it. It's in your user manual

Cristina B said:

I have to check youtube to see how I can make the cover stay on...

Click to expand...

My god read your freakin' user manual! Something tells me you are probably age 24 or younger right? You'd rather ask and search the internet instead of read the manual that CAME with your product that HAS the answer! The future is doomed.

mikeyL said:

I am a long time Canon guy, and plan to remain so, so no flaming please But as someone who does a lot of long exposure photography (including astrophotography) I really envy the dedicated little viewfinder manual shutter that my friend has on his D700. It is way easier to deal with than the canon solution, and does not require you to remove (and then keep track of) anything else.

Click to expand...

Canon provides that, but on more expensive models. You get what you pay for. The 1-series has the built-in viewfinder shutter. My EOS-1v has it.

RedFox88 said:

mikeyL said:

I am a long time Canon guy, and plan to remain so, so no flaming please But as someone who does a lot of long exposure photography (including astrophotography) I really envy the dedicated little viewfinder manual shutter that my friend has on his D700. It is way easier to deal with than the canon solution, and does not require you to remove (and then keep track of) anything else.

Click to expand...

Canon provides that, but on more expensive models. You get what you pay for. The 1-series has the built-in viewfinder shutter. My EOS-1v has it.

Click to expand...

Cameras I have, with viewfinder shutter included are A-1, EOS-1VHS, EOS-1D series.
(EOS-3 had the cover-on-the-strap)
Chris.

The manual is hard to read and boring. Besides I like to hear others' opinions which some people do offer freely and kindly. So I asked a particular question and people have been nice enough to share some hints and tips which makes the experience more fun, and they do not always exist in a tiny book (btw I hate reading the tiny canon guide) . Internet interaction is ok in my opinion, after all that is what this website is about.

..so for example the electrician's black tape - is not in the manual - I am glad I found out about it. Now what? Do you feel smart for commenting about my possible age? My lack of camera experience? I do not care - lol ... we all have to start somewhere but you were probably born with all this intelligence and talent that you have a need to belittle people.

Screw yourself foxyTroll.... and get off my thread ....

RedFox88 said:

Cristina B said:

I just looked and you are right. It is attached to the strap but I do not know how to put it on the eye viewer. The cover is tiny to fit and stay where its supposed to stay.

Click to expand...

Canon explains how to use it. It's in your user manual

RedFox88 said:

I have to check youtube to see how I can make the cover stay on...

Click to expand...

My god read your freakin' user manual! Something tells me you are probably age 24 or younger right? You'd rather ask and search the internet instead of read the manual that CAME with your product that HAS the answer! The future is doomed.

Click to expand...