G9 Extended Eyecup - photos and initial impressions

I received my G9 extended eyecup today from B&H. Here are some photos comparing it to the stock G9 eyecup:

The eyecup slides upwards for removal. Here's a photo of the backside:

My initial impressions (I haven't gone out shooting with it yet):

1. The greater depth isn't a problem for me in terms of using the EVF at full magnification. I thought it might be, as a result of moving my eye further from the EVF. I don't wear glasses when I shoot.

2. I'm not pleased right now with the size/shape/fit. It is so wide, and the cup's curve so deep (see the photos of it from above) that the left edge presses significantly into the side of my nose and bone around my eye socket (I'm a right-eye shooter). It is flexible rubber, but I don't like the sense that I have to use my face to push to deform the left edge of the eyecup to get a good fit. The alternatives are to back off a bit (which then lets a lot of light in from the right side), or turn my head a bit to the left so that the eyecup seals all around my eye, but then my face is not pointing the same direction as the camera (and that feels really weird and just is not going to work).

I thought about trimming some of the left edge with scissors, but it has a thicker rounded edge and it might become a bit sharp and uncomfortable if trimmed. I tried rolling it back on the left side, like this:

That actually made the fit and comfort just right! But it looks weird and doesn't stay that way for long.

This poor fit to my face surprises me, because the extended eyecups on my GX7 and GX8 work great for me. So I thought to shoot a couple comparison shots of the extended eyecups of the GX8 and G9:

You can see how much wider the G9's is than the GX8's. I think the curve is greater on the G9's as well.

I think Panasonic may have made this a little too wide. Or they shouldn't have made it symmetrical on the two sides, and instead made the left side extend backwards less than the right side. I suppose they would then have had to make a separate one for left-eye shooters.

Anyway, I'm going to try shooting with it, but right now I'm leaning towards returning it.

Thanks for posting. Like you i find the one for the gx8 useful. Will pass on this. Seems like  it's a solution that's worse than the problem .!

I'm struggling a little bit to understand why did you change in the first place.

I tried my G9 both with glasses and without and it was great in both cases at full magnification. Why would you change it?

The only camera for which I am considering buying an improved eyecup is the GX9 (on preorder now) - since if the original one is like on the GX85, then its hard to use in the sun. Once I receive my GX9 I will review the situation and make a decision (it may be that due to the tilting EVF, by simply looking downards I may be able to solve the light in my eyes, without adding the extra eyecup)

slartz wrote:

I'm struggling a little bit to understand why did you change in the first place.

I tried my G9 both with glasses and without and it was great in both cases at full magnification. Why would you change it?

Two reasons:

1. I could probably have continued using the stock eyecups on my GX7 and GX8 without thinking they were deficient, but once I bought and used the extended eyecups for those cameras, I found them a significant improvement. I anticipated that the same might be true for the G9.  If you've only ever tasted coffee at McDonalds and find it satisfactory, you might fail to understand why anyone would pay more for a cup at a good coffee shop.

2. Brian Wadie spoke highly of it, here: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/60762830 Reading his comment again now, I note more clearly what he says about pressing his head firmly against the soft rubber to seal out the light.  That apparently works better for him than for me.