Recently I saw a message over on the Pentax Forums where a photographer had dropped their camera and like the buttered side of toast hitting the floor, it smacked right onto the LCD and that was that. The camera worked, but without the LCD it’s almost impossible to do anything.
Someone suggested to them a screen protector from ACMAXX Inc. called “LCD Armor” might have prevented the damage. Seeing the sad photos of the cracked LCD, I looked up the product and ordered one for my Pentax K-5 immediately. It just arrived a few moments ago and installation was a snap. For the K-5 it includes two protectors: one for the main LCD and one for the top screen as well. To install, simply clean off the LCD (I used a microfiber cloth), peel the backing off the protector and set it in place. Press firmly around the edges and then pull off the front plastic and voila. You’re all set!
LCD Armor is made of hard polycarbonate and features an ultraviolet, low reflection coating. They claim the surface hardness is over 2.5x that of your regular LCD coating and resists scratching.
The generic or Universal versions are rectangular and come in six sizes: 2.4″, 2.5″, 2.55″, 2.7″, 2.8″ and 3.0″. The proprietary models for DSLRs (Canon, Nikon, Pentax to name a few) are custom made to integrate with your camera’s design.
One minor thing I noticed on the K-5 version was that attaching it in alignment with the LCD screen, the LCD Armor’s black decorative trim around the edge cut off the bottom of the “PENTAX” logo under the LCD. Again just a minor annoyance but could have been remedied by not including the trim detail.Before you worry that you’re permanently altering your camera, the LCD Armor Protector is completely removeable. Just heat the edge with a hair dryer for 30 seconds and remove with your fingernail.
I’m not about to whack my camera with a hammer or drop it to test the claims of ACMAXX about their product. I will rely on the anecdotal evidence that I’ve read from satisfied users of the product who have inadvertently put it to the test. That said, the peace of mind that your LCD is protected is more than worth the $20 cost.
For more information on which models are available and how to purchase, visit ACMAXX.
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