Delkin Devices, Inc., maker of premium quality eFilm® memory cards and other innovative digital photography products, today introduced its new line of innovative eFilm® Pop-Up Shades™. Pop-Up Shades are LCD screen protective covers, which double as glare guards. These sturdy, lightweight covers are easily installed (and removed), protect a digital camera’s expensive LCD screen in the closed position, and pop up to provide easier viewing of the display in bright sunlight. Delkin begins shipping Pop-Up Shades to camera store dealers and distributors worldwide today, and the product is now available to the public at www.delkin.com.

The first shipments of 11 eFilm Pop-Up Shade models cover the most popular Digital SLR and point and shoot cameras. Delkin intends to introduce over 100 models during the next eight weeks, and plans to introduce models for new cameras within 30 days of the camera’s introduction. Pop-Up Shades differ from alternatives on the market, being made with hard impact plastic that snaps shut over the camera’s LCD screen. Unlike other “one size fits all” LCD hoods on the market that fold or are designed with a bellows look, Pop-Up Shades are designed specifically for every individual camera model. Every Pop-Up shade snaps into place with the flick of a finger to shade the screen from bright light.

President and CEO, Martin J. Wood said his personal experiences were a big part of the decision to introduce the product. “We’re very excited to bring these simple but indispensable products to the digital camera market. It seems we all know someone who purchased a digital point and shoot camera, and in a matter of days found the LCD had cracked. Even if you’re careful, it can happen in your camera bag or purse. Most camera or chain stores report the manufacturer will not cover the cost under the warranty. When you hear a repair estimate close to what you paid for the camera, you end up throwing your expensive camera away.”

Research revealed scratched or cracked LCD screens are not rare on recently purchased digital cameras, and the issue is a sore topic of discussion in user groups and forums. Even the top camera brands have this problem. Consumers feel they take reasonable care of their cameras, and are convinced the LCD screens are too vulnerable and should be replaced if cracked or scratched. Manufacturers disagree, and quote up to $200 or more to replace the LCD screen even on an inexpensive model. Result? Lots of unhappy people.

Most cameras come with some kind of protective cap, which is often quickly lost because it must be removed to see the camera’s LCD. Since most LCD screens are not glass, they are especially vulnerable to scratches or impact force. When closed, the Pop-Up Shade keeps the screen safe from scratches, dirt, spills, oil from the photographer’s hands, and the kind of knocks a camera receives in a camera bag or purse.

“The glare guard is what makes Pop-Up Shade a real innovation,” said Wood. “Who hasn’t had trouble trying to take a picture in the sunlight because the glare washed out the view on the camera’s LCD? Photographers have to move around, maybe lose the optimum angle for a shot, or don’t know if they even got a useable image. We decided to offer a solution to both the LCD screen protection and glare in one inexpensive product.”

Using the Pop-Up Shade is a snap. The cover easily pops up to form a little three sided canopy over the LCD to diminish glare, and folds right back down when you’re finished. A camera grade, optically clear glass (itself protected with a clear protective film cover to prevent shipping scratches) continues to guard the LCD screen when the shade is up.