Washed out screen in sunlight on the beach

The UK has been experiencing uncharacteristic sunny days - and with the sea beckoning - I took my Acer down to Brighton Beach for the day. But I couldn't use it simply because I couldn't see the screen. Which ever way I turned it the display was washed right out by the sunlight.

I have experienced this with a smart phone - this too being unusable in even moderate sunlight.

Those small digital cameras sans view finder also have the same problem. They're useless in bright sunlight.

And a few year's a go I experienced this with a VERY expensive underwater camera - which only had an LCD screen at the back and no view finder. Even the sunlight on the water washed out the screen display, making shooting photos of fish and turtles a somewhat random affair.

So what's the solution to the Acer screen display problem? Does Maplin sell screen hoods, or would a simple cardboard cutout - say from a Kellogs packet - suffice? Or if I turn the brightness up to maximum would that not burn out the screen?

Thanks - CJB.

 

My screen's at 100% brightness whenever I'm using it, only dims when I've left it for a while. No ill effects of that here. Full brightness usually helps in daylight, but I have been thinking of making up some form of tinted sheath to go over it. The highly glossy and reflective faces on these monitors drives me nuts! I'd much rather watch my movie, than my own reflection.

 

I've heard that this glare and reflection affects ALL cameras, camcorders and laptops/netbooks that have a backlit LCD screen. It will certainly result in my never ever buying a digital SLR camera with a backlit LCD monitor screen. The 'solution' for digital cameras (movie and still) is to go for one with a viewfinder (preferably one with a sun hood). Unfortunately this is not the solution for a laptop / netbook. CJB.