Short Lens Hoods for Telephotos / Zemlin

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nmerc_photos

nmerc_photos

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Apologies if there's a good discussion on this already. I searched, and only found two threads that were mostly discussing pricing and brands.

What I'm interested in knowing - is for those of you with short hoods - do you actually find ~$250+ in value per lens? If so, how?

Does it actually make the lens pack any easier into a backpack? Do you find the reduced length or weight significant for some reason? Do you buy it just because the OEM hoods are so expensive to replace?

And if you do find the short hoods worth the money, how do you decide which length to use? It looks like my OEM hoods are around ~5.85" each, and I see options as short as 1.97".

  1. Easier to pack into backpack - from what I can see, most, if not all of the hoods are actually WIDER than OEM. This would lead me to believe there's no gain there - perhaps even a loss?
  2. Reduced weight - negligible, no?
  3. Reduced length - perhaps valuable in windy conditions? easier to maneuver in vehicles?
  4. OEM hood expensive - I think this one makes the most sense. Better to replace a $200 short hood than a $1000 OEM one if needed.
  5. Length - ??
Any and all feedback is appreciated.

Thinking specifically to my Z400TC and Z800PF if anyone has pics of those lens with short hoods, especially when packed for airline travel.

TIA!
 
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I bought a short Zemlin for my 800PF so that I could fit it into my Mindshift 36L in shooting position, mounted to camera. Also, I like the reduced length in the field, gives the rig a more nimble and maneuverable feel in hand.

For my other lenses, I use OEM, see no need to replace them with an expensive aftermarket piece that serves the same exact purpose.
 
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I consider using a hood essential for all my lenses. To prevent lens flare. And most importantly to protect the front element of the lens from damage. That said, using a somewhat shorter hood would be a reasonable compromise. If that's what you would like to do, then consider the very good hoods available from Zemlin Photo at zemlinphoto.com. He makes hoods for the Z400TC and the Z800 PF that are shorter, the same size and longer than the hoods supplied by Nikon for those lenses.
 
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MatthewK said:
I bought a short Zemlin for my 800PF so that I could fit it into my Mindshift 36L in shooting position, mounted to camera. Also, I like the reduced length in the field, gives the rig a more nimble and maneuverable feel in hand.

For my other lenses, I use OEM, see no need to replace them with an expensive aftermarket piece that serves the same exact purpose.
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which length hood did you go with? can you post pics of it inside and outside the backpack for reference?

I agree I'm only interested in potentially using them on the big, long primes.

Ivan Rothman said:
I consider using a hood essential for all my lenses. To prevent lens flare. And most importantly to protect the front element of the lens from damage. That said, using a somewhat shorter hood would be a reasonable compromise. If that's what you would like to do, then consider the very good hoods available from Zemlin Photo at zemlinphoto.com. He makes hoods for the Z400TC and the Z800 PF that are shorter, the same size and longer than the hoods supplied by Nikon for those lenses.
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Agree, I always use a lens hood. I just see many people using the shorter-than-OEM ones, and I wanted to see if it was just a fashion trend or if it really provided noticeable value.
 
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I bought the Z 800 PF when it came out and got a Zemlin lens cap and two-piece lens hood for it. The two-piece version I bought is the same length as the original Nikon hood. When I want a short hood, I use the first piece (and Zemlin now makes a piece to put on the end of the first piece of a two-piece lens hood to make the outer edge the same as a regular Zemlin hood). When I want a longer hood -- which is most of the time -- I use both pieces. The hood can be reversed on the lens -- this may or may not fit in your camera bag, depending.

The two pieces nest together, making them easier to fit in my duffel or other checked luggage where I typically put them for travel.

I recently bought the Z 400 mm TC lens. Great lens, but even more of a beast than the Z 800 mm PF. I have again ordered a Zemlin lens cap and a two-piece lens hood for it. I have not received them yet.

The mount for a Zemlin lens hood is a bit different for the Z 800 mm PF than it is for the Z 400 mm TC lens. I believe that Karl Zemlin has videos on this website that show how they are installed.

I like the Zemlin lens caps for the big Nikon lenses. And I like the Zemlin hoods for my longer telephotos. I have also bought Zemlin hoods for some of my lenses that are longer than the Nikon supplied hood for more protection in rain, snow and salt spray.
 
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Agree on the Zemlin cap for the 800PF as well. With that + the short hood reversed, I can fit the bare lens in my Backlight 26L, so if I want to travel with just the 800PF, I don't have to take the kitchen sink 36L.

Requested pic of Z8 + 800PF w/ short Zemlin hood, in the Backlight 36L. 186 is the other lens, and the Zemlin cap for the 800PF is in the compartment top-right.

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MatthewK said:
Agree on the Zemlin cap for the 800PF as well. With that + the short hood reversed, I can fit the bare lens in my Backlight 26L, so if I want to travel with just the 800PF, I don't have to take the kitchen sink 36L.

Requested pic of Z8 + 800PF w/ short Zemlin hood, in the Backlight 36L. 186 is the other lens, and the Zemlin cap for the 800PF is in the compartment top-right.
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looks good! which length hood did you get?

I need to pickup a Mindshift 36L, but I can't stomach paying $300 for another bag when I have so many... hoping a used one pops up eventually
 
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nmerc_photos said:
looks good! which length hood did you get?

I need to pickup a Mindshift 36L, but I can't stomach paying $300 for another bag when I have so many... hoping a used one pops up eventually
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The MS 36L is a nice bag just buy it and added to the collection. I have 12 and counting............ Check Facebook marketplace, they do pop up sometimes at a great price.
 
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I have the shorter lens hood for both the 400tc, and 600tc so that I can carry the lens in the backpack with the camera attached, and the hood in the shooting position. I have noticed that on several occasions the weight of the lens/camera pressing on the hood caused it to push past the retaining ring on one side causing it to be lopsided on the lens taking a bit of effort to remove. If this continues to be a problem I'll switch to the reverse position. I can't comment on air travel, I always travel by vehicle in anywhere in the US, and Canada. All overseas trips are touring with my wife, not photo shoots. Typically taking one body and a short zoom lens.
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mdirvin said:
I have the shorter lens hood for both the 400tc, and 600tc so that I can carry the lens in the backpack with the camera attached, and the hood in the shooting position. I have noticed that on several occasions the weight of the lens/camera pressing on the hood caused it to push past the retaining ring on one side causing it to be lopsided on the lens taking a bit of effort to remove. If this continues to be a problem I'll switch to the reverse position. I can't comment on air travel, I always travel by vehicle in anywhere in the US, and Canada. All overseas trips are touring with my wife, not photo shoots. Typically taking one body and a short zoom lens.
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which bag is that? and which length(s) short hoods do you have?
 
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You can pick the length of the hood depending upon how you shoot. Into the sun, try a longer hood to reduce flare. In windy conditions, try a shorter lens hood to have less of a sail.
 
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RichF said:
You can pick the length of the hood depending upon how you shoot. Into the sun, try a longer hood to reduce flare. In windy conditions, try a shorter lens hood to have less of a sail.
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I'm not really interested in wrapping thousands of dollars into multiple hoods, not to mention all of the extra space and weight that would take.

It would seem the OEM's made their hood as they did for some intended design, so I'm trying to understand if there are benefits to the shorter hoods - and if there are any limitations to those benefits.
 
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nmerc_photos said:
I'm not really interested in wrapping thousands of dollars into multiple hoods, not to mention all of the extra space and weight that would take.

It would seem the OEM's made their hood as they did for some intended design, so I'm trying to understand if there are benefits to the shorter hoods - and if there are any limitations to those benefits.
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That's one benefit of the two-piece hoods. Longer with both pieces. Shorter with one piece. And they nest together to take less space for storage of plane travel.
 
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BillW said:
That's one benefit of the two-piece hoods. Longer with both pieces. Shorter with one piece. And they nest together to take less space for storage of plane travel.
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the nesting takes up less space than having it fully built, but still more space than OEM or a single short hood though, correct?

looking at the Zemlin specs, the two-piece hoods are almost 10% wider than the short hoods

I thought about the two piece hoods, but it seems like they would end up being more time and difficulty than they're worth. maybe I'm wrong though.
 
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nmerc_photos said:
the nesting takes up less space than having it fully built, but still more space than OEM or a single short hood though, correct?

looking at the Zemlin specs, the two-piece hoods are almost 10% wider than the short hoods

I thought about the two piece hoods, but it seems like they would end up being more time and difficulty than they're worth. maybe I'm wrong though.
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Whether a nested two-piece hood takes more space depends on the measurement you are interested in. A two-piece hood is a bit wider in diameter, nested or with both pieces being used. On the other hand, the nested pair is shorter (and I think encloses less volume) than the OEM hood, so it is easier to pack in my duffel for air travel. I could have just gotten a shorter hood, but there are times I prefer something longer or at least the length of the OEM hood.

For my Z 800 mm PF, I tend to pack the two-piece hood in my duffel for plane travel, rather than reversed on the lens. Helps keep my backpack a bit thinner for overhead bins or under a seat. I expect I will do the same with the two-piece hood I have ordered for my Z 400 mm TC (which apparently shipped today).
 
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the reasons seemed compelling, so I ordered the 72mm (2.83") hood for my 400mm, and the 82mm (3.23") hood for my 800PF.

I'll report back when I get them with feedback. I think anything to reduce the length of these beastly lenses will be appreciated, but I still wanted to maintain some level of protection - so I picked lengths that were around 50% of the OEM length
 
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nmerc_photos said:
Any and all feedback is appreciated.

Thinking specifically to my Z400TC and Z800PF if anyone has pics of those lens with short hoods, especially when packed for airline travel.

TIA!
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I don't know if you are still looking at this, or have made a decision. I would feel negligent since I responded earlier if I didn't tell you that I have decided to go back to the original hoods on my 400 tc, and 600tc. The whole purpose of going to the shorter lens hoods was to be able to carry the lens in a backpack with the hood in the shooting position. The problem is the hood keeps getting pushed past the mounting ring on one side by the weight of the lens/camera. When that happens it's really hard to remove and re-mount impossible to do with one hand. Very difficult to do with two hands, and the camera lens has to be held very securely. That's a problem since humans only have two hands. Locking it down securely on a tripod and tightening the lens mount works. That's a bit of a problem if you have hiked out somewhere and plan on using a monopod, or handhold. Since I'm going to have to reverse the hoods each time I remove the lens from the pack, and place it back, the original hood is much easier to use. I can loosen, remove, rotate and reinstall the original lens hood using only my thumb, and index finger.
 
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mdirvin said:
I don't know if you are still looking at this, or have made a decision. I would feel negligent since I responded earlier if I didn't tell you that I have decided to go back to the original hoods on my 400 tc, and 600tc. The whole purpose of going to the shorter lens hoods was to be able to carry the lens in a backpack with the hood in the shooting position. The problem is the hood keeps getting pushed past the mounting ring on one side by the weight of the lens/camera. When that happens it's really hard to remove and re-mount impossible to do with one hand. Very difficult to do with two hands, and the camera lens has to be held very securely. That's a problem since humans only have two hands. Locking it down securely on a tripod and tightening the lens mount works. That's a bit of a problem if you have hiked out somewhere and plan on using a monopod, or handhold. Since I'm going to have to reverse the hoods each time I remove the lens from the pack, and place it back, the original hood is much easier to use. I can loosen, remove, rotate and reinstall the original lens hood using only my thumb, and index finger.
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thank you for the feedback, that definitely may help someone in the future

the post right above yours was me confirming I bought short hoods :)

luckily, my plan never involved keeping them in shooting position in a backpack. I mainly want the shorter hoods for easier maneuverability, weight reduction, and just to give it a try and see if it's worth it.
 
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I have been using the Lenscoat TravelHoods for years on my super telephoto lenses. They fold flat and so are easy to store in a backpack when traveling. As they adjust they can be used on a wide range of lenses of varying diameters. They work as well as the factory hoods for blocking the sun. At $130 they are not cheap but a great deal less costly than replacing a factory hood and they are more compact for travel situations.
 
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Calson said:
I have been using the Lenscoat TravelHoods for years on my super telephoto lenses. They fold flat and so are easy to store in a backpack when traveling. As they adjust they can be used on a wide range of lenses of varying diameters. They work as well as the factory hoods for blocking the sun. At $130 they are not cheap but a great deal less costly than replacing a factory hood and they are more compact for travel situations.
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I have a couple of these in a tote downstairs that I acquired when buying used tele lenses over the years from previous owners. I've never tried one. I imagined they were more of a gimmick, and wouldn't really provide the protection that a rigid hood (even a short one) would provide.

Maybe I'll have to go dig them out and do a comparison when my Zemlin hoods get here.
 
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I use the Zemlin 2 piece on Z800 the one that when both halves in place it is the same length as the stock hood. I also use the Zemlin snap on cap. I do not travel by air. My primary reason for the two piece hood is wind that can come up when I am in the field chasing birds and far from a vehicle. I simply take off the front half and the sail effect pretty much disappears. I put my belt through the front half so it is behind me.

I rarely carry the Z9/Z800 in a bag with the lens in shooting position and if I do I currently use a Think Tank Retro duffel that I lined with sound absorbing foam that work great when the back is on my backseat. When I carry it in a case with the lens reversed with the Z9 attached it is in the case that came with the Z800 lens. It works great.

I just sent measurements off to Vertex Photo to have a custom bag made for the Z9/Z800 combo with the hood in shooting position. It is a design that can be strapped upright in my passenger seat or put in the back seat and can be accessed from the top, or side or end.
 
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