Zemlin hoods

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The Zemlin hood and cap for my 800pf arrived about an hour ago. The install was easy and the fit of both hood and cap are exceptional. I could not be more impressed with the order. I will probably order the hood for my Z 100-400 after I save up enough to pay for a pending order for the 180-600.
 
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GregoryG said:
The Zemlin hood and cap for my 800pf arrived about an hour ago. The install was easy and the fit of both hood and cap are exceptional. I could not be more impressed with the order. I will probably order the hood for my Z 100-400 after I save up enough to pay for a pending order for the 180-600.
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I like the Zemain hood for the Z 100-400. I got the long one. More protective in rain and snow than the Nikon petal hood. I used it in Alaska and Vancouver Island in February and March. Not a snowflake or rain drop on the front element, even though it snowed (in Alaska) and rained (on Vancouver Island). Also have Zemlin hoods for my Z 800 mm PF (and the Zemlin lens cap), the Z 400 f4.5 and my 500 mm PF. Like them all.
 
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Geoff_G said:
After affixing the ring to my 500/4 lens I have a suggestion for Zemlin....make a 2mm gauge block to allow accurate tightening of the screw.

I had not quite tightened the screw enough to close the gap to 2mm (it was maybe 3mm) before I installed the hood. It went on okay, bit harder than I thought it should, but getting it off was a challenge. So, I got my verniers out and further tightened the screw (vernier now reads 1.96mm). Big difference in the ease of taking the hood off.

I was not really sure how well the screw would tighten before stripping the threads so that's why I stopped short at 3mm gap. Clearly there is no potential thread stripping issue closing the gap to 2mm but a 2mm gauge block would eliminate guesswork. That said, I would not let this stop me from buying...it's a really nice product.
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The gap is not that critical. Lenses vary a bit, so the 2mm (or so) gap is a starting point. As you have noted, you can tighten it down futher to reduce the lock/unlock force. The threaded hole is quite robust. The threads stripping is not the failure point when I test to failure. The screw head starts pulling through the material on the other side. Also as noted, in the printed instructions and in the video I suggest using the wrench as a gauge for the spacing.
 
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Thanks for clarifying...
Not having any experience with the material used to make the ring I was unsure of stripping. The long screw enables plenty of threads to engage the ring but it was getting tight..
Yes, I went back and looked at the instructions again and just plain missed the "use wrench as a gauge part". TBH, one look at the parts and I knew how it had to be assembled. The only question I had was the gap distance so I read that part and didn't go on reading...

Again, thanks for these wonderful hoods and caps. They are definitely worth the investment and function superbly.
 
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RichF said:
If you recommend, why? For which lens? If recommended, how do decide which size to get?

Thanks, try to decide if I should pull the trigger.

Rich
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I’ve just bought the lens cap for my 600mm TC Z lens & love it, going to order the larger lens hood over the next few days.
There isn’t anything wrong with the Nikon hood, but I’ll probably take the Zemlin hood when I go away.
The quality is fantastic.
 
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I bought the Zemlin two-piece hood for my 800 PF. It's terrific and now I have options for length of the hood. Also, much, much easier to pack when traveling. Got the lens cap as well, and now the Nikon sock and hood are resting in their original box. Since the Smarties are a hot topic, this was my first Zemlin order, and I had a flashback to when I was a kid. How fun was that!
 
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Karl is getting sneaky. 😁

Just received my pinch cap for the Z 800 pf and it sure is great!

However the first thing I reacted to was opening package and not seeing a pack of Smarties candy ... ugh. Dang entitlement generation. Low and behold when I removed the cap, not one but two, Smarties were nestled into the pinch slots! lol Thank you Karl for saving the day!
 
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DsD said:
Karl is getting sneaky. 😁

Just received my pinch cap for the Z 800 pf and it sure is great!

However the first thing I reacted to was opening package and not seeing a pack of Smarties candy ... ugh. Dang entitlement generation. Low and behold when I removed the cap, not one but two, Smarties were nestled into the pinch slots! lol Thank you Karl for saving the day!
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LOL! On our recent trip to British Columbia I put several packets of Smarties in my jacket. Waiting at airport gates, sitting on long flights, etc. I would "surprise" Justin by sharing a few Smarties!
 
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While Nikon is an amazing company, lens feet are not something many people see them as pioneers on. I just received my Kirk, it is great. I love RRS, but honestly they charge a premium and I don't think is always justified.

Regarding Zemlin, depending on lighting and conditions, you may not need a hood that is 200mm long (like the Nikon one). This said, longer hood can do a better job of protecting against flare, ensuring good contrast and protection from rain. Only thing is they are LONG lol. Which is why Zemlin offers people different options. I just went for the two piece 200mm for my 400/2.8 TC, so it will be as long as the Nikon, but be much more bag friendly.
 
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