My review of the $20 Hoya folding lens hood.
 

This post is a little comedy and yet very serious. I need to figure out how to post pics... I'll find the thread explaining that and pop a pic on this thread if it gets any response.

The reason I'm offering a "review" of a lens hood is because I was torn on the issue of getting a matte box for my (new) dvx100. Clearly the matte box is the pro way to go, but here are my thoughts on the lens hood.

I ordered a Hoya 77mm folding lens hood from Big & Huge along with a 77mm lens cap and 72-77mm B+W stepping ring.

The rubber lens hood has metal threads and looks pretty nice on the cam. When folded back for wide angle shots it comes back and around the focus ring slightly... not even close to touching it, but in this position the lens hood looks like it might have come with the Panny as OEM.

The lens hood can be folded in a middle position which shades the lens in all but the very end of the wide angle lens setting, but it's a little tricky to get the hood to that position. It wants to be either folded all the way down or all the way out. When it's all the way down it gives the lens about the same light protection as the factory square thingy... maybe a little over 1/8" less depth.

In the all the way out (or telephoto) position the lens hood is quite deep and offers a lot of light protection. Even with the hood in this position you can be zoomed at about Z40 and there is still no vignetting (you don't see darkened corners). With the hood extended I should mention that it does look like an added item. The weird system Panny uses to attach the square hood remains exposed while the hood is simply screwed in... not a big deal, but noteworthy. In the medium and wide position of the hood that's all covered.

All in all I think it's pretty well worth the $20 (plus $20 for the step ring)... OBVIOUSLY I'm not comparing this to a matte box and OBVIOUSLY I'd rather have a matte box... and the french flag on the matte box is a HUGE plus in flare control BUT, if you're like me and buying this thing nearly tapped you out, but you don't care for the open square thingy... here's a cheap option that looks pretty good.

Maybe you could post a link to a website containing a picture of the hood. Thanks for the good review.

Not too long ago I bought 3 Hoya (folding) hoods for some 52mm threaded Nikon E lenses. They're okay. I wished they had a little bit less flex though.

Yeah I do agree with you on that point, Frank. The folding hoods are supposed to hold one of three positions, but in practical use it only "wants" to hold in two... wide or tele.

I thought the B+W 900 series hoods looked nicer, but the problem is you get one in EITHER wide or tele... no combo-deals like the Hoya.

It's now Sunday as I type this and after a few days I'm really thinking the Hoya hood is an exceptional value for the price. Keep in mind that I did get the largest folding hood I could, the 77mm, and used a B+W 72-77 step ring to further help avoid the chance of vignetting. If Hoya made a square hood that folded like this... one which still threaded on just like a round one... they'd sell a MILLION. This thing has proven very effective at flare control...

On tele the lens is shooting out of a DEEP dark hole.

Hey, whatta' ya' want for twenty bucks?

For any of you who want to see what one looks like go to www.2filter.com or B&H, or just go to google.com and type in "hoya folding lens hood"...