"David Hurdon wrote: I bought and use the Canon WD-58, with hood. "

I'll second that. Canon only sells the WD-58H these days, which includes the removeable hood. It's a zoom through lens, which is great for the type of video shooting I do (sports footage) as well as being adeqaute "wide" enough for vtaping a group of people sitting at a kitchen table.

I started with a HD-6600PRO58 58mm High Quality Wideangle Lens, 0.66X , which goes "soft" after a certain amount of zoom.

Tom Hardwick has written a few fine articles on wide angle lens tests. Search this group for his posts and article links.

How about a Kenko Pro wide along with a Hoya thin/multi-coated UV and a Hoya lens hood? (The Kenko Pro comes with front filter threads, many other adaptors don't have them.)

This one?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=203659&is=REG

It seems people haven't been as happy with the results of the Kenko as they have been with the Canon - but for 10 bucks more you get a Bayonet Mount !
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=240254&is=REG

right lens hood
 

Frank
Is this the lens hood you are talking about

oope fotgot the link
 

Oops i forgot the link for the hood

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=23169&is=REG

Any lens hood should do, but I find the Hoyas very good and inexpensive---at least here locally. My buddy has the Kenko Pro wide and tele. I don't know if they are the best, but they are built solid, and their footage clean, as far as I can tell. Don't go for the Sony VX2000 adaptors. They are almost exactly the same, but without the threads in front and a different color.

My decision
 

Here's what I think I'm gona go with:
(B&H Website prices)

Mack Price: $ 149.95
4-Year Extended Warranty for Digital Camcorder - Valued from $2000.01 to $3500
MFR# 1041 • B&H# MAEWDVC42

Kata RC-14 Rain Cover - for Sony DCR-VX2000 and DSR-PD150 Camcorders
MFR# KTVA80114 • B&H# KARC14 Price: $ 79.95

Price: $ 44.95
VCLES06 0.6x Wide Angle Lens for Sony Mavica Cameras
MFR# VCLES06A • B&H# SOVCLES06A

Kenko 58mm-52mm Step-Down Ring (Lens to Filter)
B&H Catalog # KESDR5852
Our Price: $ 6.95

Sony VF-58CPKS 58mm Filter Kit
Mfr Catalog # VF58CPKS • B&H Catalog # SOVF58CPKS
Our Price: $ 54.99

I'm over my original budget (Aren't we always?), but I think this will keep me pretty much set for the next 2 years (While I'm still in school).

The warranty really did me in - the reason I choose the 4 year instead of 2 year MAC is because the 4 year is only 50 bucks more, and I've had to pay to have sony products repaired before!

The most used accessories for me include:

- Larger battery NP-f750 or NP-F960 (the grandaddy)
- Rycote furry for the VX2000/1 (B&H) to cut down on wind noise
- Sennheiser wireless mic (evolution 100 series)
- Video light HVL-20DW2
- Polarizer and UV filters

The battery and video light you can get off Ebay for 1/2 price of new (Sony brand). Guys have them there in unopened packs. You'd be foolish to buy retail. The video light has saved a lot of shots that would have otherwise been unusable.

The wireless mic is over $200 so I guess it isn't in your cards right now.

Look at the Optex wide angle. It's been posted many times

If you have any camera problems you'll have excessive heart break at the border. Some things i'll buy in the US. With cameras I wouldn't take that chance.

So far as a lens shade, go with Cavision. It's even a Canadian company. http://www.cavision.com/LensHood/LH100S.htm

Their hood is a plastic or metal clampon. The Plastic is $70US and the metal $100. The plastic (ABS) is great. The shade itself is rubber and the hood has a 105mm thread for a UV.

I own the hood and a 4x4 mattebox.

I was instructed by the people @ B&H that the warranty is registerable in Canada as well as the states, so if repairs are needed under warranty I can get them done locally (Last time I needed a sony product repaired I brought it to Newmarket @ the sony building right off the 404). The extended warranty also has repair outlets in the GTA according to their website.

The $$$ savings are just too huge to ignore: $3168 all in CAN$ from B&H, $5175 all in from Henrys.

That's over $2000 in savings!

It appears that Sony is starting to sell extended warranties now. Might want to check on that. Some do not like the Mack warranty at all.