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Canon ET65III Lens Hood for Canon SLR Lens by Canon Cameras US
Digital Photo Product DetailsManufacturer: Canon Cameras US Model: 2655A002 Product features: - Shades the lens from stray light
Accessories:
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Canon ET65III Lens Hood for Canon SLR LensCustomer Review: Nice lens hood for the EF-85mm F/1.8 USM lens Summary: 5 Stars
I always buy lens hoods for my Canon lenses. There are reams of reviews written on the merits of lens hoods, and repeating all of that is probably not a good use of my time, or yours. I have conducted lots of tests with overhead and flanking lighting, as well as sunlight and secondary reflected sunlight, and in EVERY case found noteable benefits afforded in picture quality through glare and streak reduction or elimination by use of a lens hood. Then there's the whole thread of discussion on protecting your lens investment from boo boo's, which DO happen. The ONLY reason I can think of not to use a lens hood is the hassle with storing them, and/or buying larger lens cases to accommodate them when "reversed" for storage on lenses.
This is a Canon original equipment hood. I almost gave up on finding one since many sellers seem to be out of stock on the ET-65III, which is the hood I needed for my EF-85mm F/1.8 USM lens. I began to wonder if Canon had discontinued it for some reason. I found many substitutes, but I try to buy original equipment since there's a lot of junk out there in the aftermarket (and of course some good stuff that's not OEM too, admittedly).
The picture on Amazon seems to hint that this hood is gray. It's not. It's black, and a perfect match for my lens in terms of color. The picture also hints that the hood is NOT tapered. But in fact it is, with a nice 0.5" diameter increasing taper over its length.
As noted in many other reviews, the EF-85mm F/1.8 USM lens does NOT have the more traditional twist-n-lock feature for a lens hood. Rather, it has a simple recessed band 360 degrees around the end of the lens. It's in to this band that the spring loaded clips of the lens hood insert for mounting. These clips are plastic, and should not scratch your lens. Two clearly marked pressure points on the hood, when squeezed, compress four plastic retaining features, each about 0.25" in width, back in to the hood so that it can be placed on to the lens, or removed from the lens. The hood then rotates freely 360 degrees on the lens, once installed. This is NOT a petal style hood, so orientation is insignificant relative to the lens. I found it trivial to add or remove the hood in complete darkness. The 2 hood features to press are easy to "feel" with detents. These release buttons are also separate buttons - you're NOT contorting the shape of the hood in any way when you press the 2 detent buttons.
The inside of the hood is nicely lined with a rough finish to cut down on reflections. For those familiar with the EF-85mm F/1.8 USM lens, you'll note that it necks down to a smaller 58mm accessory sized compatible opening. When installed, this slightly tapered hood aesthetically dresses out the lens nicely. I've uploaded a picture to show how the hood dresses out the EF-85mm F/1.8 USM lens. (See customer images)
The lens hood is roughly 3.5" in diameter at the farthest point from the lens, and roughly 3" in diameter near where it attaches to the lens. The hood is about 2" long, and increases the length of this lens, with a UV filter and lens cap, about 1.5" total. Like all other Canon lens hoods, this one can be reversed and mounted to the lens for storage. In this case, the overall length of the lens does not increase.
Some reviewers complained that the hood can be easily knocked off due to its mounting mechanism. I could not get the hood to dislodge with reasonable effort. It might, in fact, pop off if you hit it hard enough, but this could actually be an advantage since it might not break the hood. With the traditional twist-n-lock hood, if you hit one of those hard enough to pop them off, you've likely broken its plastic mount and will need to replace it. Just a theory, and not one I plan to intentionally prove.
I found that the lens and reversed hood fit easily in to a Lowepro #1 lens case, which is what I was using to store the lens originally, just FYI. This hood only adds about 0.5" to the diameter of the lens, so chances are any case you were using will still hold the lens with its hood reversed.
I also found that I could add or remove the lens cap with the hood in place, but it takes some practice with 2 fingers, just as with other Canon lens and hoods. Canon lens owners will know exactly what I mean. The good news is that there's ample room to get your thumb and forefinger easily between the hood and lens cap retaining spring clips to squeeze them. Of course, this was with a lens filter installed, which helps by bringing the lens cap out a bit more.
I did notice that there's not much lens to grab when the hood is reversed over the lens, for mounting to a camera. Also, because the hood freely rotates in its mount, it was tricky to try and turn the hood, to turn the lens and lock it in to the camera. Best to mount the hood in picture taking orientation FIRST, and then mount the lens to the camera, or remove it from the camera.
I also noticed that the hood (by not being a petal design, or optimized for the EF-85mm F/1.8 USM lens) was larger diameter than necessary in order to keep the hood "out of the picture". What this means is that a more optimized design is possible - one that would let even less stray light in. This would be a petal design, by definition. My guess is Canon decided to design and stock fewer "different" hoods, rather than optimize this design for one lens. Not a big deal, just a note.
I am very pleased with this lens hood, and glad I found someone who still had stock on it. I shoot lots of indoor sports with this excellent lens, and overhead gym lights can wreak havoc without a hood. I have many picures to prove that assertion.
Description of Canon ET65III Lens Hood for Canon SLR LensCanon lens hoods are one of the most important accessories for each lens you own. A lens hood provides multiple functions: it shades the lens from stray light, improving your contrast and image quality in inclement weather, it can assist in keeping moisture or wind-blown debris off the lens and it protects the front barrel from the inevitable impacts against walls, door frames, and other real-life obstacles. Almost all EF and TS-E lenses have a Canon lens hood engineered specifically for it.
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