Johnw
Newbie
Got a GC3 hood which goes onto the 90mm or 35 - 90mm zoom on the Contax G2. Question nr. 1: does using the hood improve picture quality? What elese does it do?
Question nr. 2: did contax make collabsilbel ( rubber ) hoods?
Thanks
Question nr. 2: did contax make collabsilbel ( rubber ) hoods?
Thanks
R
Robert
Guest
I have this hood on my 90mm. The hood is very deep and parallel and provides excellent shade for the lens and prevents flare. The shade also protects the lens element against light rain and dust.
I don't think it would be suitable for the 35-70 zoom as I think it would cause vignetting at the wide end.
I have never seen a rubber hood made for the G series.
I don't think it would be suitable for the 35-70 zoom as I think it would cause vignetting at the wide end.
I have never seen a rubber hood made for the G series.
Xmas
Veteran
It is a collary to Murphy's law...
If you drop a camera with a hood the hood may be damaged, if you drop a camera with only a filter the filter may be damaged, if you drop a camera without either a hood or a filter then neither the hood or the filter will be damaged.
Noel
If you drop a camera with a hood the hood may be damaged, if you drop a camera with only a filter the filter may be damaged, if you drop a camera without either a hood or a filter then neither the hood or the filter will be damaged.
Noel
S
Socke
Guest
The GC2 is for the zoom.
And I have a GC1 on my 28 whichs scars proof how important a hood is when you bang your camera into a pole in a very crowded bus
I could work out the dent with my Swisstool, but could I have repaired the frontelement?
And I have a GC1 on my 28 whichs scars proof how important a hood is when you bang your camera into a pole in a very crowded bus
I could work out the dent with my Swisstool, but could I have repaired the frontelement?
uhligfd
Well-known
It is best to get a front cover for the hood as well and keep the hood always mated to the lens. You then photograph by just taking the front hood cover off.
This avoids screwing stuff on and off .. all the time. Enjoy!
This avoids screwing stuff on and off .. all the time. Enjoy!
uhligfd
Well-known
John, the original poster of the question, asked me privately about the caps for Contax hoods.Here is my detailed answer in case anyone has such question him/herself.
Dear John,
I have gotten myself into something here. I think this should be preserved in RFF or ContaxG ...
Anyway:
There are snap-in caps with two springs to hold/set a hood cap inside the hood.
There are snap-on caps which go over the outside of the hood's front.
The three Contax G hoods all have an inside diameter of 55mm, an outside diameter of 57mm.
Contax made a snap-in cap (GK-51) specifically for the 21mm Biogon lens that fits all three available hoods uniformly.
They also made a snap-on hood (GK-54) that fits over all their hoods.
On the market (ebay) there are now remade Contax G hoods (virtual-village, China, .. ?) that are slightly smaller in front diameter. These outfits also make cloned GK-54 caps that do not fit well, not even their own hoods. Beware.
(The caps, both Contax and cloned, are metal, with a thin felt ring inside of them to jam the cap onto the hood. The chinese felt is too thick and too loose to even let the lens cover slide all the way on. The Contax felt is firmer and thinner and slips on ok, but also easily off. Slippery felt ..)
For what follows I assume you have original Contax made hoods. The clones are not worth any money in my book.
Snap-in:
======
All snap-ins sometimes do not hold well on first being put back on; they need to be pushed and jiggled into the inner hood groves or they might just jump off at the slightest touch. Sometimes the ears (to connect to the spring mechanics) protrude and get caught in tight places in my bag.
Details:
Contax GK-51: nice, but not ideal; does not catch too well inside the hood.
Hama 55mm: Nice since the ears do not protrude and none of its edge does either, but the springs are a bit weak and the diameter too small for a tight fit, so the cap comes off too easily when the lens is handled
Generic 55mm (B+H): ok; it is the only inside snap cover that fits the smaller diameter Chinese hoods.The ears and its rim stick out a lot.
(Note: Contax GK-51 or Hama 55mm will not fit inside the Chinese hoods)
Snap on caps:
==========
Their problem is that small outside forces will loosen them in the field, or when pulled out of the bag.
Contax GK-54: jumps off easily when touched ligthly on the outside. I have lost one inadvertantly going through some light bush. Some plant leaves (or my shirt, arm swing, ... ?) must have tickled it off my camera that was hanging behind my body over the shoulder on my first outing with it. A true bummer, unless you only photograph in spacious uncrowded saloons and vast castle chambers with no contact from the "outside" touching your lens.
Generic black 57mm cover (B+H): fits tightly and well, but still suffers (a bit less) from the touch = pull off weakness of the Contax one.
My choice: (From my experiences) I use one of each of the snap-in hoods on my 21, 28, 45, 90 mm lenses and the generic 57mm snap-on on the 16mm. Besides, I have a spare snap-on 57mm in the bag in case I lose another darn hood cover.
All these hood caps have jumped off onto the floor inadvertantly at one time or another. Why?
This had never happened to me before - the inadvertant loss, slip-off of lens hood covers before with Nikons, OMs, ..., Practicas, ...
The Contax is so special they say -and I agree; my G2 is marvellous, but with tongue in cheek here.
So, Here you have my knowledge gained since I switched to the G2.
My bag is a Lowepro RES 50AW that holdsall the lenses (face down with hoods attached, on the left and right sides), camera (face down in the center), flash etc; with extra Lowepro hip belt, and lined with a set of extra small velcroed dividers from Maury Cohen (search phnet) at Lowepro.
Dear John,
I have gotten myself into something here. I think this should be preserved in RFF or ContaxG ...
Anyway:
There are snap-in caps with two springs to hold/set a hood cap inside the hood.
There are snap-on caps which go over the outside of the hood's front.
The three Contax G hoods all have an inside diameter of 55mm, an outside diameter of 57mm.
Contax made a snap-in cap (GK-51) specifically for the 21mm Biogon lens that fits all three available hoods uniformly.
They also made a snap-on hood (GK-54) that fits over all their hoods.
On the market (ebay) there are now remade Contax G hoods (virtual-village, China, .. ?) that are slightly smaller in front diameter. These outfits also make cloned GK-54 caps that do not fit well, not even their own hoods. Beware.
(The caps, both Contax and cloned, are metal, with a thin felt ring inside of them to jam the cap onto the hood. The chinese felt is too thick and too loose to even let the lens cover slide all the way on. The Contax felt is firmer and thinner and slips on ok, but also easily off. Slippery felt ..)
For what follows I assume you have original Contax made hoods. The clones are not worth any money in my book.
Snap-in:
======
All snap-ins sometimes do not hold well on first being put back on; they need to be pushed and jiggled into the inner hood groves or they might just jump off at the slightest touch. Sometimes the ears (to connect to the spring mechanics) protrude and get caught in tight places in my bag.
Details:
Contax GK-51: nice, but not ideal; does not catch too well inside the hood.
Hama 55mm: Nice since the ears do not protrude and none of its edge does either, but the springs are a bit weak and the diameter too small for a tight fit, so the cap comes off too easily when the lens is handled
Generic 55mm (B+H): ok; it is the only inside snap cover that fits the smaller diameter Chinese hoods.The ears and its rim stick out a lot.
(Note: Contax GK-51 or Hama 55mm will not fit inside the Chinese hoods)
Snap on caps:
==========
Their problem is that small outside forces will loosen them in the field, or when pulled out of the bag.
Contax GK-54: jumps off easily when touched ligthly on the outside. I have lost one inadvertantly going through some light bush. Some plant leaves (or my shirt, arm swing, ... ?) must have tickled it off my camera that was hanging behind my body over the shoulder on my first outing with it. A true bummer, unless you only photograph in spacious uncrowded saloons and vast castle chambers with no contact from the "outside" touching your lens.
Generic black 57mm cover (B+H): fits tightly and well, but still suffers (a bit less) from the touch = pull off weakness of the Contax one.
My choice: (From my experiences) I use one of each of the snap-in hoods on my 21, 28, 45, 90 mm lenses and the generic 57mm snap-on on the 16mm. Besides, I have a spare snap-on 57mm in the bag in case I lose another darn hood cover.
All these hood caps have jumped off onto the floor inadvertantly at one time or another. Why?
This had never happened to me before - the inadvertant loss, slip-off of lens hood covers before with Nikons, OMs, ..., Practicas, ...
The Contax is so special they say -and I agree; my G2 is marvellous, but with tongue in cheek here.
So, Here you have my knowledge gained since I switched to the G2.
My bag is a Lowepro RES 50AW that holdsall the lenses (face down with hoods attached, on the left and right sides), camera (face down in the center), flash etc; with extra Lowepro hip belt, and lined with a set of extra small velcroed dividers from Maury Cohen (search phnet) at Lowepro.
Xmas
Veteran
Uhlig...
A Oly 55mm snap in cap fits and is pretty secure, I use a similar generic 55mm that I dont mind losing, as the Olys are now becoming collectors pieces...
The only problem is you then need a pot of acrylic black board paint and fine brush, as the cap 'teeth' will remove the black paint, the good news the acrylic is better then the contax om paint, for wear resistant and depth of 'colour'!
Noel
A Oly 55mm snap in cap fits and is pretty secure, I use a similar generic 55mm that I dont mind losing, as the Olys are now becoming collectors pieces...
The only problem is you then need a pot of acrylic black board paint and fine brush, as the cap 'teeth' will remove the black paint, the good news the acrylic is better then the contax om paint, for wear resistant and depth of 'colour'!
Noel
S
Socke
Guest
Thank you Uhlig, very well written and informative. Especialy because I thought of buying those chinese caps.