How to Get Lens Hood Off?

[tedwhite]

I've got a Bessa R with 35/2.5 and a Bessa L with 25/4.

If I want to install a yellow or red filter (M39?) for B&W film use the instructions say, and I quote, "Detach the lens hood from the lens by turning it in the arrowed direction."

There is no arrow. It follows that there is no "arrowed direction."

I don't want to break anything. Not knowing which way to turn it, I tried both. In my opinion those jolly, fun-loving CV folks put both lens hoods on with super glue.

I know, it's a trick. Some sort of CV game. Can you solve the riddle?

Ted

 

[back alley]

turn the hood counter clock wise. hold the hood lightly when turning or use a wide rubber band when turning.

should work.
joe

 

[tedwhite]

Thank you, Joe. I hope Spring is in the offing up there.

Now, at least I know which way to turn it. Of course, when I turn it that way the lens wants to unscrew from the body. Hmmm.

Do you by chance have the rectangular LH-1 lens hood? It will fit either the 21 or the 25, according to CameraQuest.

I would ask Stephen this question, but he's in Tokyo right now meeting with the Cosina folks. I just wonder if, when you mount LH-1, whether you can see the top of it in your viewfinder.

Ted (living where buds are out and this morning the first hummingbird showed up at my feeder).

 

[fraley]

I find if I place my thumb on the inside of the ring and my index finger on the outside of the ring, and wiggle/twist lightly, it usually will budge much easier than simply trying to twist it off like a pickle jar lid 😉

 

[Roman]

Ted, when I got my new 35/2.5, I also had troubles getting the hood off - try the tricks mentioned by the others, it gets easier after the first time!

Roman

 

[rover]

kinda like riding a bike, or.... well, like riding a bike. 🙂

 

[Warren T.]

Same trouble here, Ted. I thought I had jammed the hood. I use the method where you leave the lens cap on and use a very gentle grip while twisting. 🙂

 

[tedwhite]

Thanks, all. I've tried everything you suggested, except the twist/wiggle approach. If that fails then it's across the border to see either La Hechicera (The Sorceress) or El Curandero (The Medicine Man). Perhaps the small size oil filter wrench...

 

[Goodyear]

Stephen Gandy's site advises having the lens cap on. I find this means it requires no effort to get the hood of - except for one time when the cap just spun, and it took a bit of fiddling (and gripping a bit more tightly) to get the hood to unscrew.

 

[kbg32]

I usually use a rubber band - a wide one or one that is roughly the same width as the hood. Wrap it around the hood and twist counter clock wise.

Good luck.

 

[Andrew Touchon]

The lens cap on method works on mine.

 

[tedwhite]

lens cap method does not work on these lenses. Will try temperature applications.

 

[Roman]

Try placing the lens(-hood) face-down on a rubber surface (the backside of your mousepad?), then twist (in the right direction...), worked for me with stuck filters on some lenses...

Roman

 

[tedwhite]

Roman:

Ill try it. must go to car and get cameras.

Ted

 

[tedwhite]

Roman:

Congratulations! You win the Gran Prix de Lens Cap Removal! I turned my Dell mousepad over, removed lens cap, pressed camera face down on backside of mousepad so hood would come into firm contact, held mousepad so it couldn't rotate, turned camera to the left, and ¡Voila!

I shall move to Vienna, where the smart people live.

Thank you so much. Now, without fear or trepidation, I can order the LH-1 rectangular lens hood. Not only that, I can begin to snoop around for some m39 filters. Local camera shop has none. "You must be kidding. 39mm? What's it for?"

PS: When I re-tightened the hoods on both lenses, they would not loosen. And I did not apply pressure, merely turned them until they stopped turning. I had to use the mousepad again.

I guess Cosina/Voigtlander doesn't want them randomly falling off?

Ted

 

[back alley]

for 39mm filters try the digital section of a large camera store.

joe

 

[tedwhite]

Greyhoundman: Thanks for the tip. Graphite powder I've got.

Joe: Never would have thought of that. Thanks.

Ted

 

[Roman]

I shall move to Vienna, where the smart people live.

Ted

OK, we'll just switch - I always wanted to take pics in the Southwest, anyway... 😉

Before you get any graphite powder on your lens, you might also try to run a pencil around the threads a few times, since pencils also contain graphite...

Roman

 

[Warren T.]

Ted, as for your other question, like I mentioned before, you can indeed see the LH-1 in the viewfinder when mounted on the 35mm f2.5. It may not bother you as much as it bothered me though. Maybe it's something that one has to get used to.

Warren