Musoman
PETE - Nikon/Sony Shooter
Not one of Nikons best designs, very clunky ..and that's my own opinion naturally, but since Nikon did away with 2 pieces hoods on the model after the 600/F4 G, i'm guessing it was easier and less costly to make the big Teles use 1 piece hoods.
I checked Zemlin Hoods in the USA, but incredibly expensive to buy, ship, then adding import tax, handling , and UK Gov. Customs & Theft VAT, it simply isnt worth the price, even though beautifully made.
So i made my own. Nothing like the 3D printed works of art from Zemlin of course. But it works and works well.
I started with some 5mm perspex/acrylic tube, 10 inches long. Thats about the combined length of the 600 / F4 AF II hoods when both are mounted.
I measured , marked out, and drilled for the locating tabs to be transferred from one of Nikon hoods. After all that work, i found that the locating tabs didnt locate. Not anywhere. Seems that the acrylic tube was about 2mm too big in diameter, so i had to abandon the idea. I suppose i could have made some spacers to go under the tabs, but i went a different route, and simply drilled and tapped 3 x M4 holes, and fitted 3 x M4 threaded knob clamps.
This worked fine, the hood stays on perfectly, no looseness at all. It's also very sturdy at 5mm thick. Thicker than the Nikons.
No prizes for looks, but functionally, it does the job brilliantly.
I checked Zemlin Hoods in the USA, but incredibly expensive to buy, ship, then adding import tax, handling , and UK Gov. Customs & Theft VAT, it simply isnt worth the price, even though beautifully made.
So i made my own. Nothing like the 3D printed works of art from Zemlin of course. But it works and works well.
I started with some 5mm perspex/acrylic tube, 10 inches long. Thats about the combined length of the 600 / F4 AF II hoods when both are mounted.
I measured , marked out, and drilled for the locating tabs to be transferred from one of Nikon hoods. After all that work, i found that the locating tabs didnt locate. Not anywhere. Seems that the acrylic tube was about 2mm too big in diameter, so i had to abandon the idea. I suppose i could have made some spacers to go under the tabs, but i went a different route, and simply drilled and tapped 3 x M4 holes, and fitted 3 x M4 threaded knob clamps.
This worked fine, the hood stays on perfectly, no looseness at all. It's also very sturdy at 5mm thick. Thicker than the Nikons.
No prizes for looks, but functionally, it does the job brilliantly.
