I need to DIY a super telephoto lens hood, I have an idea, anyone have better?

The Canon new FD 300mm f/2.8 and 500mm f/4.5 both take the EH-123 hood which has a 123mm inner diameter. Of course, it's very expensive now.

This is a black powder coated steel 6 inch to 5 inch duct reducer. The inner diameter of the small side is 123mm which is the same or 1mm more than the outer diameter of the rubber ring on the end of the lens.



Is it a good idea to try to use this? Price comparison is about $20 vs $200 for the real hood. Do you think I should attach it with a hose clamp or try to shim the inside? Recommendation of shim material? Thanks.

I've used an assortment of things as a makeshift hood .
Line the part that goes over the lens with some self adhesive felt / velour.
It takes up the difference and holds the hood on well .

If you can afford that lens then you can afford the lens hood. But really you probably don't need one. Normal and wide angle really need one. Moderate telephoto's maybe. Try it and see. If you really think you need one see neilt3 recommendation.

Too heavy; you can find a 3d printed hood option fairly easily.

Christiaan Phleger said:

Too heavy; you can find a 3d printed hood option fairly easily.

Click to expand...

Too heavy ?
I don't think you'll notice the extra weight of the hood when it's on that lens !

For extra light though , a piece of stuff paper/PVC rolled around the end of the lens secured with an elastic band would also do .

beemermark said:

If you can afford that lens then you can afford the lens hood. But really you probably don't need one. Normal and wide angle really need one. Moderate telephoto's maybe. Try it and see. If you really think you need one see neilt3 recommendation.

Click to expand...

The correct Canon hood is available to buy on eBay for £150 , which seems reasonable.
I'd be more inclined to buy that if I had that lens .
A well fitted hood does also protect the front len element for impacts from branches etc .
I always use the OEM hoods where available. It's only when you can't get one that I adapt something else .

Thanks guys for the input. The lens was $700 with shipping and taxes included, it looks like those car-priced white queens in the EF mount and has similar optics but most people don't want to deal with a manual focus anymore.

The front element is recessed an inch or two so I'll see how it goes without it, as a first step.

Well here's the follow-up. I didn't realize this lens had 3 inches of built-in hood that twists out. That probably would have been fine on its own. The additional hood idea did work - turns out the rubber ring on the lens was slightly misshapen, so the duct part also had to be bent slightly. But now it very snugly attaches and I'd probably have a struggle to get it off. That's fine.

Now I have about 7 inches of hood. The actual front element of the lens is near the red line. This should be helpful for trying to use this thing in rain and snow.