Lens cap & lens hood woes

[MSW]

I understand that mirrorless technology and X-Trans technology is new and has growing pains so I'm pretty tolerant about some of the limitations related to those.

 

BUT

 

Fuji really needs to sit someone down and re-look at lens caps both front and rear.  This isn't a show stopper, mind you, but when I compare them what I had come to expect from my Nikons (now sold) they kind of suck. In the case of Nikon they went on easily and stayed on.  Fuji's front caps take an extra fiddle and twitch to get on and then pop off if not just right.  Alternatively, they can get jammed on in a way that they don't want to come off. The 39mm ones are the worst.  The rear caps just slip on and can slip back off if you just look at then funny.  

 

The front caps also don't seem to co-exist very happily with the lens hoods.  On some lenses they like 35mm f1.4 or 18mm they are basically incompatible with each other,  The rubber slip-on for use with the hoods fly away in a mild breeze.  

 

I like to reverse the hoods when I pack up a lense for travel or storage.  For some reason on and off in reverse is just plain awkward.  

 

This is, I admit, not very important and doesn't affect the photos.  Its just an annoying itch I hope Fuji addresses one of these days.

[frod]

I've only had issue with third party rear caps, for some reason the samyang lenses (which fit the cameras perfectly fine!) come with caps that don't play nice on the fuji lenses.

 

With regards to front caps, there are some generic 39mm caps that are bulkier and thus easier to use than the Fuji versions and many here will recommend switching to those for your 27/60. I've personally not had issue with the other sizes and generally prefer them to the old nikon stuff I used to use. The square push on caps are probably just going to deteriorate over time but on the other hand the metal hoods mean I'm happy to leave them off for longer, normally the whole time I'm shooting.

[milandro]

Yes, it has been observed by many before ( there are a couple of threads already open on this forum on this matter) that Fuji has a strange strategy when it comes to lens hoods AND filter sizes.

 

Few lenses have interchangeable filter size not to mention having odd sizes such as 39mm for the 60mm.

 

After trying to put up with the lens hoods I did some work myself. 

 

The 35mm 1.4, as you say, is really awkward but it is very easy to find a substitute and, for just a few €, I bought it in China somewhere, possibly  Aliexpress, this comes with a cap too

 

http://it.aliexpress.com/item/2-in-1-Details-about-52-MM-Metal-Curved-vented-Lens-Hood-for-Leca-Lens-Cap/32318300259.html?spm=2114.010208.3.28.9ZxcmI&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_1,searchweb201644_4_10001_10002_10005_301_10006_10003_10004_62,searchweb201560_2,searchweb1451318400_6149,searchweb1451318411_6449

 

I did the same with the 18-55 ( I don’t like petal hoods) and bought a 58mm vented hood. 

 

 

The 60mm require a more complex approach, so it needs a 39mm filter used as spacer (you can take the filter out if you so wish) then there is a step up ring 39-52 and then there is a 52mm cylindrical hood.

 

A lens cap to match.

 

 

But yes, I guess it is now too late but someone should really look at the practicality of these things.

[MSW]

Thanks for the suggestions.

[drushka]

I was frustrated by my Fuji rear lens caps and found this thread.

 

Does anyone else find them incredibly slippery? When I grab a lens and end up holding the rear lens cap end, it just wants to slip out of my fingers and I worry about my lenses.

 

I feel like Samyang/Rokinon is doing a better job (and slightly smaller, too), and even the cheapo no-name "FX mount" caps that come with $5 adapters are easier to hold on to.

 

As for hoods, I keep the 35mm F1.4 hood always on, so I don't know where the cap is.

For the other Fuji hoods, I line up the dot on the hood with the mark at the top of the lens to put it on, and line up the "Fujifilm" iris logo with the top of the lens to put it on in reverse. This works with all Fuji hoods I have seen, try it for yourself.

 

Here, too, Samyang is doing a nice job on the 12mm F2, they have the marking at a 45° angle and you can line up the same dot for putting it on as a hood and in reverse. Nifty.

 

So if anyone at Fuji is reading this, small things matter, and it makes me like to use my Samyang more.

[Tom H.]

Lens caps on Fuji are the worst I've ever seen. The spring tension is ridiculously low, so at the lightest touch of the cap, it will fall off... It's a guarantee that when I reach for my camera in my bag, the cap will be off and the lens will be exposed to all the dirt and other items in it.

 

Any generic 2$ lens cap does it better, so seriously Fuji, buy those and just stamp Fuji on them, or get it right.

 

As for lens hoods, I've said it so many times, if you design a proper hood, and then sell it separately for 50$, shame on you. I just got the 35 f2 and it's the same old story again. It comes with a ridiculous screw-in hood, so you can mount either the hood, or the cap, not both. So that will mean losing the hood in your bag or somewhere else... And the cap will come off if you just look at it...

 

Some people may not care, but for the 2$ in plastic or sheet metal those hoods cost to make, I see no point not to include them with the lens and to make sure they work properly.

Edited May 8, 2016 by Tom H.

[milandro]

I too have problems with them, enhanced by the fact that, since my carpal tunnel surgery on both hands, I have problems with picking up things and I drop things easily.

 

But replacing caps and the very awkward lens hoods is cheap and the market offers endless variations for any manner of prices and quality.

[Aswald]

The only cap I find odd (although strangely adorable) is the 60 macro. At 39mm and feeling somewhat flimsy, I have to fix the macro ring light on a modified flash rail attached to the body. All my other systems attaches on the macro lens filter thread.

[milandro]

it’s the material and the squeeze system which makes them slippery, besides, one person’s finger top abilities aren’t the other so what might work for one won’t for another.

 

I have replaced the awkwardly humongous lens hood of the 60mm and that solved the problem of the lens cap too ( it’s a complicated fix but worth every penny or second that you spend in doing it, requires a filter used as spacer, a step up ring and the lens hood of your choice).

[KateB]

Oh dear, the lens caps are not very secure at all!

 

What's a good solution?

[milandro]

buy other ones

 

available everywhere on line for peanuts (or not, you choose).

 

[woodlander]

I have been using Nikon lens caps for my Fuji lenses. They tend to work much better. Of course, there are Fuji lenses for which there is no equivalent Nikon lens cap. I have not found a solution for those.

[milandro]

there are tons of aftermaket caps, like the one shown above and of a different design, they perform very well and cost a fraction of the original Fuji.

[johant]

Another advantage of using aftermarket caps is that you can store the original Fujifilm caps. Always handy when you decide to sell a lens later.

[KateB]

Another advantage of using aftermarket caps is that you can store the original Fujifilm caps. Always handy when you decide to sell a lens later.

Good idea Johant.

[KMLNewYork]

I've had problems in the past with Fuji lens caps and have had to buy Nikon caps to replace the ones that came with the lens, but the lens caps for the 23mm f/2 and the 50mm f/2 work very well.

[Guest Him]

I understand that mirrorless technology and X-Trans technology is new and has growing pains so I'm pretty tolerant about some of the limitations related to those.

 

BUT

 

Fuji really needs to sit someone down and re-look at lens caps both front and rear.  This isn't a show stopper, mind you, but when I compare them what I had come to expect from my Nikons (now sold) they kind of suck. In the case of Nikon they went on easily and stayed on.  Fuji's front caps take an extra fiddle and twitch to get on and then pop off if not just right.  Alternatively, they can get jammed on in a way that they don't want to come off. The 39mm ones are the worst.  The rear caps just slip on and can slip back off if you just look at then funny.  

 

The front caps also don't seem to co-exist very happily with the lens hoods.  On some lenses they like 35mm f1.4 or 18mm they are basically incompatible with each other,  The rubber slip-on for use with the hoods fly away in a mild breeze.  

 

I like to reverse the hoods when I pack up a lense for travel or storage.  For some reason on and off in reverse is just plain awkward.  

 

This is, I admit, not very important and doesn't affect the photos.  Its just an annoying itch I hope Fuji addresses one of these days.

 

Sorry to hear of your issues. My experience is far better. I believe the caps front and rear on my X lenses and X-T2 are the best I have come across. They are flat, unlike others, that allows the lenses in particular to stand on their own, when I change lenses. Something which Leica could do well to learn. I find the rear cap in particular fits super, it seems to have some slight resistance which feels to me just right. Front lens caps I have no issue with.

[Guest Him]

buy other ones

 

available everywhere on line for peanuts (or not, you choose).

 

Drove me potty with these captured versions. I removed them after a day of the dame cap swinging around like a wild monkey.

[milandro]

I don’t use the sling, just the cap

[frankinfuji]

I have an aftermarket cap on my 'travel' X-m1/27mm, and it has the string to stop me losing it (again). But I don't use the string on the X-E2 as I'm always swapping lenses, but I forget - so remove the cap and just let it go, and only realize my error when I hear the cap bounce off the floor.

[milandro]

I normally stick the cap in the front pocket of my trousers .

 

However if you really want to do something fancy you can use a cap holder. I had one but I’ve lost it   

 

[milandro]

this is also good

 

[KateB]

I have an aftermarket cap on my 'travel' X-m1/27mm, and it has the string to stop me losing it (again). But I don't use the string on the X-E2 as I'm always swapping lenses, but I forget - so remove the cap and just let it go, and only realize my error when I hear the cap bounce off the floor.

The string is a pain, even on a fixed lens camera. I often found that it got entangled with camera strap.

 

I've decided to but flat aftermarket lens caps; 99p on eBay!

[Jrgaston]

As a long-time Nikon owner I've a large selection of Nikon caps so, except for the 27mm, I've subbed Nikon caps on all myFujis. A little black tape works to hide the shiny Nikon logo.

[Tikcus]

Guess I just don't have an issue.

 

Caps are only on lens when they are in the bag, once out of the bag the lens cap doesn't go back on until I'm finished shooting or the lens gets changed.

Never had a lens cap come off the lens when stored in bag