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Better Canon long lens cap

Steve Fines

New member
Hello,

Recently I needed to find a better lens cap for my 500/4 IS. The Canon cover is bulky and cannot be used with the hood in the shooting position.

Several folks have posted reports of using the Tupperware lids. I purchased these but found that they had several shortcomings. They were very difficult to use with the hood in shooting position, nearly impossible to use with gloves in cold weather and, in my opinion, were too flimsy to really offer much protection for the front element when packed and traveling.

Then I found the lens caps made by Don Zeck.

These are machined pieces of very tough polypropylene, about 1/2” thick. Unlike with the Tupperware, with this lens cap on your front element is truly protected. It is solid.

Because of this I feel comfortable traveling with my 500/4 with the hood reversed and the Zeck lens cap in a Kinesis long lens case. This is important to me, as many of the planes I end up on are the smaller commuters. I with the Zeck cap and the hood reversed I can get my 500/4 and a pro body (and some clothes, battery chargers, etc) in a Kinesis 511 long lens case. This will fit in the overhead of any commercial flight. And because of its toughness, putting the cap at the base of a Kinesis case causes no worries, whereas the Tupperware left me concerned. Between this and some pockets in a coat I know that none of my camera gear will be checked, no matter what kind of plane I end up on.

With the hood in the shooting position and the optional “loop”, putting the lens cap on/off with the lens in shooting position is very easy. On a recent trip in cold weather many others with the same lens thought it overkill that I was putting the lens cap on when we were walking between locations, thinking that the hood was enough to protect the lens. However, with blowing snow, all of them ended up with melted snowflakes on their front elements. I imagine the same would be true in any windy environment, be it with sand, dust or whatever. Having a cap that goes on/off easily, with the hood in shooting position, with gloved or bare hands for me is a real necessity.

The final thing that sold me on the caps was their construction. These are thick pieces of plastic with rubber o-rings to fit them into the opening of the lens. The Tupperware covers work, but these work perfectly – a tight fit with solid protection.

Disclaimer: I realize this sounds like a bit of a commercial. I have not received any paid or non-paid endorsements from Don Zeck. I purchased the lens caps and feel that they are the best option on the market – just wanted to share this with others. Btw - the caps are made for all the Canon super teles.

If you'd like to look his contact info is at

http://www.accentondesigninvestments.com/camera.htm
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Hi Steve
I don't know why I have missed this post, but your info is really valuable…

Thanks for posting!
 

John Harper

New member
Hi Steve
I don't know why I have missed this post, but your info is really valuable…

Thanks for posting!

Hi Nicolas

I have purchased one of these covers from Don Zeck and I highly reccomend them, they are a lot less hassle than the canon "bag type" hood.

let me know if you want any pictures of it

John
 

Nill Toulme

New member
I've never understood the complaints about the Canon "bag-type" hoods. They go on and off easily and afford excellent protection not only for the lens but also for that uber-expensive hood. On my 400, it works just as well in shooting position as in reversed. (I've never had occasion to use it that way, but I just tried it). And unlike something like the Zeck design, there's no chance whatsoever of accidentally hitting the front element with something hard.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net
 

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
Hi, John,

Hi Nicolas

I have purchased one of these covers from Don Zeck and I highly reccomend them, they are a lot less hassle than the canon "bag type" hood.

What is a "bag-type hood"? Is that "hood" as in "lens hood". or hood as in "golf club hood"?
 

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
Hi, Nill,

It means the Canon-supplied leatherette lens "cap" that comes with all the BWL's. They tend, confusingly, to get called "hoods" because they look and act more like a hood than a cap in the common parlance, as opposed to camera/lens, senses of those words.

I though perhaps that was the refernce, but I wanted to make sure. So it's like the "gold club hood"!

Yes, I got one with my 24-105, but never used it, and sent it where it would do more good!

Thanks.

Best regards,

Doug
 

Nill Toulme

New member
No, what you got with the 24-105 was a lens pouch, a nice little baggy thing to keep the whole lens in, no? The big L primes come with hard lunchbox cases (replacement price about $500) plus this leatherette "cap" (or "hood") (replacement price about $100) that covers the entire lens hood as well as protecting the front element. A lot of people seem not to like them complaining that they're unwieldy, bulky, hard to get on and off, etc. I don't understand it; I like them. Different strokes...

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net
 

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
Hi, Nill,

No, what you got with the 24-105 was a lens pouch . . .

Well, yes, that is what I would have called it. I thought that was what was being spoken of.

. . ., a nice little baggy thing to keep the whole lens in, no? The big L primes come with hard lunchbox cases (replacement price about $500) . . .[

Yes, I got that with my 70-200 f/2.8L IS.

. . . plus this leatherette "cap" (or "hood") (replacement price about $100) that covers the entire lens hood as well as protecting the front element. /
Ah, now I see. I didn't get one of those with my 70-200.

Thanks for straightening me out on that.

And of course what we usually call a "hood" would be better called a "shade"!

Best regards,

Doug
 

Ken Doo

New member
Another thumbs-up for the Don Zeck lens cap!
Best investment for my Canon 300mm f/2.8 IS


This is the lens cap that Canon should be providing with their super teles!
 

Gina Stephen

New member
Thanks for the info on the Don Zeck lens cap. I'm fairly new, so I haven't used this sort of feature yet. But my sister is a part-time wedding photographer. She uses the Tupperware method, and she also grumbled about the bulky nature of it. I'll show her this thread soon!
 

Gina Stephen

New member
Thanks for the info on the Don Zeck lens cap. I'm fairly new, so I haven't used this sort of feature yet. But my sister is a part-time wedding photographer. She uses the Tupperware method, and she also grumbled about the bulky nature of it. I'll show her this thread soon!

I told my sister about this lens this weekend. She said it would really help her with her wedding photography gigs. She really dislikes carrying around the Tupperware thing. She also grumbled a little about the price, but that's photography!
 
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