Customer Reviews

Nikon HR-2 Screw-on Rubber Lens Hood for 50mm f/1.2 AI-S, 50mm f/1.4, 1.8 D-AF & 58mm f/1.2 Noct AI-S Lenses

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are currently no reviews stating that this HR-2 hood will work without vignetting with the AF-S 35mm 1.8 DX, so I took the risk of ordering it. Even the Nikon USA website does not list this hood as an accessory to the AF-S 35mm 1.8 lens. Since the original plastic HB-46 hood included with the 35mm lens is very short, I wanted something better since I take my Nikon D40 everywhere without a camera bag. As luck would have it, this works perfectly and photos have no vignetting with this fully extended. This hood also allows the use of a 52mm Hoya UV filter. First attach any filters directly to the lens, then screw this hood on the end of the filter (the instructions provided state that any filters should attach to the actual lens first). The opposite end of the hood is also threaded, so if for any reason you wanted to mount a 52mm filter on the opposite side, you could do that as well. The original Nikon lens cap will insert perfectly. The hood extends and contracts with a high quality feel. This item is made in Japan, and I didn't mind spending a little more money for a genuine Nikon product. From the look and feel of this hood, it will last for years.

I dont know how useful it really is for the 50mm 1.8 as a shade. But it does well to absorb knocks etc. Problems are that it is not a bayonet, and has to be screwed/unscrewed which is a hassle. I also am wondering about the longevity of the rubber...folding it and unfolding it may have some effect on its lifespan.

Great lens hood. I wasn't sure about a rubber hood at first, but this little guy does a great job, and is really handy. I'm a big fan of how easily the hood can be collapsed down when not in use. Great deal.

After purchasing a Nikon D90, my first lens was the 50mm f/1.8 prime. I had planned to put a filter on the lens, as protection for the lens. However, upon viewing the lens, it didn't make sense to put a filter on it, so I purchased this hood instead.

The glass of the 50mm lens is about 1.5" in diameter (a bit bigger than a quarter), and is recessed behind the rim of the lens about 1.5" or 2" (I'm guessing). So the lens glass is much smaller than the size of the filter (perhaps 25% of the filter size), and recessed, which adds protection. As such, it didn't make sense to me to go from a 1.5" diameter piece of glass to a 3" diameter of glass (ie filter) which would also be on the very front of the lens, and not recessed. I tested my theory outside shooting into the sun, attempting to get the worst lens flare possible. Even with a high quality B+W multi-coated UV filter (about a $50 filter), I still got a noticeable amount of increased flare, compared to shooting without the filter. So I decided not to use a filter on this particular lens.

But I still had a weird feeling like I'm not protecting my lens, so I tried this hood.

The hood is a thick, flexible rubber, which collapses and extends manually. When collapsed, it is about 1/2 inch thick. When extended, it is about three inches deep. When extended, the rubber is pretty soft, so with very little pressure, you can fold/bend it. As such, I'm not sure if it would really protect the lens much. However, if I were to drop the lens on its face (without the hood), I could imagine the filter ring cracking, but the glass being fine. With the hood screwed onto the filter ring, perhaps it would soften the blow and protect it. I guess I was expecting the hood material to be firm or at least, firmer than it is. Regardless, I plan to leave it on the camera since I went to the trouble of ordering it. Also, the ring part that screws onto the end of your lens where a filter would go, is metal. It is the only part of the hood that is metal; the rest is the flexible rubber.

I still need to test the hood for what it is really designed to do - block excess light from entering the lens. I will update my review when I do.

Also, on a silly note, my 50mm prime looks really tiny on my D90 when I have the enormous SB-900 on top of the camera. This hood will at least make the appearance of the camera more balanced until I get a bigger lens!

This is a must have for the 50mm 1.4 lens. I leave it on all the time and it pretty much stays out of the way when I don't need it. It's so nice to be able to just pop it open as I need it. The only big problem I have is that when it's folded closed you can't really use the manual focus ring because it's mostly covered by the hood. It's not the biggest deal in the world, but it would be nice to be able to just leave it folded sometimes.

It's a well designed product, very compact, but sturdy. However, be aware that it vignettes very heavily on focal lengths under 24mm.

I bought this for my Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.8D.
The screw is made of metal while the rest is rubber.

PROS:
It fits pretty well in the lens and it feels solid.
I tested it and it does its job pretty good.
It even helps me find the lens in my bag.

CONS:
The only downside I can find about it is that while it protects the lens and does its job, it covers most of the focus ring, which is already pretty small, so if you are trying to focus manually, it will take some practice and skill.

CONCLUSION:
Overall great quality and built for the price.

While it works without vignetting for Nikon 35mm f/1.8G lens, it may be a waste vs the standard plastic hood. Although the versatility of hooded/non-hooded mode is great, it's also a hassle to ensure the hood is physically extended (prevent flares) or retracted (prevent vignetting).

On the plus side, you can just collapse the hood to prevent vignetting, whereas the built-in plastic hood requires you to physically reverse the hood, which prevents manual AF-override.

Besides, the rubber hood (although it screws onto the lens/filter)--rather than the hood screws--allows you to adjust the length of the hood on the fly.

This hood is great, I use it on a 50mm f/1.8 (probably where most people use it. It's extremely convenient that it's collapsible, but kind of a pain when you have to screw and unscrew it on and off when you need to change or remove a filter. Also, there can be some vignetting depending on your focal length (around 24mm) and # of filters if you're using a zoom (like the 18-55mm Nikon Kit Lens). This is easily controlled if you take the time to make sure. Other than that, I love that it's rubber but the way it bends will still protect your glass a bit if it falls.

But it works great it folds onto it self. Not sure why it didn't come with the lens when purchased.