Lens hoods cause photographers a lot of frustration.
On the one hand, they’re necessary. They reduce unwanted flare while protecting the front element from damage.
On the other hand, they’re big, unwieldy pieces of plastic that take up space in your camera bag. And you generally need a different lens hood for every one of your lenses.
Which is why KUVRD, the company behind a universal lens cap, has just launched a new Kickstarter campaign:
For the Universal Lens Hood.
As KUVRD explains on its Kickstarter page, the Universal Lens Hood is carefully designed to fit 99% of lenses, by way of a clever stretch-and-fold system that allows you to expand the hood around your lens, then resize the hood depending on the lens you’re using.
The Universal Lens Hood also offers other innovative features, such as compactness (it can be folded up into a small ring that fits in your pocket) and filter compatibility (you can nestle any circular filter inside the lens hood, regardless of size).
Plus, the Universal Lens Hood promises to eliminate reflections from surfaces. If you’re shooting the skyline through a hotel window, for example, simply press the front of the hood up against the glass and watch as the reflections disappear.
And did I mention that it only costs $30 USD?
Now, there are a few drawbacks to the Universal Lens Hood worth highlighting:
First, it actually comes in two sizes, one designed for lenses with a 54mm to 76mm filter size, and the other designed for lenses with a 72mm to 112mm filter size. This isn’t a huge deal, but it does seem to undermine the idea of a single universal lens hood; if you have lenses of different sizes, you’ll need two of the hoods, not one.
Second, I do wonder about adjusting focus rings and zoom rings under the Universal Lens Hood. While KUVRD claims that it’s easy to fold the lens hood back and gain access to these controls, this seems inconvenient at best, especially if you’re trying to zoom and focus manually in a single shoot (and could potentially cost you images while you’re fiddling around).
While the Universal Lens Hood is technically still in the funding stage, it has already shot far beyond its $5000 USD Kickstarter goal, which means that orders will be shipped (likely in December). So if you’re looking for a lens hood that is ultra-compact, fits all your lenses, and includes some additional useful features, then the Universal Lens Hood is worth a look.
You can become a Kickstarter backer here, where you can grab a single copy of the Universal Lens Hood for $30 USD or two copies of the Universal Lens Hood for $50 USD.
Now over to you:
What do you think of the Universal Lens Hood? Is it something you’d be interested in? Do you get frustrated with your current lens hoods? Share your thoughts in the comments!
