[LowVoltage]

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I'll get right to the point: This is my solution for adding a third-party lens hood and cap to the DA 35mm f2.4 AL lens.

1) DA 35mm f2.4 AL lens
2) Kalt 49mm metal screw-on lens hood
3) Pentax 58mm pinch lens cap

One of the minor drawbacks, in my humble opinion, about the DA 35mm f2.4 AL lens was the lack of an included lens hood. Pentax made the lens extremely compact, and in doing so they eliminated the typical grooves and bumps found on other lenses that would accept a reversible lens hood.

Adding a third-party hood is no problem at all, provided you purchase the right kind for the lens' angle of view. Some hoods will allow you to attach a lens cap, others do not appear outright to accept a cap. I was irked because I did not want to use a generic collapsible lens hood; I think they are ugly, add way too much extra bulk to the diameter of the lens when stored, and it can be difficult to find a rubber lens hood that provides proper shading for a lens at any given focal length.

When I decided to give myself a Christmas present in the form of the DA 35mm f2.4 AL I also did some research into trying to find the appropriate hood and lens cap combination. I had to take a calculated risk because there was no guarantee the pinch cap I purchased would match the hood. I read a few messages around the web that seemed to indicate 58mm would do the job, but nothing definitively said one way or another. Well, here it is.

The Kalt 49mm metal lens hood screws on easily enough. It looks good and seems to provide the right amount of shade for the lens to prevent flare.

Because the user can no longer access the filter threads the native lens cap does not work. Luckily, a 58mm pinch cap does the job. I suppose any generic cap would do, however I went with the Pentax-branded variety because I want my gear properly represented! The Kalt lens hood has some ridges scored on its inner surface which match up nicely with the ridges on the pinch cap. The cap grips nicely to the inner edge of the hood, much the same way it would on the inner rim of a filter thread. The cap mounts flush with the surface of the hood little effort. There is no indication that the cap would come off very easily if the lens and hood were stored with the cap in place.

A soft "push-on" cap that grips the outer edge of the hood might do the job quite well, however I was not willing to experiment with something I couldn't play with at my leisure.

Another nice thing about this particular hood/cap combination is the fact that if you lose your grip on the cap and accidentally jam it into the lens hood opening it can not ever touch the front lens element. The diameter of the cap is too large for the narrowing tube of the hood.

Some might think this is all too much to worry about for a lens, that a rubber hood is fine. If that does the job for you, well, cheers! Granted, a regular 49mm rubber hood would allow you to use the native 49mm lens cap and avoid an extra purchase. I simply do not like the garish look of a rubber hood. Plus, the act of collapsing such a hood could be a lot of effort exerted on the end of a delicate lens like the plastic DA 35mm f2.4 AL. Don't get me wrong, the lens feels well made, but it's no tank, either.

In all I paid about $20 total for the metal hood and pinch cap.

P.S. This little gem of a lens is pleasantly sharp wide open. I look forward to taking some formal test shots once my neck of the wood warms up a few degrees.

[calculator01]

Thank you very much for this solution!

[jjdgti]

There are some in the auction site that are for wide angle and one for normal lens. I have the same on for my 50mm lens and one thinner for my manual 25mm lens. Just do a search for 49mm lens hood.

[Steve Beswick]

I think that the setup you have come up with is very nice, but -

... add way too much extra bulk to the diameter of the lens when stored, ...

Sorry, I don't buy this part of your argument, especially compared to the bulk of what you came up with.

[eddie1960]

there are some interesting third party hood out there
I have a couple of really nice ones in 40.5mm for my commie rangefinders that cost under $20 and came with a cap.
My 100mm M series I have a pinch on hood that came with it that works with my 50 and without vignetting, but may be too long for the 35mm
this lens is in my targets so this info is really useful (just have a few other bits and pieces to pay off first)

[paperbag846]

I like the solution you came up with, regardless of the bulk.

The nice thing about metal hoods is that they protect the lens better from bumps than rubber hoods.

[SOldBear]

The nice thing about metal hoods is that they protect the lens better from bumps than rubber hoods.

Not trying to argue with you, paperbag846, but I'm not sure I can agree with that statement.

A rubber or plastic hood can act as a "crumple zone" to a lens. Let's say something hits hard on the side of the hood. A rubber hood will give and a plastic hood will break, but a metal hood will transfer the full force of impact to the lens's front thread, causing damage to the lens.

[LowVoltage]

I think that the setup you have come up with is very nice, but -
Sorry, I don't buy this part of your argument, especially compared to the bulk of what you came up with.

True, there is some length added to the overall setup, but the diameter is what I was trying to leave unchanged. Rubber hoods (especially, when compared to OEM hoods) create a protruding rim around the outer edge of the lens. This just creates the need for more space in a bag compartment with a lot of empty space (read "unprotected") around the lens body itself.

[LowVoltage]

Not trying to argue with you, paperbag846, but I'm not sure I can agree with that statement.

A rubber or plastic hood can act as a "crumple zone" to a lens. Let's say something hits hard on the side of the hood. A rubber hood will give and a plastic hood will break, but a metal hood will transfer the full force of impact to the lens's front thread, causing damage to the lens.

I considered this, and I suppose it really all comes down to just how many doors and kitchen counters you expect to be flying at you when you're making photographs!

Seriously, my father broke a 35-80mm lens by putting his camera on bandoleer-style with the camera hanging at his hip. He raged against Pentax for making such "flimsy" equipment, when what he really needed was respect for his camera by not letting it dangle willy-nilly as he descended a staircase.

I totally understand what you mean when you say a metal hood is going to transmit force into the lens, which is in part one of the reasons I recommended against the rubber hood. Think of all the push and pull forces exerted on the plastic tube that extends on this lens as the user expands or collapses the hood. Some of these hoods are quite rigid.

For my part, I was mostly concerned with how the lens could be shaded effectively, with the second major consideration being how easily the combo could be stored. In the field I guess I'm going to have to avoid bumps and projectiles flying at my face!

[paperbag846]

Not trying to argue with you, paperbag846, but I'm not sure I can agree with that statement.

A rubber or plastic hood can act as a "crumple zone" to a lens. Let's say something hits hard on the side of the hood. A rubber hood will give and a plastic hood will break, but a metal hood will transfer the full force of impact to the lens's front thread, causing damage to the lens.

This depends on whether the "lens is next" during impact, or whether the object would pass by the lens if it was hoodless.

However, in all of the circumstances were you see used lenses with a dented filter ring, a rigid hood would have A) prevented cosmetic damage, and B) created a good surface area to reduce the amount of vibration felt by the lens elements.

An old newspaperman taught me so.

Anyways, I just think the rig looks sexy .

[Steve Beswick]

...

Anyways, I just think the rig looks sexy .

Now there is something I can agree with!

[HEEGZ]

Thanks for this post. I ordered the exact same hood and cap when I ordered this lens from B&H this week and the whole ensemble looks like it was designed to fit together. I got all three items for under $250 shipped and couldn't be more pleased.

[joseanmx]

I had already ordered the DA 35mm when I read this post, still waiting for it, but it was very, very helpful to find the exact matching hood and cap needed, in fact, that there was a need for it at all! thank you very much, LV! Now I'm just waiting from everything to get here.

[wildweasel]

Looks good. I use these hoods on my 35mm, as well as a few other lenses I have - 49mm Lens Hood (Screw Mount) Petal Crown Flower Shape | eBay - and the original cap clips inside. Looks pretty good on the lens as well. The hood itself screws on securely so the locking ring isn't required.

[stormtech]

Thanks for sharing your setup.

This lens was kind of on the back burner of my LBA quest, but this has really sparked my interest again for some reason.......