[JeffJS]

I don't think it would have broke Pentax to include hoods with the Kx kits. My K7 kit lens came with one and it's nothing special. I use to use UVs on all my lenses. Expensive ones. They caused ghosting and flare so I removed them, problem gone. Maybe if I were at 12,000 feet it would make a difference but here at about 500 feet above sea level, not so much.

[Docrwm]

I don't think it would have broke Pentax to include hoods with the Kx kits. My K7 kit lens came with one and it's nothing special. I use to use UVs on all my lenses. Expensive ones. They caused ghosting and flare so I removed them, problem gone. Maybe if I were at 12,000 feet it would make a difference but here at about 500 feet above sea level, not so much.

Clearly there is more to discuss about their use on dSLRs than there was on old film SLRs. Just starting down this path. I bought Hoya SMC UV filters for both kit lenses based on my OLD film knowledge and am now starting to regret those purchases. However, I'm going to do some comparison tests under different conditions and settings to see what I can see with and without the UV filters.

ND & Circular Polarizing seem to be less controversial but there are still those who swear that the only good lens is a naked lens.

[Andi Lo]

I don't think it would have broke Pentax to include hoods with the Kx kits. My K7 kit lens came with one and it's nothing special. I use to use UVs on all my lenses. Expensive ones. They caused ghosting and flare so I removed them, problem gone. Maybe if I were at 12,000 feet it would make a difference but here at about 500 feet above sea level, not so much.

I think rather than costing them money to include the hoods, it nets them money because people that buy the K-x are likely to buy the replacement hoods from them. Granted most will buy the ebay knockoff stuff, but revenue from people buying the hoods from pentax is not that small, I figure.

[WPRESTO]

The 135 f3.5 is a winner. Had an early (original?) preset in black & silver and later the SMC auto version in thread mount, but I'm unsure if the formulation is the same as the K-mount version. Both had excellent IQ and gave very good results with a Pentax 49mm thread close-up lens (still have and still use this little item occasionally on a 40mm f2.8 limited). The preset had no hood. The auto came with a threaded metal hood that could be slipped on reversed over the lens for storage. Check around, maybe at KEH, you might locate one of those hoods. AND although metal hoods are elegant, collapsable rubber protects better and will conform to the front of an aquarium glass/plastic to block out flash reflections.

[builttospill]

You can use the older flashes with your digital cameras if you buy one of these: 990560 Wein SSHSHS Safe-Sync Hot Shoe to Hot Shoe with PC Socket. I use my old Vivitar 283 on my K10D attached to the safe sync and haven't had any problems. I measured over 600 volts on flash discharge through the hotshoe.

[JeffJS]

The 135 f3.5 is a winner. Had an early (original?) preset in black & silver and later the SMC auto version in thread mount, but I'm unsure if the formulation is the same as the K-mount version. Both had excellent IQ and gave very good results with a Pentax 49mm thread close-up lens (still have and still use this little item occasionally on a 40mm f2.8 limited). The preset had no hood. The auto came with a threaded metal hood that could be slipped on reversed over the lens for storage. Check around, maybe at KEH, you might locate one of those hoods. AND although metal hoods are elegant, collapsable rubber protects better and will conform to the front of an aquarium glass/plastic to block out flash reflections.

The M135 has a built in hood. No aftermarket needed.

[Docrwm]

The M135 has a built in hood. No aftermarket needed.

Cool, thanks.