Why don't kit lenses come with hoods?

millsware · 02-11-2014, 10:50 AM

A little over a year ago I bought a K-01 in a kit with the 18-55 and and 50-200mm kit lenses. No hoods were included, which seems to be standard. Why wouldn't Pentax include something that is widely considered to improve image quality, and probably costs about a dollar to make? I know that Pentax sells the respective hoods for $30-40 on their website, so that would be the obvious answer, even though that is a ridiculous price.

It just seems to me like one of those little things that could be done to improve customer loyalty, as somebody buying this kit is probably new to the world of DSLR (as I was).

Also, does anyone really buy those Pentax hoods, when you can get a generic one for 1/10th the price?

dansamy · 02-11-2014, 10:53 AM

I wish I knew! Now that I know I should have hoods, I have to buy some. It just feels like taking advantage of newbies.

mrNewt · 02-11-2014, 11:00 AM

I guess the whole part of the kit lens is to be as cheap as possible... since the missing hood.

The sad part is that some of the hoods sometimes tend to be just as expensive as the lens itself

(of course... depending on the kit lens that you get).

JinDesu · 02-11-2014, 11:01 AM

Er... when I got my k-x with white 18-55 DAL lens, it came with a hood. I am surprise that your kit lens didn't come with one.

Looking at B&H, if you get the WR kit lens, it comes with a hood (as it shows a link to the lens). The DAL version doesn't have a link that lets me see what it comes with..

dansamy · 02-11-2014, 11:05 AM

My k-x did not come with hoods.

aoeu · 02-11-2014, 11:10 AM

I bought a hood for my 18-55 from China on Ebay and it was cheap and fit so well that I suspect it came off the same production line.

**geomez** · 02-11-2014, 11:14 AM

If they gave you great IQ right out the gate there would be little incentive to buy premium lenses. Kit lenses are usually "just enough" to make the camera immediately usable. At least from what I've seen, most kit lens users don't use their hoods when they own them. I've seen more kit lenses used with their hoods reversed than properly mounted.
Oh, and the 18-55mm kit lens I got with my *ist DS (a decade ago) came with a hood.

dansamy · 02-11-2014, 11:16 AM

Now I'm feeling cheated because mine most definitely did not!

**rbefly** · 02-11-2014, 11:32 AM

Hello millsware,
The main reason is...price. Yes, it's always about the $$$, but here, in a slightly different way.
Although Pentax doesn't want to be another CaNikony clone, they do compete in a very rigidly-set price market. Body price ranges, lens prices and especially kit price ranges usually vary by $5.00 to $25.00 between brands, comparing similar performance and specs.
And Nikon and Canon offer kit-lens or super-zooms within that market at discount prices, mainly because they're 'no-frills' items, cost-cutters. No hood, usually plastic bayonet mount and generally budget quality. Some are better than others.
Here are a few competing lenses from Canon and Nikon, which, according to the B+H 'In The Box' descriptions, contain no hood. Some cost much more than the DA 18-55AL, a couple, less.
Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED AF-S DX
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Nikon 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED VR
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM.
So, it's nothing new. Most companies also offer upgrades to these or similar lenses, at a higher price, of course. More metal vs plastic, faster apertures, improved optics, SR, etc. And, usually, hoods.
For the lenses that don't include a hood, there's many 3rd party versions available on eBay for a few dollars each. The petal-type seem to work well on zooms, and they're also available as clones in all the normal filter sizes.
Good luck!
Ron

lister6520 · 02-11-2014, 11:52 AM

A lens hood costs almost nothing to produce, less than a cheap ballpoint pen. A high quality one could add significant cost but not a cheap one for a low cost lens.

I think the only reason they don;t include it is because a small percentage of those who buy the camera with kit lens will at some point read somewhere that a lens hood is a good thing they have to have and they will buy it as an overpriced aftermarket accessory.

I think though it is a marketing mistake as the lens hood can make a camera on display look much more 'professional' to the mass market.

That said, I think it is only the cheaper kit lenses that come without a hood. The 18-135 WR that came with my K-30 had a lens hood, and even that little removeable panel at the bottom. The K-r on the other hand came with the 18-55 DAL and had no lens hood. The only reason I had bought the K-r with that kit lens was because it was cheaper than one with no lens.

Sadly the Q-7 also comes without a lens hood, but I 3d pritned one for it rather than buying one.

vonBaloney · 02-11-2014, 11:54 AM

The 18-55 seriously no longer comes with a hood? Mine did, way back when...

Zav · 02-11-2014, 11:55 AM - **1 Like**

My 18-55WR came with a hood.

sterretje · 02-11-2014, 11:57 AM

Don't say that kit lenses don't come with lens hoods. It's just the DAL versions as far as I know.

DA18-55 AL came with lens hood (to my knowledge)
DA18-55 AL II came with lenshood (bought with K10D; just lucky I got the II version)
DA18-55 WR came wih lens hood (bought with K5)

**pearsaab** · 02-11-2014, 12:25 PM

Originally posted by geomez

If they gave you great IQ right out the gate there would be little incentive to buy premium lenses. Kit lenses are usually "just enough" to make the camera immediately usable. At least from what I've seen, most kit lens users don't use their hoods when they own them. I've seen more kit lenses used with their hoods reversed than properly mounted.
Oh, and the 18-55mm kit lens I got with my *ist DS (a decade ago) came with a hood.

probably is a ll version which comes with a hood...i have the original kit that came with my k200 and it has the hood but was alos the ii version

millsware · 02-11-2014, 12:27 PM

My thought was more along the lines of somebody buying a Pentax kit, taking a few pictures in direct sunlight, deciding they don't like the quality and returning it in favor of Nikon or Canon.

It's kind of like how Apple builds customer loyalty by doing all those little things that maybe add a few cents to the product, but really make them stand out from other manufacturers.

Plus lens hoods are a great place to plaster your logo in really big font.

02-11-2014, 10:50 AM	#1
millsware Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 70	Why don't kit lenses come with hoods? A little over a year ago I bought a K-01 in a kit with the 18-55 and and 50-200mm kit lenses. No hoods were included, which seems to be standard. Why wouldn't Pentax include something that is widely considered to improve image quality, and probably costs about a dollar to make? I know that Pentax sells the respective hoods for $30-40 on their website, so that would be the obvious answer, even though that is a ridiculous price. It just seems to me like one of those little things that could be done to improve customer loyalty, as somebody buying this kit is probably new to the world of DSLR (as I was). Also, does anyone really buy those Pentax hoods, when you can get a generic one for 1/10th the price?

02-11-2014, 11:32 AM	#9
rbefly Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Denver, Colorado Photos: Albums Posts: 2,030	Hoodie? Hello millsware, The main reason is...price. Yes, it's always about the $$$, but here, in a slightly different way. Although Pentax doesn't want to be another CaNikony clone, they do compete in a very rigidly-set price market. Body price ranges, lens prices and especially kit price ranges usually vary by $5.00 to $25.00 between brands, comparing similar performance and specs. And Nikon and Canon offer kit-lens or super-zooms within that market at discount prices, mainly because they're 'no-frills' items, cost-cutters. No hood, usually plastic bayonet mount and generally budget quality. Some are better than others. Here are a few competing lenses from Canon and Nikon, which, according to the B+H 'In The Box' descriptions, contain no hood. Some cost much more than the DA 18-55AL, a couple, less. Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED AF-S DX Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Nikon 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED VR Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM. So, it's nothing new. Most companies also offer upgrades to these or similar lenses, at a higher price, of course. More metal vs plastic, faster apertures, improved optics, SR, etc. And, usually, hoods. For the lenses that don't include a hood, there's many 3rd party versions available on eBay for a few dollars each. The petal-type seem to work well on zooms, and they're also available as clones in all the normal filter sizes. Good luck! Ron

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02-11-2014, 10:53 AM	#2
dansamy Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,450	I wish I knew! Now that I know I should have hoods, I have to buy some. It just feels like taking advantage of newbies.

02-11-2014, 11:00 AM	#3
mrNewt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ON, RH Posts: 2,181	I guess the whole part of the kit lens is to be as cheap as possible... since the missing hood. The sad part is that some of the hoods sometimes tend to be just as expensive as the lens itself (of course... depending on the kit lens that you get).

02-11-2014, 11:01 AM	#4
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	Er... when I got my k-x with white 18-55 DAL lens, it came with a hood. I am surprise that your kit lens didn't come with one. Looking at B&H, if you get the WR kit lens, it comes with a hood (as it shows a link to the lens). The DAL version doesn't have a link that lets me see what it comes with..

02-11-2014, 11:05 AM	#5
dansamy Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,450	My k-x did not come with hoods.

02-11-2014, 11:10 AM	#6
aoeu Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 496	I bought a hood for my 18-55 from China on Ebay and it was cheap and fit so well that I suspect it came off the same production line.

02-11-2014, 11:14 AM	#7
geomez Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Roanoke, Virginia, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,760	If they gave you great IQ right out the gate there would be little incentive to buy premium lenses. Kit lenses are usually "just enough" to make the camera immediately usable. At least from what I've seen, most kit lens users don't use their hoods when they own them. I've seen more kit lenses used with their hoods reversed than properly mounted. Oh, and the 18-55mm kit lens I got with my *ist DS (a decade ago) came with a hood.

02-11-2014, 11:16 AM	#8
dansamy Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,450	Now I'm feeling cheated because mine most definitely did not!

02-11-2014, 11:52 AM	#10
lister6520 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 733	A lens hood costs almost nothing to produce, less than a cheap ballpoint pen. A high quality one could add significant cost but not a cheap one for a low cost lens. I think the only reason they don;t include it is because a small percentage of those who buy the camera with kit lens will at some point read somewhere that a lens hood is a good thing they have to have and they will buy it as an overpriced aftermarket accessory. I think though it is a marketing mistake as the lens hood can make a camera on display look much more 'professional' to the mass market. That said, I think it is only the cheaper kit lenses that come without a hood. The 18-135 WR that came with my K-30 had a lens hood, and even that little removeable panel at the bottom. The K-r on the other hand came with the 18-55 DAL and had no lens hood. The only reason I had bought the K-r with that kit lens was because it was cheaper than one with no lens. Sadly the Q-7 also comes without a lens hood, but I 3d pritned one for it rather than buying one.

02-11-2014, 11:54 AM	#11
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	The 18-55 seriously no longer comes with a hood? Mine did, way back when...

02-11-2014, 11:55 AM - 1 Like	#12
Zav Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,371	My 18-55WR came with a hood.

02-11-2014, 11:57 AM	#13
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	Don't say that kit lenses don't come with lens hoods. It's just the DAL versions as far as I know. DA18-55 AL came with lens hood (to my knowledge) DA18-55 AL II came with lenshood (bought with K10D; just lucky I got the II version) DA18-55 WR came wih lens hood (bought with K5)

02-11-2014, 12:25 PM	#14
pearsaab Otis Memorial Pentaxian Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2011 Location: Richmond, Virginia USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,900	Originally posted by geomez If they gave you great IQ right out the gate there would be little incentive to buy premium lenses. Kit lenses are usually "just enough" to make the camera immediately usable. At least from what I've seen, most kit lens users don't use their hoods when they own them. I've seen more kit lenses used with their hoods reversed than properly mounted. Oh, and the 18-55mm kit lens I got with my *ist DS (a decade ago) came with a hood. probably is a ll version which comes with a hood...i have the original kit that came with my k200 and it has the hood but was alos the ii version

02-11-2014, 12:27 PM	#15
millsware Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 70 Original Poster	My thought was more along the lines of somebody buying a Pentax kit, taking a few pictures in direct sunlight, deciding they don't like the quality and returning it in favor of Nikon or Canon. It's kind of like how Apple builds customer loyalty by doing all those little things that maybe add a few cents to the product, but really make them stand out from other manufacturers. Plus lens hoods are a great place to plaster your logo in really big font.