[stevebrot]

The DA L versions ship hoodless. All DA versions ship with hoods.

In short, if you pay more you get more (quick-shift, focus scale, metal mount face, and hood). The real shame is that they don't bundle the DA version with the less-expensive bodies. Is is also shameful that the product listings at Web sites such as B&H often don't provide the full or accurate designation for the bundled lens. This goes as far as the product images where the DA version is often pictured even when it is the DAL which actually ships.


Steve

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Last edited by stevebrot; 02-11-2014 at 12:39 PM.

[Adam]

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?

To force you to buy them separately and make Pentax some extra profit

[elliott]

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.

They'd see the same thing with those brands as well.

[Na Horuk]

Yeah, the DA L versions don't come with a hood. I guess the idea is to keep it cheap. And so you can buy an overpriced hood separately. Luckily, there are pretty good knock-offs available out there; and third party generic hoods, too. The genuine or replica knock-off is pretty good, as it mounts via bayonet, so you can still mount filters, and it has a hatch for polarizing filters. From China/ebays it will cost under $15, but the shipping can take a loong time

I wonder more about the DA 35mm f2.4 and DA 50mm f1.8. Those could also use a hood, and I don't think Pentax even makes a dedicated hood for these? (and buying a hood for the FA 35mm/FA 50mm is very expensive, plus the hood is made for FF, so I assume it could be tighter on crop).

I do agree that it would be great if the DA L and DA primes came with a hood. Probably Pentax just figures most users won't use a hood on these lenses anyway - that if they are serious enough to use a hood, they would buy it separately or buy a "better" lens to begin with

[ChristianRock]

I have a Bower petal hood that came with my 18-55mm AL II. It's not a long hood by any means, it actually seems a bit smaller than the Pentax ones I've seen on their website. But it still vignettes severely under 24mm. Does anything like that happen with the Pentax hood?
Honestly I have no need for it anyway. The 18-55 is pretty good against flare - and I haven't used that lens much anyway. The hood is now used mostly on my Ricoh RIkenon 50 1.4. That one desperately needs it

[JinDesu]

The DA L versions ship hoodless. All DA versions ship with hoods.

In short, if you pay more you get more (quick-shift, focus scale, metal mount face, and hood). The real shame is that they don't bundle the DA version with the less-expensive bodies. Is is also shameful that the product listings at Web sites such as B&H often don't provide the full or accurate designation for the bundled lens. This goes as far as the product images where the DA version is often pictured even when it is the DAL which actually ships.


Steve

I wonder when they made the differentiation? I bought my k-x from B&H back then with a white kit lens, which was definitely a DAL lens. It came with a hood, which was nice - especially since it had the little polarizer slot.

[Kerrowdown]

Why don't kit lenses come with hoods

So manufacturers can keep the base costs down, as many folk wouldn't need or want a hood.

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Last edited by Kerrowdown; 02-11-2014 at 01:08 PM.

[stevebrot]

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

Yep. The generics don't fit worth beans. The Pentax hood is about $23 USD to fit the 18-55 WR and the generic is about half that, if indeed you can find a generic to fit*. It is a no-brainer from my perspective.


Steve

* Good luck. I was only able to find a generic for the non-WR bayonet Edit: I did a more extensive Google search and there are generics available.



---------- Post added 02-11-14 at 12:06 PM ----------

So manufacturers can keep the base costs down, as many folk wouldn't need of want a hood.

Yep...check out the kit lenses from the competition. Hoods typically only ship with the more expensive glass.


Steve

[gazonk]

Pentax is pretty generous with included hoods. Olympus doesn't even include hoods (or cases) for expensive limited-like lenses like the 12mm and the 75mm.

[mrNewt]

Yep. The generics don't fit worth beans. The Pentax hood is about $23 USD and the generic is about half that. It is a no-brainer from my perspective.


Steve

---------- Post added 02-11-14 at 12:06 PM ----------



Yep...check out the kit lenses from the competition. Hoods typically only ship with the more expensive glass.


Steve

I've never had any issues with the generic ones. They fit just fine for me... so far.

As for other brands, from my experience, the Sigma lenses (even the cheapest ones) always came with lens hoods...

[Na Horuk]

I wonder when they made the differentiation?

When I bought my K-r and two lens kit (DA L 18-55mm, DA L 50-200mm) there were no hoods.

Does anything like that happen with the Pentax hood?

I bought a knock-off from China, very cheap, and as far as I can tell, it doesn't vignette. But I don't use my 18-55mm very often anymore, replaced it with 40mm, 35mm and 14mm primes.

[Steve.Ledger]

All my kit lenses (Pentax and Sigma) came with hoods for my *istDS in 2004 and K-7 in 2009.
The only lens which didn't was the lens I bought much later, the 55-300mm DA-L (the plastic mount version)

[Bramela]

I have never received one without a hood, but those that do surely it is for cheapness.(afterall ''kit lens'')

[millsware]

I understand cutting costs, but again, what does it cost to produce a plastic lens hood, $1.00? Even if they hid that in the price of the lens it wouldn't matter. Would you really be fine spending $499.99 for a camera with lens but walk away from $500.99?

[GibbyTheMole]

Both of the DA 18-55's I had came with hoods. I imagine it's only the DA-L versions that don't.