Anyone uses different lens caps--I know it may be silly question.... [Archive]

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BES

05-12-2009, 10:07 AM

but those Canon caps are silly. Anyone uses anything different and how do you get it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Oren

05-12-2009, 12:42 PM

Yep, they are silly. Nikon's caps are much better I think.

waltgary

05-13-2009, 10:38 PM

Yep, they are silly. Nikon's caps are much better I think.
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As are Tamron's. I got an aftermarket one for a 500 f/4 and it doesn't seem like it would have been that expensive for Canon to have included it. That's especially true given the cost of the lens in the first place. Does take nice pictures though. gary

Sean Setters

05-13-2009, 11:31 PM

Mark Elberson

05-14-2009, 10:09 AM

I don't actually have one from this company, but I ran across it today...they have some lens caps that might be worth checking it out.

Mennon-USA ("http://www.mennon-usa.com/store/lens-caps-c-86.html)
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These look nice. They mimic the Nikon and Tamron ones. I may pick up a couple. I find it extremely difficult to remove a Canon lens cap when you have the hood installed....especially if it's a large hood like on my EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS!!!

George Slusher

05-14-2009, 05:15 PM

I use center-pinch caps on all my lenses. I haven't bought a Nikon lens cap and only one Tamron cap, though--they're a bit expensive. I have bought quite a few from various sources on eBay. I've paid as little as 1.94 to as much as $7.45, including shipping, depending upon size and source. It pays to check around. The last 77mm center pinch caps I bought were $3.08 each, including shipping. (On eBay, look up seller jiakgong.)

BES

05-15-2009, 01:14 AM

George Slusher

05-15-2009, 03:25 AM

I know this is absolutely silly, but for newbie...do Nikon caps fit Canon lenses? or any other caps for that matter? What do I look for? Size on cap of current lens cap and replacement cap? Will they fit perfectly? Canon caps really annoy me, especially when I use the hood. i would love a different cap...
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Snap-on caps of just about any brand/make should fit just about any lens that is the right size. You can get many "brands" of lens caps on eBay--just get the same size as the filters for your lens. Canon lenses tend to use 52mm, 58mm, 67mm, 72mm, and 77mm filters. (Some other brands of cameras and/or lenses will use other filters. For example, some Sigma lenses use 62mm filters.)

I've not found any good reason to buy Nikon or Canon lens caps and have only bought one Tamron, just to see if it was any different or better than the much cheaper caps I was getting. It wasn't, but it was about twice the price.

Now, some lens caps will come off more easily than others, especially off of filters, which often have shallower (thus, fewer) threads than the lenses do. I've found that, sometimes, a cap that fits snugly on one filter will not fit as well (securely) on another of the same size. (The Canon filters are no better at this than any others I've tried.)

Cory

06-17-2009, 02:54 AM

I have the following caps: Canon, Olympus, Sony and Tamron. Don't have a Nikon, but they appear to be the same as the Olympus.

I prefer the Tamron by far. If you are going to shoot with lens hoods much you WANT a center pinch lens cap. I like the grip of the Tamrons and they seem to 'fit' (easier to get onto) my lenses/filters.

George Slusher

06-17-2009, 03:10 AM

Cory:

I agree. However, Tamron caps are a bit expensive. Check eBay for center-pinch caps that are usually much cheaper and work just as well. There are several designs, mainly in the finger-holds. SOME are a bit wider than the filter/lens and may interfere with installing or removing the hood, but most work fine. Unfortunately, while I know which of my caps has that problem, I don't remember from whom I bought it, plus, some sellers list more than one design. Some come with lens-keeper strings (REALLY useless!). I remove the strings and use a pair of diagonal wire cutters to cut off the eyelet the string was attached to and file down the "nubs," if needed (not often) with a nail file.

I've developed the habit of usually (heck, I'm 62!) putting the lens cap in my pocket. I was helping a guy learn to use his Rebel last summer and reminded him several times to put the cap in his pocket. Once, he sat it on a table. While he wasn't looking, I picked it up and put it in my pocket. A while later, he looked for the cap. He couldn't remember exactly where he'd left it--the table where he had left it was NOT the first place he looked. [6]