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Caps,
Hoods and Cases
© 2006 KenRockwell.com
Nikon
12 - 24 mm f/4, Tokina 12 - 24 mm f/4, Sigma 10 - 20 mm f/4 - 5.6
and Tamron 11 - 18 mm f/4.5 - 5.6.
Click an image to get
it from Adorama.
Also try Amazon.
It helps me if you get yours at either one.
Index
Front Caps back
to top of page skip to rear
caps
I got a four-year
engineering degree to review lens caps?
There is a huge difference between them, so read on.
The Nikon cap
is the best. The
Tamron cap is quite good. The
Tokina is well made but pops out of your hands. The
Sigma cap is awful.
I'd keep the
off-brand cap in the box for resale and use a real Nikon cap I buy here.
I'm not kidding: this is exactly what I do when I buy off - brand lenses.
Front
Cap Observations
(Weights are listed under weights)
|
|
Tokina |
Sigma |
Tamron |
Type |
Spring
Loaded |
Spring
Loaded |
Spring
Loaded |
Spring
Loaded |
Color |
Black |
Black |
Black |
Black |
Material |
Plastic |
Plastic |
Plastic |
Plastic |
Graphics |
Silver
Paint |
Gold
Foil |
Molded |
Silver
paint |
Access |
Front
and Sides |
Front
and Sides. More likely than Nikon's to pop out of your fingers
accessed from front. |
Sides
only |
Front
and Sides |
Finish |
Semi-dull |
Textured
Matte |
Dull |
Textured
matte |
Quality |
Excellent
in every way. I cover the Nikon logo with black tape to be
less obvious. |
Excellent
construction. Much
more likely to pop out of your hand when grabbed from the
front. |
Crappy.
Spring catches seem likely to stick. Can't be removed with
hood in shooting position Throw it away and replace it with
a spare Nikon cap. |
Excellent
design and operation. Very good construction. |
|
|
|
|
|
Rear
Caps back
to top of page
I wish I was kidding, but
there are huge differences between rear caps, too!
The Nikon and Tokina
caps work great. You put them on the back of any lens. End of story.
They both work perfectly on any of these four brands of lenses.
The Tamron and Sigma caps
are awful. I have no idea why, but they need to be aligned precisely
to only one position. Otherwise they won't mount! You have to stop
and look for the index marks, which of course are
black on black. I'd also leave the Tamron or Sigma rear cap in the
box for resale time and replace them with a real spare Nikon cap here.
If you don't you'll always be wasting a lot of time fiddling to
get them on any lens.
Worse, the Tamron cap is
so shallow inside that it won't fit on my Nikon lenses or the Tokina
lens! Throw it away and buy a real Nikon replacement here.
The Tamron rear cap just wont fit the other lenses.
Rear Cap Measurements (Weights
are listed under weights)
|
|
Tokina |
Sigma |
Tamron |
Material |
Black
textured Plastic |
Black
Shiny Plastic |
Black
Plastic |
Black
Plastic |
Outside
Diameter |
53.4
mm |
57.8
mm |
57.7
mm |
58.9
mm |
Depth,
external |
17.1
mm |
14.0
mm |
15.6
mm |
13.0
mm |
Depth,
Internal |
13.8
mm |
10.5
mm |
13.1
mm |
9.6
mm |
Mounting
Positions |
Three |
Three |
One |
One |
Overall |
E |
VG |
A
little dinky |
VG,
but arrived a little dusty. |
|
|
|
|
|
Hoods (Weights
are listed under weights) back
to top of page
Oddly the most
complex piece is the most similar among brands. They are all plastic
bayonet cut-out hoods that can mount backwards for storage.
I never use
a hood. I use my hand if the sun is shining in my lens. Therefore
my Nikon hood is stored away and I didn't measure it.
|
Nikon |
Tokina |
Sigma |
Tamron |
Included |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Type |
Scalloped |
Scalloped |
Scalloped |
Scalloped |
Material |
Plastic |
Plastic |
Plastic |
Plastic |
Attachment |
Bayonet |
Bayonet |
Bayonet |
Bayonet |
Reverses? |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Max
Diameter |
|
104
mm |
95.6
mm |
106.9
mm |
Depth,
total |
|
48.6
mm |
36.4
mm |
36.7
mm |
Extension
from front of lens |
|
43.3
mm |
30.5
mm |
33.4
mm |
extension
from rear flange |
|
137.7
mm |
108.7
mm |
111.9
mm |
Extension
from end of R cap |
|
147.3
mm |
123.7
mm |
125.6
mm |
Exterior
Finish |
Nude
speckled plastic |
Nude
speckled plastic, same as Nikon |
Nasty
flat sparkle paint |
Nude
textured plastic |
Interior
Finish |
|
Black
Flocking, excellent |
nude
plastic, serrated baffle |
nude
plastic, serrated baffle |
Model
# |
HB-23 |
BH-777,
marked* |
unknown
and unmarked |
DA13,
marked |
Mounting
marks |
|
Dot
at "IN" |
IN
and arrow for mounting. Unlabeled dot for reverse mounting.
Unnecessary OUT and arrow for removal. Confusing. |
Circle
and dot |
Other
markings |
|
none |
SIGMA
in white paint. |
"TAMRON" in
gold paint and Japan in white paint |
Feel
|
|
Sturdy |
Sturdy
with weird paint job. |
Big
and reasonably sturdy |
|
|
|
|
|
* February 2006. In June 2007 a reader reports his says BH-779.
Cases back
to top of page
The Sigma comes
with a very nice case. The others don't. I never use these.
I put my lenses in my pocket or a larger bag.
|
Nikon |
Tokina |
Sigma |
Tamron |
Included? |
|
No. |
Yes. |
No. |
Type |
|
|
Custom
padded nylon |
|
Model |
|
|
LS-432A |
|
Made
in |
|
|
China |
|
Markings |
|
|
EX
Sigma |
|
How
Marked |
|
|
Sewn
on plastic patch |
|
Color |
|
|
Black
Nylon |
|
Zippers |
|
|
One |
|
Zipper
Sliders |
|
|
Two |
|
Zipper
Brand |
|
|
None |
|
Belt
Loop |
|
|
Yes,
fixed |
|
Fabric
loops at end of zipper? |
|
|
Yes,
both ends |
|
Overall |
|
|
Nice,
functional and well done. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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