I recently received the shorter lens hood and front cap from Zemlin, and I must say, I’m thoroughly impressed. Just to clarify up front – I have no affiliation with Zemlin. This is simply a technical review from a user who was looking for a more practical solution for a large telephoto lens.
The original Canon hood for the RF 600mm f/4 is built like a tank. It’s extremely sturdy, but also bulky and not the easiest thing to handle. To make matters more awkward, the original lens cap is more of a floppy soft bag than a proper front cover. That’s where Zemlin steps in with a clever alternative.
I went for their shorter 113 mm hood, which is roughly half the size of the original. It clicks into place with a gentle twist and feels much more convenient in everyday use. I also picked up Zemlin’s lens cap, which is a proper, rigid cap that offers protection without the hassle. My lens is wrapped in a LensCoat Max 4 camo cover, and I ended up shortening the hood cover slightly and reinforcing the stitching with a bit of super glue. Everything fits together well.
Even with the shorter hood, I still need to flip the hood upside-down when packing it into my camera bag. However, the reduced length gives me noticeably more space in the bag, and handling the hood is now much easier, especially in the field when working quickly matters.
Zemlin’s components are 3D printed, but the quality is excellent. The design includes complex parts like a screw mount, silicone gaskets, and internal springs. The engineering is clearly well thought out. Importantly, this isn’t a permanent modification – the short hood uses a small adapter ring, which can be removed with the provided Allen key. That means the original Canon hood can be reinstalled at any time without leaving any marks or changes to the lens.
In summary, if you’re using a Canon super-telephoto and looking for a more user-friendly hood and cap combo, Zemlin’s setup is absolutely worth a look. It’s a small change that has made a big difference in my daily workflow.
Link to the Zemlins’ web page: https://www.zemlinphoto.com
-juha-
Thank you for the great review. LensCoat can also make custom sleeves to fit my hoods. I can provide a hood drawing that LensCoat can use to make a matching sleeve for any of my hoods.
Thank you, Karl. I wish I had known this information before I butchered the sleeve 🙂