Op/Tech vs LensCoat Hood Review for the Fuji X100

[Abel]

Op/Tech vs LensCoat Hood Review for the Fuji X100

The Op/Tech Hood Hat Micro and the LensCoat XX-Small Hoodie are a great and inexpensive solution for protecting your Fuji X100 camera lens when using the Fuji Lens Hood. This review will compare the two products side by side so you can make an informed decision on which one is perfect for you.

I recently bought a Fuji X100 camera and the Fuji Lens Hood to go along with the camera and unfortunately I soon realized that when using the add-on lens hood that now I no longer had use of the factory lens cap. This meant the lens element was not protected when the camera was not in use and/or when I was transporting it. I knew I really wanted to keep the lens hood so I began looking for possible solutions in order to cater to my needs.


Summary:

I looked all over the net for possible solutions to help protect my front lens element and I came across several sites which recommended Nikon lens caps and such but I wanted something with a bit more. The Fuji Lens Hood is vented which can still allow dust and other items into the area of the front lens element even if you're just using a Nikon lens cap for instance. I wanted something that would really keep dust and debris out when the camera was not being used. Also, I should mention that I am one that does not like to use UV filters as an option to cover my front elements. I've just never been one to like using them.

I began to recall various members here on Pixtus using Lens Coat products for their large diameter lens such as a 400 f2.8 etc so I started to look a bit more at their products. Upon looking at the larger covers thinking I would have to make my own I stumbled across much smaller versions of the same line and also saw that Op/Tech had something similar as well. Both items were priced under $10 so I decided to order both and give them a good inspection and hands on test since I couldn't find much info and/or great detailed photos of these guys online.

Here are the Op/Tech Hood Hat Micro and the LensCoat XX-Small Hoodie lens covers.

Function:

The Op/Tech Hood Hat Micro and the LensCoat XX-Small Hoodie are both made of neoprene and can easily be stored in your back pocket when not being used on camera. These two products are very similar and will both do the job of what I need but there are pros and cons on each. Nothing major just personal preference.

You'll notice in the photos in this review that the LensCoat has a lot of lint on it and has been stretched out. I can assure you that it did not arrive like this. The photos below are taken after I used the LensCoat Hood for about a week on a short vacation so what you see if a product that's been put through the paces of real world use.

The Op/Tech Hood uses a much thicker, more dense line of neoprene as compared to the thinner, softer version of neoprene that is used in the LensCoat Hood. Right out of the box this was something I noticed immediately and thought I had found a clear cut winner of the two. The Op/Tech Hood also uses a thicker real leather tab as compared to the LensCoat Hood tab which seems to be a synthetic thin leather knock-off.

The one feature that I found I really liked between these two products is the protective disk that is included in the LensCoat Hood. The LensCoat Hood has a two ply neoprene front face which has a slit cut into it so that you can easily remove a protective disk. The Op/Tech Hood does not offer this feature, it simply has its regular one ply neoprene soft front face.

Here's a view of the LensCoat Hood with the protective disk completely removed. You'll notice the thick hard plastic disk with a really dense foam affixed to the back side. This disk is inserted into the two ply front face with the plastic side of the disk pointed outward giving you added protection for your camera lens element. Say for instance if you're storing your camera and it comes in contact with a sharp object this disk will keep that object from puncturing the neoprene and getting to the glass of your camera. I know that's a very unique situation but I really like the added security of the hard front barrier on this hood.

The only thing I am not certain of is why didn't they just make the protective disk permanent, as in not removable. Skip adding the slit for easy removal, just sew the two ply front face up with the disk in there and call it a day. I'm not sure of how many users would feel the need to have this disk removed entirely as I feel this is BEST feature of this product.

As mentioned earlier, the Op/Tech Hood uses higher quality materials and even the construction in regards to the stitching and such seems to be better. The one downside to the Op/Tech Hood (besides no protective disk) is that the neoprene used is not quite as black as I would like. I know, that's being nit picky but hey, that's how I feel hehe. I feel you guys should be made aware of all of my observations in this review. As you can see in the photo below the Op/Tech Hood is much lighter and seems to be faded when placed next to the LensCoat Hood.

The Verdict:

The Op/Tech Hood Hat Micro and the LensCoat XX-Small Hoodie are both great products and at less than $10 for each you can't go wrong with either. In fact for less than $20 you could purchase both as I have done and chose which one you like most after running them through their paces. Can't beat that.

This review was written as a side by side comparison and there has to be a clear winner for me. In my mind the LensCoat XX-Small Hoodie is my true winner. Sure it has it's downsides BUT the addition of the hard protective disk in the front face is what sealed the deal for me. That gives me that added sense of security which is much appreciated when toting around a $1,200 Fuji X100.

I recently took the LensCoat Hood on vacation with me and it worked out great. When not using it I simply folded it up and placed it in one of my pockets. Nice and easy. When I wasn't shooting with the camera I'd place the cover back on the lens hood so then when I sat down to eat or something the lens hood wasn't in contact with the table which may scratch it etc. I know I am pretty anal about my equipment but that's just me... I am sure there are others out there that may not even consider getting one of these products I described today because it's not a concern to them. For me, this was a very wise purchase in protecting my camera on a day to day basis and it was less than $10! How many camera accessories can you really say that about. Ha!


Where To Buy:

Find the lowest price on this product from our sponsored Affiliates listed below:

OP/TECH USA Hood Hat Micro

LensCoat XX-Small Hoodie Lens Hood Cover