Nikon 18-200 VR2 - Loose lens hood

[StephenArfer]

The lens hood on my 18-200 is horribly loose. It doesn't click into place with any real security and removes itself with ease. Especially when using my Black Rapid strap which causes the lens to rub on clothing from time to time. My wife has picked the hood up several times when my eyes are looking around the scene and hers were on dog mess spotting duties. Yesterday I was on my own and sure enough I lost it. Having resigned myself to the loss, I returned to my parked in field car and there it was in the grass 10 metres from the car! So, is this a common problem with this lens/hood? Is it just a case of finding a better fitting hood?

 

[Martyn...]

The lens hood on my 18-200 is horribly loose. It doesn't click into place with any real security and removes itself with ease. Especially when using my Black Rapid strap which causes the lens to rub on clothing from time to time. My wife has picked the hood up several times when my eyes are looking around the scene and hers were on dog mess spotting duties. Yesterday I was on my own and sure enough I lost it. Having resigned myself to the loss, I returned to my parked in field car and there it was in the grass 10 metres from the car! So, is this a common problem with this lens/hood? Is it just a case of finding a better fitting hood?

The hood is probably unique to the lens, I had the same thing with the 80-400 hood a few years ago.

My approach would be to find a way of helping it:

Gaffa tape - crude but effective, but you loose the ability to remove the hood for storage.
Velcro - male bit on the hood, male bit on the lens, small piece of female as a securing strap
Nylon locking screw - drill and tap a hole in the hood, fit a small nylon locking screw that would apply some friction to the lens body (I have done this with my 500/4 as the original design was poor)

 

[Spug]

Is it the lens hood that is actually loose, or is it caused by a loose mounting ring on the front of lens that the lens hood fits into? On my 18-200 VR lens this started to wobble with the lens hood attached. I had to carefully lift the rubber seal and tighten up the six tiny screws underneath. I haven't had much trouble since, but I admit that I rarely use the lens hood nowadays and before I used it all the time.

If it is the lens hood itself that is the problem, you can quite cheaply order another one on eBay (from China). (Perhaps keep the original Nikon one for when you want to sell the lens)

 

[StephenArfer]

I think I may have solved the problem - At least in the short term. Whilst checking out the options that Martyn suggested I noticed that the protruding "lug" on the hood which clicks into the detent on the lens, and which is supposed to lock the hood in place, could be adjusted by inserting a screwdriver in the adjacent slot and twisting slightly to cause the the lug to protrude further. This has certainly worked for now. For how long remains to be seen. I've also decided that to prevent wear on this arrangement I should leave the hood in place unless strictly necessary for stowing in a restricted space. Up to now, I've probably fitted and removed it far too many times. Inserting a Plasticard shim in the slot once the hood is installed would certainly hold it in place semi-permanently if I ever decide I need to do that. So, it does seem like I should have taken a closer look in the first place!

 

[gazfaz]

I have (finally) come up with a fix I think. I used the tops from two Bic Biros and wedged them through the splits in the side of the hood approx half way down on either side. They are wedge shaped and so force the little locating knobs on the hood to stick out more. Insert the tops from the back of the hood so that the ends stick out on the inner side of the hood. Then I used side cutter pliers to snip the unwanted part of the tops off leaving several mls of the top sticking through. I then put 4 blobs of Bostick on each top at either end. The hood now fits very securely.

http://s238.photobucket.com/user/gazfaz1/media/DSC_0025_zpsfeae8d30.jpg.html

http://s238.photobucket.com/user/gazfaz1/media/DSC_0024_zpsd885dd91.jpg.html