prevents flaring / washed out images from indirect harsh light while protecting your lens' front element. negates the need for protective filters and maximises your lens' potential

Datasheet

Available on SYSTEM

A Permanent Fixture, A Clear View

Contents

• Introduction & The MASSA Partnership
• Who are the MASSA Lens Hoods + Push Caps for?
• Who aren't the MASSA Lens Hoods + Push Caps for?
• Protection: Gimme Shelter
• The (Current) Range
• Product Images

Introduction & The MASSA Partnership

background

The Leica Summilux 15mm F1.7 comes with a lens hood which in turn has its own "plug cap"; the lens is so diminutive in size that you can leave its hood on permanently, whether stored or in use). Likewise, the Panasonic 12-32mm and a host of other compact lenses, especially in the Micro Four Thirds ecosystem. The Panasonic 7-14mm F4 has its lens hood built into the lens and comes with a push cap. These lens-cap combinations were largely the inspiration for our partnership with MASSA.
 

Lens hoods for large telephoto lenses are often reversible and are intended to be packed away when not in use.

why MASSA?

We partnered with MASSA for three simple reasons:

1. They're a filter company and are intimately familiar with machining accurate lens filter threads.
2. High quality CNC machining.
3. They were willing to do relatively small initial manufacturing runs (which enabled us to do an investigational product without needing to "bet the farm").
    

Who are the MASSA Lens Hoods + Push Caps for?

The MASSA hood-cap pairings are low-profile and compact and are intended as near-permanent fixtures (somewhat mirroring the Panasonic 7-14mm pictured above right).  They will be suitable for users of any compact lenses ranging from wide angle (from 24mm and up, full frame equivalent) to short-telephoto (up to around 200mm full frame equivalent). They're light, compact and are designed to have a minimal impact on the portability of the lens. Capping the lens hood rather than the lens provides a number of benefits which are outlined below.
 

Who aren't the MASSA Lens Hoods + Push Caps for?

Wildlife and/or sports photographers use powerful telephoto lenses which in turn require long and obtrusive lens hoods (as pictured above centre). It makes sense for such lens hoods to only be fixed when the lens is in use. Often such lens hoods are reversible for when the lens is packed away. This is an area we're not planning to get into. We're predominantly focused on the compact portion of the photographic pie. 

The other group for whom this product may be of little interest are those that use an array of different (effect) filters (such as polarisers, tobacco, ND etc ...). These will generally attach to the lens itself and require the lens hood to be removed each time a filter is replaced. 
 

Protection: Gimme Shelter

the filter debate

In general terms, the more money spent on a (clear or UV) protective filter, the less degradation (there should be) to the light before it reaches the sensor. But no matter how much you spend, physics cannot be cheated, and the native optics of the lens will be, to some extent, degraded. Generally, the more budget-friendly the filter, the worse the degradation. For this reason there's a long-standing debate in the photographic community as to whether one should use protective filters at all. Afterall, having spent what is often a significant amount of money on some very fine glass designed to optimise the light gathered by the sensor; to then degrade that signal-path, is regarded by many as an understandable yet somewhat odious notion.

hoods are dual purpose

A lens hood's primary role is to protect the front element from indirect harsh light sources (glare) which can cause images to look washed-out or cause flaring. They also protect against precipitation (snow, rain, hail) hitting the front element, causing blurring (or less likely, damage in the case of hail).

In addition, a traditional lens push-cap, rather than a pinch-cap, keeps the cap from the glass. When a push cap is secured to a lens hood (rather than the lens itself), there is almost zero possibility that the cap can interact with the front element of the lens.

So, if you have compact, low-profile lens hoods (treated as though part of the lens itself - rather like Panasonic's 7-14mm lens) the requirement for any additional lens protection in the form of a filter is largely negated. The money saved on buying good quality protective filters will almost certainly be more (and possibly quite a lot more) than the cost of the MASSA Lens Hood & Push Cap.

These lens hoods and lens hood caps not only ensure images aren't spoiled from wash-out or flaring, but physically protect the front element, allowing users to abandon their protective filters and get the most from their pricey glass.

We now use these MASSA hoods and caps with all our compatible lenses. 
 

The (Current) Range

Full specs for each product type are available on the product pages linked above in the Datasheet.

We've initially focused on 3 filter sizes and offer 3 types of lens hood (though not yet in all thread diameters): Wide Angle, Standard and Short Telephoto:

• 37mm (Wide Angle, Short Telephoto)
• 46mm (Standard, Wide Angle, Short Telephoto)
• 58mm (Wide Angle)

We took existing designs that we'd been using over a long period and made some very minor modifications; generally shaving off millimeters to the depth (how much they protrude) and/or adding a few millimeters to the diameter (as was the case in the 37mm Short Telephoto).

So, if a hypothetical bias of a traditional lens hood was say 70:30 (in terms of "shade" vs "front element protection"), we've shifted that balance slightly toward (65:35). Our emphasis has been on remaining as compact as possible (minimising their protrusion) and at the same time erring on the side of caution with regard to vignetting. These are very minor alterations of a few millimetres here and there.

We wanted users to be able to fine tune the fit of the lens hood caps. So we made the inner rim completely flat.  If someone wanted a tighter or looser fitting cap, it would be trivial to either replace, add to or adjust the inner felt lining.

Finally, since we wanted to emphasise that these lens hoods are for compact setups, we shot the product images using the Panasonic GM1 as the model. This is the smallest Micro Four Thirds camera ever made and may make the lens hood look larger than they are (please refer the specs in the individual project pages).
 

Product Images

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prevents flaring / washed out images from indirect harsh light while protecting your lens' front element. negates the need for protective filters and maximises your lens' potential

Datasheet

Available on SYSTEM

Objective

The purpose of the MASSA Lens Hoods & Push Caps is to: 

• maximise image quality by protecting against strong indirect light causing flaring and/or washing out the image and by keeping precipitation clear of the front element to prevent unwanted image blurring.
   
• provide protection for the front element of the lens by keeping the front element recessed and out of harm's way. Furthermore, when a push cap is secured to a lens hood (rather than the lens itself), there is almost zero possibility that the cap can interact with the front element of the lens. This high level of protection negates the need for UV or clear protective filters which slightly degrade the native optics of the lens. Without a filter, the amount of light reaching the camera's sensor is maximised.
   
• achieve these objectives with as little impact on the lens' compact form factor as possible.

For more on why these lens hoods and lens hood caps were made, who they're for and who they're not suitable for and our partnership with MASSA please see our companion piece "Low Profile Metal Lens Hoods and Push Caps".
 

Specification & Outline

The Short Telephoto (ST) lens hoods are suitable for lenses with a (35mm equivalent) focal length of between 85mm and 200mm, i.e. from standard portrait to short / medium telephoto.

These are currently only available for 37mm and 46mm filter threads.

The lens hoods and push caps are light yet very strong and made from CNC machined anodised aluminium. They feature discrete branding and product codes on the inside of the lens hood cap and the outer rim of the lens hood. When the cap is in place, little to no branding is visible. The product codes make it easy to identify which cap goes with which hood.

For a complete specification of each model please refer to the images below.
 

Product Images

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prevents flaring / washed out images from indirect harsh light while protecting your lens' front element. negates the need for protective filters and maximises your lens' potential

Datasheet

Available on SYSTEM

Objective

The purpose of the MASSA Lens Hoods & Push Caps is to: 

• maximise image quality by protecting against strong indirect light causing flaring and/or washing out the image and by keeping precipitation clear of the front element to prevent unwanted image blurring.
   
• provide protection for the front element of the lens by keeping the front element recessed and out of harm's way. Furthermore, when a push cap is secured to a lens hood (rather than the lens itself), there is almost zero possibility that the cap can interact with the front element of the lens. This high level of protection negates the need for UV or clear protective filters which slightly degrade the native optics of the lens. Without a filter, the amount of light reaching the camera's sensor is maximised.
   
• achieve these objectives with as little impact on the lens' compact form factor as possible.

For more on why these lens hoods and lens hood caps were made, who they're for and who they're not suitable for and our partnership with MASSA please see our companion piece "Low Profile Metal Lens Hoods and Push Caps".
 

Specification & Outline

The Wide Angle (W) lens hoods are suitable for lenses with a (35mm equivalent) focal length of between 24mm and ~40mm, i.e. covering the standard street photography range.

These are currently available for 37mm, 46mm and 58mm filter threads.

The lens hoods and push caps are light yet very strong and made from CNC machined anodised aluminium. They feature discrete branding and product codes on the inside of the lens hood cap and the outer rim of the lens hood. When the cap is in place, little to no branding is visible. The product codes make it easy to identify which cap goes with which hood.

For a complete specification of each model please refer to the images below.
 

Product Images

[ click to enlarge the image, then click left of centre (for previous) or right of centre (for next) to cycle through all images at full size ]

prevents flaring / washed out images from indirect harsh light while protecting your lens' front element. negates the need for protective filters and maximises your lens' potential

Datasheet

Available on SYSTEM

Objective

The purpose of the MASSA Lens Hoods & Push Caps is to: 

• maximise image quality by protecting against strong indirect light causing flaring and/or washing out the image and by keeping precipitation clear of the front element to prevent unwanted image blurring.
   
• provide protection for the front element of the lens by keeping the front element recessed and out of harm's way. Furthermore, when a push cap is secured to a lens hood (rather than the lens itself), there is almost zero possibility that the cap can interact with the front element of the lens. This high level of protection negates the need for UV or clear protective filters which slightly degrade the native optics of the lens. Without a filter, the amount of light reaching the camera's sensor is maximised.
   
• achieve these objectives with as little impact on the lens' compact form factor as possible.

For more on why these lens hoods and lens hood caps were made, who they're for and who they're not suitable for and our partnership with MASSA please see our companion piece "Low Profile Metal Lens Hoods and Push Caps".
 

Specification & Outline

The Standard (S) general purpose lens hoods are very similar to the popular HN-40 and are suitable for lenses with a (35mm equivalent) focal length of between ~40mm and 85mm, i.e. from so-called "normal" / natural to portrait.

These are currently only available for 46mm filter threads (we hope to expand this range in the future).

The lens hoods and push caps are light yet very strong and made from CNC machined anodised aluminium. They feature discrete branding and product codes on the inside of the lens hood cap and the outer rim of the lens hood. When the cap is in place, little to no branding is visible. The product codes make it easy to identify which cap goes with which hood.

For a complete specification of each model please refer to the images below.
 

Product Images

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by aiP  [ info ]

Notes
[1]  click to enlarge the images, then click left of centre (for previous) or right of centre (for next) to cycle through in full screen mode
[2]  copyright and license information is available via the copyright logo below or click here to open in a new tab

all metal, ultralight yet highly durable modular tripod kit for extreme outdoor pursuits: a quick release, column and ball head for the Novoflex Micropod and other lightweight mini tripod bases

Scrambler Sections

Available on SYSTEM

Manufacturer's Page

A Mini-Tripod For The Weight Conscious

Contents

• Who is the Scrambler for?
• Getting Started: Benefits of a Modular (Component) Approach
• Background: Scramble Collaboration
• Modular & Packable
• Product Component Images

Who is the Scrambler for?

There are two types of people who are going to carry tripods into the mountains:

1. serious landscape photographers
2. long distance (solo) mountain trekkers and climbers that want or need to take photographs and/or video

The former may be out for a day or two and are not likely to be climbing over exposed ridges and sliding across treacherous scree fields. Such people can afford to carry a few extra kilos of camera gear. The latter however, may be out for weeks at a time, will be carrying many kilos of food supplies and all the other gear they need to survive and thrive in the mountains. The last thing this group of scramblers, climbers and long distance trekkers want is an 800g+ tripod strapped to their packs.

The "Scrambler" is a mini ultralight modular tripod (and selfie stick) aimed squarely at this latter group and it's the outcome of a long collaboration with our friends over at Scramble (thus the name). Scramble have now published a full review / outline of the Scrambler, so if you want to see it in action in a real-world setting, we strongly recommend having a look.

Getting Started: Benefits of a Modular (Component) Approach

No matter how much manufacturers like to flash their virtuous green credentials around, far too often a good deal of disposability is baked into a product's design. One of the benefits of a product assembled from available components is that if any part fails or is lost, it can be easily replaced; no need to throw the baby out with the bath water.

Another benefit is that it allows users to test the water to some extent. A customer might already have a number of compatible components and so can start with just the parts they need. In fact, we recommend the following approach:

• If you have a compatible base, use that first
• If you go with the Novoflex Micropod, skip the SmallRig column quick release (as you may find it unnecessary, since the legs can be removed leaving the base "pod" attached to the column)
• If you already have a ball head, Arca Swiss (or some other compatible) clamp and/or plate, skip the ones we recommend unless or until you decide you need something lighter

A basic initial setup might look something like this:

• Novoflex Micropod
• Camvate Extension Rod
• Feicho Dual Cubic Mount
• Male to Male Adapters

Then if all that looks good and you don't already have them: 

• A mini ball head
• Arca Swiss clamp and plate

Then, if you're convinced, finish off with:

• Cold shoe mount
• Leg #4
• D-Ring safety mount
• Carabiner

What you'll end up with should look like this:

Background: Scramble Collaboration

GP-Net Media provide Scramble with a range of photographic and design services  (camera equipment, image processing etc ..). A couple of years back Scramble (whose editor had clearly tired of his flexible foam and plastic, not-so-fantastic tripods failing in every conceivable way) asked us to come up with an all-metal tripod with the following spec:

• tough and durable enough to survive extreme outdoor use
• modular and packable (be able to be quickly assembled, stripped down and packed away)
• every part must be able to be replaced should any component fail (a genuinely green product)
• enable the camera to shoot from at least 30cm above the ground
• be able to handle steep, uneven terrain
• have a secure arca swiss compatible clamp
• have a simple yet functional, single-lock ball head that will work with high quality 1-inch sensor cameras like Sony's RX0s and RX100s and smaller bodied MFT cameras like Panasonic's GM1, GM5, GX1, GX850s and the lighter bodied Olympus Pen cameras.
• and finally, ... it mustn't weigh more than 200g !

That last one may have been wishful thinking but it focused our minds and made us conscious of every gram. What we came with up weighed 250 grams in total, however, the tripod is quickly broken down into 3 sections (main column section, leg #4 and base) and only the main section is intended to be strapped to the outside of a pack (thus directly impacting pack weight felt on the shoulder).  This section weighs a little less than 150g, a few grams more than the cheap flexible tripod it was designed to replace. The other parts easily fit in a pocket or belt bag.

Scramble have been testing beta versions for the last year and a bit and we hope to make a final release available as a build-it-yourself (and/or buy just the components you need) kit in June / July 2022. As the components arrive, we'll make them available on SYSTEM.
 

Modular & Packable

We're somewhat agnostic about the choice of base (legs), though our preference is the extremely light and surprisingly robust and strong Novoflex Micropod.  One of the benefits of the Micropod is, due to its design (the legs slot into sockets), its legs don't move on hinges which means it can lean without collapsing. One of the more unconventional aspects of the Scrambler is that it has the option of an additional leg when required (we imaginatively call this "Leg #4"). This makes for a very stable base when set horizontally and allows it to lean into an incline when on steep terrain or rocky outcrops.

We designed the Scrambler so the camera, base and additional leg can be quickly attached and separated. The Scrambler has an Arca Swiss camera quick release and a vertical quick release to separate the tripod column from the base. The Leg #4 uses a cold shoe mount and is securely mounted one-handed with a quick slide and twist.  

When disassembled, the base and Leg #4 can be packed into a pocket or belt bag and take up hardly any space. This just leaves the column, ball head and Arca quick release clamp which easily attach to the outside of a pack.

The Micropod, with its legs packed away in the vertical position, turns the Scrambler into a very effective selfie stick.

You can see a full component list (with links) here.
 

Product Component Images

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Lasted updated: 01/06/22

an optional extra lightweight leg for added stability on sloping ground and as a "lean-to" support for steep and/or rocky terrain ( 40 - 45g )

Recommended Component List

Available on SYSTEM

Background

Initially when Scramble gave us the brief to create an ultralight tripod for extreme outdoor use (long distance mountain trekking, climbing, scrambling etc.) our initial thought was that there had to be a good flexible tripod base upon which to build.  As we looked into it, we found that good quality bases with flex legs (just the legs and a 1/4" male screw) almost always started at around 200g (way too heavy).

Once you abandon flexible legs, you have to solve the issue of uneven ground. The ideal ultralight base for the Scrambler is Novoflex's Micropod whose legs slot into sockets (they're not hinged), which means they can support leaning without collapsing. In reality, Scramble solved their own problem when their editor informed us that "it would be perfect, if it could just lean against stuff".

So, we found a range of lightweight components and made a 4th Leg (or arm) and settled on a cold shoe mount as a quick release. Leg #4 provides the Scrambler with a very stable base when set horizontally and allows it to lean into an incline on steeper terrain or among rocky outcrops.

Leg #4 and the tripod base (there are a number of candidates) both detach via quick releases (Leg #4 uses a cold shoe, so a quick twist and slide removes the leg) and each take up very little space in a pocket, pouch or belt bag.

Also worth noting, is that anything with a 1/4"-20 male screw fitting can be screwed either directly into the Cubic Mount or into the Female to Female Knurled Adapter (taking the place of the spike). We've used a flexible arm for use around the city and it worked as well as a flexible tripod would (gripping round railings and such).
 

Leg #4 Components

* The illustration below is a minimal set-up.  We recommend an additional knurled adapter (as pictured above), the Feichao 1/4" Male to 1/4" Female Knurled Nut Adapter (8g) to go between (3) and (4) pictured below to add length to the leg. This allows the tripod to be almost perfectly horizontal when laid flat with Leg #4 acting as a third leg on a wider base (if that makes sense):

Leg #4 is quickly attached to the main tripod column via a cold shoe mount.

You can find out more about the Scrambler tripod here.

Lasted updated: 01/06/22

an extremely lightweight and low profile Arca Swiss compatible quick release plate made from CNC machined aluminium alloy ( 10g )

Datasheet

Available on SYSTEM

Background

For some of the sections of the Scrambler ultralight modular tripod (a Scramble and GP-Net Media collaboration) we offer a number of options. However, this is not the case when it comes to both of the camera quick release components: the Selens SC-22 was by far the best of the lightweight clamps and the Minifocus ultra-thin Arca Swiss plate was its ideal partner.
 

Minifocus: Keeping A Low Profile

Minifocus, as their name suggests, focus on keeping camera rigs small and light. Their ultralight Arca Swiss plate is well known for its low profile and light weight. This was our first choice but due to logistical reasons we switched to Feichao who made an almost identical version.  However, a minor change has meant theirs no longer qualifies as Arca compatible (don't ask why they did it), so we've switched back to Minifocus.

If there are lighter Arca Swiss plates around, we've not seen them (and we looked long and hard). In addition because these plates are so narrow (25mm) they often don't obscure access to battery compartments and their ultra-low profile (4mm thick) makes it far easier to slide a camera into a dry/belt bag like Lowepro's AW100 (as used and modded by Scramble's editor).
 

Product Images

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a compact, lightweight and durable, CNC machined aluminium alloy adapter with a female 1/4"-20 and 3/8"-16 UNC interface for mounting a wide range of camera accessories ( 29g )

Datasheet

Available on SYSTEM

Background

The main section of our tripod column for the Scrambler ultralight modular tripod features a base quick release, an aluminium rod and a mounting adapter.  Of the three, the mount was the hardest to find.  There's a wide range of "magic cubes", cheese rods, alloy spheres and bucky-ball shaped stuff out there, all intended to mount standard UNC threaded camera accessories. The vast majority were far too heavy for our purposes. 

What we wanted was:

• something compact and taller than it was wide
• with a 1/4" threaded hole at the top and at the base, and
• enough additional perpendicular mounts for a range of accessories
• that was also robust and very light-weight

We finally came across Feichao's Dual Cubic Mount and it was the perfect match. It adds a very useful 4cm of height so we were able to go with a shorter / lighter rod and of course it provides seven 1/4"-20 threaded holes on its side-facing mounts. We use these to mount two essential accessories:

1. Our Leg #4 : a modular fourth leg to allow the tripod to lean in inclines on steep terrain and to create a ultra stable wider base on lesser slopes when needed
2. A D-Ring to secure to a carabiner clip for attaching to the back of packs (this accessory is also made by Feichao and comes with a very usefull 4mm hex bit at the end of its 1/4" screw in case you need to fasten or remove accessories fastened with hex screws (like the cold shoe mount on our Leg #4 component) in the field.

Feichao & The Dual Cube

Feichao are not as well known as most of the manufacturers we source components from. In many ways they go under the radar because, a) they make many components for other brands which then get re-badged, b) they chose not to use a western sounding name (like SmallRig or Camvate) and c) their focus is clearly on manufacturing and not marketing. However, they're a major player in CNC machining, 3D printing, underwater and drone photography. We went with Feichao for many of our accessories, but their Dual Cubic Mount is a stand-out due to its function, quality, compact design and light weight.

Obviously, there are many uses for the Feichao mount beyond our Scrambler UL tripod, and this is largely why we offer the tripod's components separately rather than just supplying the tripod as a kit.
 

Extras

With each Feichao mount we supply two M6 rubber washers which are compatible with 1/4"-20 male screw fittings.
 

Product Images

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a light and durable, CNC machined, anodised, aluminium alloy mini ball head with a 3kg max load ( 64g )

Datasheet

Available on SYSTEM

Background

When we were testing mini ball heads for the Scrambler ultralight modular tripod (a Scramble and GP-Net Media collaboration) the three stand-outs were Highlights' S2Q (versions 1 & 2), Innorel's B19 and Andoer's MT-04. The Highlights S2Q stands alone in terms of its weight-to-load handling, and though in our opinion it's the ideal companion for our tripod, some may find it too small and/or fiddly (though we don't) and may prefer something a little chunkier. Enter Andoer's slightly larger MT-04. 
 

Battle of the mini light "heavyweights": MT-04 vs B19

In terms of performance the Andoer MT-04 and Innorel B19 mini ball heads are very much on a par, the differences are largely superficial; however for some strange reason Andoer are discontinuing their excellent MT-04 and so we thought we'd offer this classic ball head while we still can.

Some will prefer the all-black design of the B19 and some the silver and black of the MT-04.  However, it's not just looks, there are some minor differences between these two "heavy-weights" of the mini ball head world that are worth pointing out:

• The Andoer has a native 1/4"-20 female threaded screw base fitting whereas the B19 allows for 3/8" screws and comes with a 1g 1/4"-20 screw adapter. When mounted via Feichao's dual cubic mount adapter the Andoer would require a straight 1/4" male to 1/4" male adapter.
• The MT-04 weighs 64g and natively takes a 1/4"-20 male threaded screw whereas the B19 weighs 63g on our scales (though its stated weight is 60g) and 64g if you include the 3/8" to 1/4" adapter.
• Andoer's MT-04 has an interesting and robust design; the ball head, plate and mounting screw are all one piece. The B19 has a removeable plate with a slightly larger diameter. 
• The main advantage the MT-04 has over many ball heads is its chunkier and very knurled and grippy screw knob.  It also has a nicely rounded edge to its U-notch (for portrait style tilts).

In reality, there's very little separating these two "chunkier" mini ball heads - they're both superbly machined, durable and reliable. Both have a secure, 3kg max load (plenty for our target user) and both provide a single / simultaneous lock for ball head and panning base. Both weigh a touch under 65g (and thus came in under our max 70g limit).

Scramble did most of their early testing with the Andoer MT-04 and had nothing but good things to say about it.  If you absolutely need an all-black ball head and find the Highlights S2Qs a little petite, then go for the Innorel B19, otherwise we'd strongly recommend the Andoer MT-04; it's become something of a mini-classic for a reason.
 

Product Images

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