Canon EF70-200mm F2.8L Lens Hood is stuck/jammed - How Can I get it Off?

[troshalom]

When I went out birding on Friday, I fell getting into the back of a pickup truck and now the hood on the EF70-200mm F2.8L is jammed. I have a UV filter on the lens that I also cannot unscrew.

Both the hood & filter were easy to screw on moments before I was getting into the truck. I didn't fall on the lens. The camera was in my camera bag, but since I had the 2x extender on the lens, the top part was sticking out of the bag and when I fell, the bag tipped over.

How can I get the hood off without breaking it?

[shadowsports]

Regardless of who takes it off, there is some risk of breaking something. Probably just the hood. Righty-tighty, lefty-loosie. Let us know how it goes.

[Lotus7]

The hood bayonet flanges may already be partially damaged. One of the thin flanges has probably been forced out of its groove. You will need to turn it 1/6 turn to get the flanges to clear.

The issue is getting a strong enough grip to turn the lens hood to turn and unlock it. You might try a small (6 inch square) silicone rubber "trivit" to wrap around the hood which I've found to be very useful in such situations. The type with small, raised protrusions seem to work best. Alternately a couple of wraps of double-sided silicon rubber tape may also work to allow a greatly increased grip without using tools.

For the UV filter, the normal solution is to use a filter wrench. They are inexpensive and will work in almost every situation.

The last resort is to use an oxy acetylene torch, but that will reduce the hood and lens to ashes so is not recommended.

[troshalom]

Thanks, I'll look into the filter wrench.

Yes, it looks like the outer rim (flange) of the hood is protruding above the edge of the hood mount thus jamming it and making it impossible to turn. Wonder if there is a special tool to get it back onto the groove so I can easily twist it off.

[Lotus7]

troshalom: "Wonder if there is a special tool to get it back onto the groove so I can easily twist it off."

Don't think you're going to find one. That would be a very specialized tool.

The Canon supplied lens hood for a 70-200 f/2.8 is actually somewhat flexible, at least mine is.

You might try squeezing the hood IN (radially) at 90 deg on either side of the position of the out-of-slot flange while pushing it straight out as per John Hoffman's suggestion. That process might require a helper for the extra hands, but might be worth trying.

If it was mine, I'd place about 1/2 drop of clear silicone grease on surface of the lens body/shade contact point just to the left (CCW) of the out of position flange to minimize the chances of scuffing the white paint. Then securely grab the shade and rotate it back to the release position. Remember, right now there are 2 other flanges that are tightly locked in their respective grooves, so moving it axially is going to be very difficult with the shade in the reversed position. At worst you will have a tiny scuff mark on the lens body paint, and it's unlikely you will do any more damage than possibly already exists to the shade.

If that didn't work, I'd sacrifice the shade by cutting it radially with a hot Exacto knife to allow simple removal. The lens is worth much more then the easily replaceable shade.

Proceed at your own risk. Good Luck!

[troshalom]

thanks. I'll see if I can find another set of hands and try your solution. Right now I only have paws in my home.

[jrhoffman75]

I'm not sure anything you do won't damage the hood, but rather than twisting try pushing the hood towards the front (or rear as appropriate) of the lens to snap the part that is out of the groove back into the groove.

[ebiggs1]

"I'm not sure anything you do won't damage the hood, ..."

I'm with JRH. It is unlikely you will get it off without some muscle. That may be too much for the hood to take. Forget those silly plastic filter wrenches they only remove filters that you can already remove without them.

From the photos it looks like the hood is jammed crooked. Once you get it back to a mor normal position it may come right off. Let's try that.

You better hope the fall did not damage the lens itself! Far more expensive of a proposition.

[shadowsports]

Lets go troshalom... Get that thing off there.

[gewb]

Had this with my 100-400L. I cleared it by forcefully turning the shade counter clockwise (has view looking at the lens cap). It will be really snug but it will move. Don't try rocking it, just turn it. As posted above, need about 1/th turn. It will come off. Chances are good there is no major damage. My lens and hood continued to work with no issue.