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Every year we get exposed to photography accessories that are meant to revolutionize the game. Sometimes, these accessories come along and make our lives easier. However, most simply fail to live up to the hype surrounding them. You may have heard about a company called KUVRD. They made a product that really was excellent in their universal lens caps. So, when they announced the universal lens hood, we were excited. We’ve spent some time with the new KUVRD Universal Lens Hood, and we’re both amazed and dismayed. Find out why below.

If you haven’t seen the As Seen On TV like sales video for the KUVRD Universal Lens Hood, check it out on their Kickstarter page. The high energy video will get you excited about this product; there’s no doubt about that.

There are two sizes of lens hoods available. A smaller hood for lenses with filter thread between 54-76mm, and a larger one with filter threads from 72-112mm. The sales pitch shows that the lens hood can be used on 99% of lenses. It states that it will improve your workflow and never fall off. You’ll learn that it will help you shoot through glass by cutting out reflections and that it can be used as a frisbee (jokingly). The product’s packaging states it’s a 300% time saver, that it folds away easily, and holds 99% of circular filters on the market. That’s quite the list of claims, so I went about using the product in real-world scenarios to see if KUVRD’s claims hold up.

Note: KUVRD sent us their new Universal Lens Hood to test and keep. This has not swayed our judgment of the product. All of the views expressed in this review are our own. We’re telling you this because we’ve always been ethical and truthful over the last eleven years when it comes to our reviews. We plan on keeping it that way.

The KUVRD Universal Lens Hood Sounds Too Good to Be True

One reservation I had about the product is that the hood wouldn’t retain its shape when panning a camera or tracking moving subjects. The KUVRD universal lens hood is made from flimsy silicone material similar to that used in their universal lens caps. It really doesn’t look like it will stand up to much movement at all. Surprisingly, most of the claims listed above actually hold true.

The hood does hold circular filters really well. It has never fallen off the lenses I have used it with. The material stretches easily, which aids in attaching it to your lens. It even holds its shape when panning. Unless you violently shake your camera, you have nothing to worry about. If you see any vignetting, in most cases, you simply adjust the hood’s length by pushing it back towards your camera. So far, so good.

And It Keeps Getting Better

If you want to shoot through glass, this lens hood is excellent for it. Press the end of the hood against a window, and all reflections are instantly cut out. That’s really quite brilliant. This will come in handy when you’re at the zoo, for instance, and you want to get images of snakes or other critters kept behind glass.

The image above shows the KUVRD Universal Lens Hood holding a UV filter in place. This does indeed work, but you won’t be able to use variable ND filters or circular polarizers as you won’t be able to adjust them once they’re in place. This is a good feature in a pinch. I would obviously recommend using the correct size filter for your lens. Still, if you’re out and need to borrow a filter from a friend that’s the wrong size, you’ll be able to use it. The KUVRD Universal Lens Hood lives up to most of the claims, and it will impress, but then you’ll figure out its flaws.

Trouble In Paradise

Now, here’s the bad stuff. Yes, the lens hood likely fits 99% of lenses, but that doesn’t mean it will work with all of those lenses. If you plan on using the KUVRD Universal Lens Hood with a lens that zooms externally, walk away. I found that the KUVRD Universal Lens Hood work...