Olympus starting to include lens hoods

Henry Richardson wrote:

Is Olympus finally getting with the program? On Monday I ordered the 14-150mm f4-5.6 II from Bic Camera and it arrived today. I opened the box and was happy to see that they now include a lens hood. Also, it has a new type of Olympus lens cap that you can squeeze from the center. Both are things that have been common with other companies going way back. Here is a list of my m4/3 lenses that I have bought since April 2012 in the order I bought them:

2012 Panasonic 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 (original) lens hood, center squeeze cap

2012 Panasonic 45-200mm f4-5.6 lens hood, center squeeze cap

2012 Olympus 14-150mm f4-5.6

2012 Olympus 9-18mm f4-5.6

2012 Panasonic 14mm f2.5

2012 Panasonic 20mm f1.7

2014 Olympus 9mm f8 fisheye bodycap

2014 Olympus 25mm f1.8 lens hood

2015 Olympus 45mm f1.8

2015 Olympus 14-150mm f4-5.6 II lens hood, center squeeze cap

Of the Olympus lenses only the 25mm and 14-150mm II included lens hoods. In 2012 when I bought the first 14-150mm and 9-18mm I bought el-cheapo lens hoods on ebay from China. The quality was just as good as the hoods that came with my Sony, Minolta, Canon, Sigma, and Tamron lenses though. I think I paid about $10 each for them. Now looking at the Olympus lens hood that came with the new 14-150mm today it looks identical to the cheap one I got in 2012. In fact, the Olympus one says it was made in China. Good chance that some factory there makes them for several companies and then sells the same thing without the famous brand name on it very cheap. Anyway, glad Olympus is finally starting to include this stuff.

Good to know, if is true. If not, I'll keep buying JJC hoods, which are, as far as I'm concerned, just like the originals, at a fraction of the cost. I already have 5 hoods, and spent no more than 9 $ each.

By the way, my Panasonic 45-200mm hood is beginning to fail. It no longer clicks in place/ I might have to replace it for a JJC version. I hope there is one available.