AF Micro Nikkor 200 F/4D ED - Replacement Hood 

1993-2020 AF Micro Nikkor 200 F4D - DIY Hood

Nikon AF MICRO NIKKOR 200mm F/4D ED - DIY Hood

Many out there who've purchased an AF Micro Nikkor f/4D ED prime lens are missing the hood. Original OEM hoods are virtually non-existent, even if they were, the price of one, is through the roof. Not all hope is lost. A replacement model can be put together, wrinkle spray finished, looking as good as an OEM match. OK, not 100%, but close for as little as $25 bucks. What's required? One 77mm alloy hood (75mm in length), step up ring (62mm-77mm). Araldite epoxy, fine finish wrinkle spray paint (MTN Pro). An easy simple DIY job most can do without fuss.     

Before bonding the hood and step ring together, check the female/male step ring threads ensuring they screw up snug on the lens and hood. After mixing the epoxy, use a toothpick to evenly spread the required amount of resin on the lower step ring threads. Screw the hood tightly in wiping off any remaining resin. The bonding cure will take 24 hours.   

Avoid five minute bonding glues. Slow curing 50/50 resin will give long term adhesion lasting years of non-maintenance issues. You don't want the hood and step ring dismantling itself in the middle of nowhere, because of weak adhesion. 

Above, 62-77mm step ring, 77mm hood mated together before gluing and spraying. This is by far the easiest fix for anyone in need of a hood for their AF Micro Nikkor 200 F/4D ED prime. Both attachments can be sourced through various online platforms out of China i.e. Temu, Ali-Express.
Below, for anyone wanting precise OEM specs, the hood length is approximately 73-75mm in length. This may require machining down the front section of the replacement hood. I left my replacement hood at its original length — 80mm.

Nikon AF Micro Nikkor 200 F/4D ED - DIY Hood Wrinkle Finish

Although VHT wrinkle spray paint has a reputable track record, the MTN Pro brand will give a finer wrinkle finish texture matching the original wrinkle paint on the lens. The only way of doing this, is by following the steps below.

Shake the can for at least 10 minutes in different directions, upside down included. Apply a heat gun at the bottom of the can. This will quicken the paint mix thoroughly while shaking. This will ensure a 100% positive wrinkle effect when curing.

After sanding down removing the sheen gloss off the hood, position and mask up the hood accordingly on a stick. Add some heat on the hood itself. Shake the can one more time just before the first coat. It's also preferable to spray the hood outdoors in sunlight. Evenly apply a light coat while rotating the hood. Allow 15 minute intervals between coats. Add heat to the first coat. Avoid getting to close with the heat gun. This could burn off the wrinkle finish effect. During intervals, turn the spray can upside down cleaning out the nozzle. Re-shake the can and spray the second coat once the wrinkle effect is visibly seen from the first coat. Apply the same procedure for third and fourth coats.

Above, four coats of MTN wrinkle effect evenly applied over an hour. The hardening process requires one week in sunlight. Placing the hood in an oven in constant heat could jeopardize the epoxy join of the step ring and hood to weaken.  

The finished replacement hood made from 'wing bling' parts out of China. The only difference cosmetically to the OEM HN-30 hood, is the rear join and straight edge angle. This makes no difference to the end result — It works! Below, the DIY hood reversed on the lens with no filter or lens cap.

Nikon AF Micro Nikkor 200 F/4D ED - DIY Lens Hood

For added safety for rear thread on the step ring, use a 62mm alloy filter rear cap to protect the thread from any damage. If this thread becomes unusable, the entire hood is worthless. This would require to remake another hood from scratch. All it takes is one hard smack on the thread rendering it useless — Cap the thread when not in use.

Below, finishing off a DIY replacement HN-30 lens hood. A 'wing bling' 62mm filter cap mounted on the hood thread for the AF Micro Nikkor 200mm f/4D ED prime lens.

Below, the replacement hood reversed on the lens. The hood slides back snugly on the lens. One caution, is to remember the hood could slide off the front of the lens when positioned downward. The reverse position of the hood is only required when the lens isn't being used i.e. packed away, or when in transit mode.  

AF Micro Nikkor 200 F/4D ED - OEM HN-30 Lens Hood

Anyone wanting OEM (original equipment manufacturer) Nikon HN-30 lens hoods, instead of making their own, HN-30 hoods are  still available — new. As of May 2025. HN-30 hoods can be found on various Chinese website platforms.

Nikon AF Micro Nikkor 200 F/4D ED - DIY Lens Hood Attachments

Ring lights are normally attached directly to the lens, not the hood, keeping as close as possible to subject matter. This only becomes necessary when out and about in drizzly wet rainy conditions. An attached hood gives added protection from rain droplets entering onto the lens.  

Nikon AF Micro Nikkor 200 F/4D ED - Waterproof Sleeve

Protective lens sleeves are many with some designs costing pocket loads of cash. Finding the right lens sleeve for the AF Micro Nikkor f/4D ED prime was simple enough for under $3 bucks. Waterproof lightweight arm sleeves out of China did the trick. These are far better than using plastic bags with a cutout hole!

The sleeves were tested under a tap for two hours. Not a drop came through the outer skin of this particular design. They are super thin made of high composite fabric with a wide frontal elastic band. They slip over the lens with the front band stretched out firmly held in place around the lens hood. The sleeve will cover over half of one side of most DSLR FX bodies. That's all that's required to protect the lens from rain. Not a drop enters into the lens/body mount location.   

Quality made 'wing bling' arm sleeves used as a protective rain/dust sleeves on the AF Micro Nikkor f/4D ED prime. There is no need of cutting out a slit hole for the tripod collar/arca plate. The sleeves are thin enough to mount and lockup on arca plates. The sleeves has been tested countless times during rainy conditions with 100% positive results. No rain enters into the lens/body mount or on the front glass with hood attached. Semi and pro DSLR bodies are weather sealed units (not waterproof), but the AF Micro Nikkor f/4D ED prime is not. The lens is vulnerable to dust and water entering into the lens. This is one of the direct causes of fungi spore growth to rapidly spread across lens optics. Lenses that already contain small amounts of dust particles on optics only require dampness to kick-off fungi growth within humid environments.      

Nikon AF Micro Nikkor 200 F/4D ED - DSLR FX Bodies

Personally, I've had little to no interest in macro-lenses — until now. The Micro Nikkor f/4D ED/AIS 200mm primes changed my point of view when using them. It's more about concentrating getting that 'one shot' in manual mode or auto-focus of certain subject matter. At times, I use a 1.4 TC with the AIS 200 micro, and extension tubes with the AF micro 200.   

Now there's even more positive scope getting out during dismal days capturing different subject matter. Remaining indoors during rainy weather makes no sense when instead one could be out roaming around within parks, gardens and bushland taking random snaps, just like these examples shown.

Monarch before touchdown — AF Micro Nikkor 200mm f/4D ED prime.

A fluttering feather caught on rye grass. Seconds after capturing this shot a gust of wind blew the perched feather into the sky. Just a simple image showing the opportunities of 'one shot' random captures in the middle of nowhere.

Without warning, a wood pigeon crash landed on a nearby cabbage tree. A random shot taken with the AF Micro Nikkor 200mm F/4.0D ED prime. (DX format, cropped enlarged) 

Above, manual focus close up using the AF Micro Nikkor 200mm F/4D ED — monopod mounted.

The AF Micro Nikkor 200 f/4D auto-focus is sluggish in low light environments. Nikon had completed three runs on this particular lens (1993-2004, 2005-2005, 2006-2020). You would've expected Nikon to at least modify the needed flaws that have plagued this prime since its first entry onto the market 32 years ago. The AF system could have been upgraded to AFS. The M/A plastic ring has literally caused hundreds of recalls, due to a broken ring cracking at the screw head. Why Nikon didn't do a replacement ring designed in metal, is beyond questioning of common sense. Last, but not least, the HN-30 hood should have been supplied with every lens. Not an accessory!

OEM replacement parts for the AF Micro 200 F/4D, is like finding needles in a haystack. Even if OEM parts today were available, the cost and repair is unaffordable. The amount of damaged AF Micro Nikkor 200 F/4D lenses, is unknown. My own AF Micro 200 still has a healthy looking M/A ring, for how long — no one knows. The lens was manufactured during the last run in around 2012 (serial 407###).
First production run serial number sequence 200038 - 212588 (12588 units), second production run serial sequence 300154 - 300600 (600 units), third production run serial sequence 400037 - 417385 (17385 units).
All three production models have the same specifications. Optics 13/8, Angle 12°20, Angle DX 8°, F/ 32. Blades 9, Close focus 0.5, Macro 1:1, Focus throw 240°,  Filter 62mm, Dia 76mm, Length 193, Weight 1190, IF, CRC, 2ED, MA, FL  

Quick example straight out of the camera, hand-held pushed ISO RAW Nef captures with an AF Micro Nikkor 200mm  F/4D. Although the AF Micro 200 is commonly used for closeup stills, it also works well for landscape captures.

The AI-s Micro 200mm F/4 manual prime (1982- 05) lacks ED glass. Mint condition lenses can be found for under $150USD  

Nikon AF/AIS Micro Nikkor 200 F/4 Primes - DIY Fix It.

This manual focus Micro Nikkor 200mm f/4 AIS was purchased with a missing tripod collar. The prime lens cosmetically, including internal optics was in excellent condition with no dust or scratches. Although the AIS Micro 200 has no CRC (close range correction), or ED glass, this lens still captures superb images. Instead of scouring online for an OEM replacement collar, a 'wing bling' ring with attached arca plate for $20 bucks was used. Magnet strips with one sided adhesive tape placed on the underside of the collar closed the gap creating a perfect fit. To finish off, ultra thin black velvet cloth ensures a non-abrasive contact on the lens.

A three coat wrinkle spray with matt black finish to the adjusting knob and arca plate gives an acceptable appearance. The replacement collar has been tried and tested with various DSLR bodies with zero tripod collar movement. A 1/4-20 UNC thread was added to the rear of the arca plate for a socket head stopping accidental slippage on mounted arca tripod heads.

Nikon AF Micro Nikkor 200 F/4D ED - Arca Plate

The Novoflex QPL-2 arca plate has two holding screws mounting perfectly to the AF Micro Nikkor 200 F/4D tripod lens foot collar. This guarantees a 100% non-twist motion keeping the lens firmly bolted down.  

An added 1/4-20 bolt with plastic fastener was added to the rear of the QLP-2 plate for safety. This is not really required, but recommended just in case the arca plate slides off when dismounting the lens. The AF Micro Nikkor 200 F/4D gets an overall 8/10 rating for a prime lens that was first produced in 1993 with no additional changes through to 2020. The positives of what this lens captures outweighs the negative M/A ring flaw design known to happen with this lens. Before purchasing a used model, check to ensure there's no fatigue cracks in or around the M/A screw!