Lens Hood

[zaramuni]

Why do people use lens hoods? what do they really do? Can anybody share with me photos of shots with and without lens hoods to illustrate the difference?

 

[Iron Flatline]

Lens hoods are like the bill of a baseball cap. If the sun is coming from somewhere behind you, then it doesn't matter. If it is directly in front of you there's not much you can do, but if it is coming from above or the side, you don't want it in your eye. Same with a camera lens - light coming from the side (either sunlingth, or specific light sources when shooting at night) leave really bad glare (or light flares) on your images.

Also, I don't like using filters. A lot of people put filters on to protect lenses. Some people are adament that filters don't affect image quality, but why put a $40 piece of glass in front of a $1,500 lens? So I like a lens hood, in case I am walking briskly and bump into a wall, the hood edge gets scratched, not the lens glass.

 

[Big Mike]

Try it yourself. Go out in the sun and look through the viewfinder of your camera. Point it at somthing, sort of toward the sun...but not directly at the sun. Now hold your hand (or your hat) out in front of the lens to block the sunlight from hitting the lens directly. You should notice that the contrast improves and there there should be less or no flare.

That is why we used hoods.

Also, as Mr. Flatline says...they are pretty good protection. I also don't like using filters just for the sake of protection.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

I use filters AND lens hoods. The hoods for my 18-35 and my 35-70 are just too small to really protect aganst anything except the sun and as long as you use coated filters, you should be ok. I've already gone through 2 filters on my 18-35. Much cheaper the replace a $50 filter as opposed to a $500 lens.

 

[fmw]

My rule of thumb is never ever mount a lens without a hood (except for the fisheyes which don't have hoods.) Why? They protect the lens from hitting something physically and damaging it. They keep stray light from entering the lens at acute angles and causing contrast robbing flare.

 

[zaramuni]

thank you for the knowledge!

 

[bla]

I used to have a lens hood... but I lost it... Does anyone know if it's possible to buy a lens hood? If so, where? and how pricey is it?

 

[Big Mike]

I used to have a lens hood... but I lost it... Does anyone know if it's possible to buy a lens hood? If so, where? and how pricey is it?

Of course. You will want to make sure that you get a hood that is suited for your particular lens. The hood should give as much coverage as possible without causing vignetting. Most companies have specific hoods for specific lenses.

You can also buy generic hoods. There are generic rubber collapsible hoods that are easy to pack but don't offer as much protection for the lens as a solid hood.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

You can also buy generic hoods. There are generic rubber collapsible hoods that are easy to pack but don't offer as much protection for the lens as a solid hood.

And that's why you shouldn't buy them.

 

[zaramuni]

None of the lens that I've bought have come with hoods. What advice would you give to obtain one? I have nikon and Tamron lens. Should I go to a proper dealer and ask for the hoods for specific lens or should I just buy on off of ebay that fits the diameter of the lens?

 

[DSLR noob]

Heh this may start to edge its way into the noob section an dI apollogize, but any lens hood for the EF-S 18-55 kit lens? (58mm filter diameter)? Also they say Canon bundled SOME of their 50mm 1.8s with hoods and mine wasn't one of the bundles, how would I go about getting just the hood?

 

[Taceas]

I'm glad someone asked what the lens hood was for. I had a suspicion it was used similar to the bill on a baseball cap, so far I haven't had an occasion to use it.

I guess I'm lucky, my new Nikon D80 came with one, even though its listed in the "Optional Accessories".

 

[ksmattfish]

I always use a lens hood, except with a few vintage cameras where I haven't been able to track one down. Consider that when Nikon, Canon, Sigma, Tamron, etc... make a lens, it is designed assuming a lens hood will be used, and tested with the lens hood on. If you aren't using lens hoods, you may not be getting the most out of your lenses concerning contrast, color, and saturation.

It blows my mind how many photogs, pro and amateur, don't bother to use a lens hood. It's such an easy thing to use.

 

[New Hampshire]

Does using a lens hood make it tougher to use filters that require adjusting, like circular polarizers? I don't have a lens hood so now you guys have me wondering if I should pick one up (or try to find one at least) for my lens/lenses.

Brian

 

[el_shorty]

None of the lens that I've bought have come with hoods. What advice would you give to obtain one? I have nikon and Tamron lens. Should I go to a proper dealer and ask for the hoods for specific lens or should I just buy on off of ebay that fits the diameter of the lens?

go to the manufacturers website and you'll see the specific hood for your lens.

Heh this may start to edge its way into the noob section an dI apollogize, but any lens hood for the EF-S 18-55 kit lens? (58mm filter diameter)? Also they say Canon bundled SOME of their 50mm 1.8s with hoods and mine wasn't one of the bundles, how would I go about getting just the hood?

the lens hood for your 18-55 is EW-60C, and for the 50 1.8 is ES-62.