To hood or not to hood

[maulrat]

I was wondering, how often does everyone use their lens hoods and why?

I have one lens and bought the hood for it. When outdoors, I always have my lens hood on; mainly keep stray light from entering my lens. Most the time, outdoors during daylight hours I have a CPol protecting my lens + hood.

Indoors, I still, always have my hood one but no filters. Why, I'm not quite sure. If anything, lens protection. Do I really need to have my hood on 24/7; indoors and out? Do you know of any reason why I should take my lens hood off indoors or if the hood could mess up my indoor photographs? Sorry for so many questions but I'm just curious. Thanks in advance.

 

[Timbo1961]

I always use mine - 100% of the time ... just as automatic as turning the camera on.
If for no other reason than I have always used it and if I didn't that would be the time I would knock the lens or would not see the glare or stray light on the image until after I got back home and could no longer go back to re-shoot.

 

[Overread]

I keep mine on all the time - heck in buildings is where I have the second most near scrapes where the hood catches on something that would have hit the lens (the other place is in the woods).
Keep it on - if nothing but to stop things hitting the front of the lens
(can you tell the huge (least to me) front glass on my 70-200mm f2.8 has me paranoid!)

 

[Phranquey]

The only time my lens hood comes off is if I am shooting direct flash at wide angle, where the hood can create a shadow in the bottom of the picture, and this doesn't occur very often. If you are shooting outdoors, put your camera down and look at your scene, then either put on a baseball hat or "salute", covering your eyes from above glare. If there is any difference to your eyes in clarity, then there will be a difference to your camera as well.

I leave mine on mostly out of habit. It has saved the front element from a few dings, also. Hoods are cheaper than lenses.

 

[Ls3D]

One of my lens hoods reverses onto the lens nicely, this one I use all the time - but may sneak a shot with it reversed or quickly removed in moderate light..

Another newer hood in the hood, is well, as big as a soup bowl and I'm not as disciplined with it..

I did not get a hood for the Nifty Fifty, but I probably should get it a a few ND filters..?

I reckon only the longer lens & hood combinations are problematic with flashes, and since you have an external flash this should be of no concern.

Looks like a generally crappy day for shooting in SD, but I'm enjoying the cooler weather before She heats up again mid week. :mrgreen:

 

[maulrat]

Looks like a generally crappy day for shooting in SD, but I'm enjoying the cooler weather before She heats up again mid week. :mrgreen:

It is still pretty cold here; cold to me is upper-60s to low 70s, but it is bright and sunny as usual here in Sun Diego. Been working 6 days a week and finally saved enough to order The Sigma 18-200mm OS for a walk around lens. It comes with a hood, which is good. Since this is a super-zoom (on my XTi), I might have a problem with the hood bothering my flash like Frankie mentioned. I don't have a speedlite yet. Since I will be using the built-in flash mostly indoors, I think that "business card" mod works quite well deflecting the flash and my hood shouldn't be in the way.

Thanks all for your comments.

 

[Ls3D]

My bad, I thought I saw a speedlite in your sig, must have speedred it! Congratulations on placing your 18-200 order, now you are a kid waiting for his new toy...

And I guess the clouds are a coastal problem...

So do you have a hood for your 50mm?


-Che

 

[tenlientl]

I started using the hood yesterday. I think I'll be using that most of the times now. I was outside btw.

Question: I have a lens hood for my kit 18-105mm. I'm going to buy a 50mm soon. Could I use that hood, or would I have ot buy another one to fit that lens?

 

[maulrat]

So do you have a hood for your 50mm?

Yup. Ordered Nifty+hood together. I've never taken a shot yet without the hood. Just noticed that I am up to 1300 shots with first DSLR. LoL, I'm such a newb.

 

[kundalini]

.... must have speedred it!

Did you attend the Evelyn Woodhead Speed Reading Course?




The hoods on my zooms all reverse mount on the lens. I have popped off a few grab shots hastily getting the camera out of the bag because of timing (likely would have missed the shot otherwise), but I do use the hood at all other times. The hoods on my primes never come off.

 

[D40]

My 70-200 has it all the time!!! If you turn or someone bumps you they will hit the hood and not the glass I can't imagin not useing it on the 70-200!

 

[maulrat]

I know most people use lens hoods as protection but I also know that many people use UV multi-coated filters for lens protection as well. My mentor, has no lenses under $1k and never takes his UV filter off his lens for protection reasons. What other benefits indoors, aside from lens protection, would I use a lens hood?

 

[Do'Urden's Eyes]

I would say indoors the hood still protects from stray light entering the lens. the only time i shoot w/o a hood on my 100mm macro is when im doing extreme macro. sometimes the hood casts a shadow when youre that close to the subjects.

 

[GrfxGuru]

I use my hoods all the time. They are either doing their best to stop flare or giving me a safer feeling about throwing the lens around and knowing there is something between the glass and any other surface out there

 

[tsaraleksi]

I keep the hoods on everything except the 17-40, because its hood is to big to fit in my case (and is of dubious value). On occasion I will take the hood off of my 35 or 85 to make them look a little less obtrusive.