Whats the benefit of a lens hood?

[anubis404]

What is the benefit of a lens hood? What do they do?

 

[osirus]

Look in the general direction of the sun, just below it..
then put on a baseball cap or use your hand over your eyes like the brim of a hat
you can now see better.
lenshood is basically like that.

it will get rid of unwanted glares
also if something is really bright off to your right, theres a chance that light may reflect off the edge of your lens or filter into the camera causing glares and lensflares.
lens hood gets rid of that

Also if you accidentally bump your camera into somthing, the lenshood takes the hit and not the glass.
and good for keeping fingerprints ect off the lens.

 

[asfixiate]

well with or without a hood if you're looking directly in the sun you're going to have flare and glare. if the sun is directly above you though it will block it out.

Everything else osirus said though I agree.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

It keeps the rain off...

 

[nynfortoo]

Everything I was going to say has already been said, aside from this one small thing: lens hoods serve in making it really fiddly to rotate filters.

 

[JimmyO]

Just make sure to only get the one made for your lens, not just one with the same thread off ebay. And remember not all lenses have available hoods because the manufacture knew the lens would not benefit from one.

 

[Garbz]

Indeed the design of my Macro is such that the front element is recessed about 6cm into the lens. It is its own hood.

The most overlooked benefit is the lens hood makes the lens longer and sexier.

 

[FDSA]

are there any negatives to using a hood

 

[sabbath999]

The most overlooked benefit is the lens hood makes the lens longer and sexier.

Size does matter?

I guess she has been lying to me!

 

[timelapseforum]

Lens hoods also look sexy. You get more looks from the bewildered crowd around you!!!


As per negatives. I would say they are expensive. Canon does not include lens hoods with their non-L series lenses, which is pretty cheap of them.

Also, as mentionned above, lens hoods get in the way of filters and other devices that you may want to attach in the front of the lens.

 

[DWS]

Lens hoods also look sexy. You get more looks from the bewildered crowd around you!!!


As per negatives. I would say they are expensive. Canon does not include lens hoods with their non-L series lenses, which is pretty cheap of them.

Also, as mentionned above, lens hoods get in the way of filters and other devices that you may want to attach in the front of the lens.

 

[kundalini]

are there any negatives to using a hood

Clients won't take your serious.

You're less likely to have sex.

You can't produce any little baby Nikons without a hood.

You're liable to break a $50 dollar accessory rather that a $1700 piece of equipment.

Your boyfriend/girlfriend is likely to ditch you for the next best thing. ??


:lmao:













I don't know of any negatives. There are possible situations when you remve it, but unlikely.

 

[KabeXTi]

So the Ebay Lens Hoods are not worth it? Or are there any that are legit? Anybody bought one from Ebay and enjoy the product?

 

[someguy5]

lol, every time I see a guy with a lens hood I immediately think "professional".

 

[compur]

Hoods are important when direct sun or bright lights are present. That's
why pros use them. Hoods do help keep direct light off your lens which
can spoil contrast or cause unwanted flare or hot spots. Some lenses are
more susceptible to this than others.

But, hoods can be inconvenient as far as putting on or removing filters or
lens caps. If you can find a cap that fits over the end of your hood, I find
it to be much more convenient.

Fixed hoods are a compromise with a zoom lens. They have to be wide
enough to prevent vignetting at the zoom's short end which means they
may not really do much at the long end.

A hood made by the manufacturer of the lens which is designed for that
exact lens is best.

Most hoods are rigid but some are rubber and can collapse making them
more compact in the camera bag. But, the rubber ones often become
misshapen with use and may spoil a picture by bending into the frame.

Some, particularly older, lenses have built-in hoods that slide out for use
but you don't see these as often with newer lenses. These are my favorite
style of hoods. They can be gotten out of the way but are always ready
for use and don't bend like rubber hoods.

I think some photographers just like hoods because they look snazzy
and "professional." But, this can be a disadvantage if you want your
subject(s) to be more relaxed and candid such as when taking casual
portraits. A big tele lens or zoom with a hood can be intimidating to many
people and cause them to lose their spontaneity.

A hood can be improvised by shading the lens with your hand or an object
or just by stepping into the shade. I think a photographer should always
be conscious of direct light striking the lens. It's a basic part of the craft
like using a tripod or filter when needed.

CORRECTION: When I said "keep direct light off your lens" I meant an unwanted
direct light source that is outside the intended frame.