Lens hoods - questions questions

Scots_quine

Scots_quine

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Joan
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Lens hoods:
1. why do you use them?
2. when do you use them?
3. why are they different shapes and sizes?


So many questions when you are a beginner!
 
1. prevent flare from sun + protect lens
2. most of the time
3. because lenses are different shapes and sizes

HTH
 
To reduce extraneous light entering the lens reducing glare, flare. This should result in better contrast and less likelihood of ruined images. They also act as a buffer in the event of hitting the lens of something.

I use them all the time, unless I have a filter holder setup on and obvious can't physically attached the hood. Sometime I need to remove them for macro over 1:1 with tubes as the hood is physically too large.

Different angles of view I guess is the simple answer.
 
1. To reduce loss of definition in images from scattered light.
2. Always.
3.They're different shapes and sizes to fit the angle of view of different lenses. The petal shaped ones you see are cut away in the corners so that they reduce vignetting in the corners of your shots - caused by the edges of the lens hood being visible in your shots.

I always use a lens hood - they afford great protection to the front lens element from bumping into things. They also greatly improve the contrast and colour saturation of your images by excluding scattered light.Think about how you cup your hands over your eyes on bright days to understand the principle of how they work.
 
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As above. I always use a hood, unless I'm using the built in flash - which I don't do very often - because it can cast a shadow.

I can't think of any reason at all not to use them. You get the benefits and, if it's not really necessary in a particular situation, there's no downside anyway.
 
I always use a lens hood with either of my lenses (15-85 and 100-400) and can notice an improvement to colour & contrast with/without.

A friend of mine put a picture on facebook with a photographer friend of his taking some pictures with the lens hood in the "stored" position on the lens so I made a jokie comment that he had his lens hood on back to front..........

Talk about sensitive :lol: He told me that he didn't think lens flare was going to be an issue as he was taking pictures inside and thanked me for negatively impacting an endorsement by a friend :dummy:

To be fair, looking at some of his albums on his profile he's got some very nice shots :thumbs:
 
Thanks guys. This may be another silly question but can you use them with a circular polaring filter - I'm thinking how how do you get your fingers in to turn it? (I don't have a lens hood yet to try it).
 
This is where "some" camera manufacturers get clever, on Pentax hoods they have a little slide out section on the top which allows you put your finger in and turn the polariser. To my knowledge their the only one who has such a feature on their hoods and its very useful.

Look in the picture here to see what I mean:

http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/17833509/JJC-replacement-Pentax-PH-RBC-52mm-Lens-Hood-for-PENTAX-DA-18-55mm-F3-5-5-6-AL-WR-Lens/Product.html?_%24ja=tsid:11518%7Ccat:17833509%7Cprd:17833509

Its not the official one, but its practically identical (and a quarter of the cost!) to the Pentax one.
 
Scots_quine said:
Thanks guys. This may be another silly question but can you use them with a circular polaring filter - I'm thinking how how do you get your fingers in to turn it? (I don't have a lens hood yet to try it).
Click to expand...

I will share my little trick with you! Use a valve grinding stick, its a little sucker on a stick that you can stick to the filter, turn it then pop it off again. Just make sure its uber clean and bone dry then it won't leave any marks.
 
Some lens hoods really annoy me, like the one on my 50/1.4g lens - it's a cheap plastic bayonet fit bit of rubbish, unlike the nice metal screw in hoods on my 35 & 28.
 
Snaptastic said:
Just to add
Whats the difference between the tulip/petal style and regular ones?
Click to expand...

CT said:
3.They're different shapes and sizes to fit the angle of view of different lenses. The petal shaped ones you see are cut away in the corners so that they reduce vignetting in the corners of your shots - caused by the edges of the lens hood being visible in your shots.
Click to expand...

:)
 
neil_g said:
the one that is designed for the lens :)
Click to expand...
The only time I'd disagree with this is when using a macro lens close to the subject. The hoods on some macro lenses are so large they almost touch the subject at 1:1. ;) I then use a much shallower hood just to shade the lens from the flash as shown here:

close-up-kit1.jpg
 
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