Lens Hood? - errr why?

Kinobe

Kinobe

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Being new to Digital photography, well I say new, its coming on nearly 3 months (when I got my Nikon D70) before that I owned a fuji 602.

Now both lenses that I bought as part of the package, Nikon 18-70mm Lens Kit and Sigma F2.8 70-200mm came with a lens hood as my knowledge is limited why would I use a lens hood? what advantages would I get. I've been shooting without and I've produced better results without than with the lens hood! :Ponders:

The last time I tried shooting with a lens hood I got shadows from the hood on my pictures?

Sorry if its totally obvious why i'd need one of these, but not to sure why myself?

Thanks for your help!

Ed :)
 
A lens hood is designed to prevent extraneous light entering the front element of the lens from the sides, such as sunlight, for example.
Any extra light entering the lens this way will degrade the image and result in lens flare - the little circles of light so beloved of film directors emanating from point light sources.

If you're getting shadow or 'vignetting' with the OEM lenshoods, you're either using the wrong lens hood or there's something drastically wrong with your lenses.

It also serves to protect the front element from knocks and from getting rained on. Good enough reasons in my line of work to have them permanently attached at all times.
 
A lens hood is a vital bit of kit IMHO. Think of the way you shade your eyes with your hand on bright days, using a lens hood is just the same principle. Ideally we'd just get the light rays coming straight from our subject to the lens, but in practice we also get rays which are bounced around all over the place and it's those rays which can really lower the contrast and definition in your shots. Using a lens hood eliminates a lot of it.

I'm not a fan of using UV filters on my lenses for protection, but I will always use a lenshood which is good protection against the lens accidentally being bumped or knocked as it's around your neck or hanging on your shoulder.
 
Were you using a flash with the lens hood attached - or was that not a factor?
 
Warspite said:
Were you using a flash with the lens hood attached - or was that not a factor?
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Good point. Kinobe has said he only has the internal flash, so that's no doubt the reason for his shadow.
 
CT said:
Good point. Kinobe has said he only has the internal flash, so that's no doubt the reason for his shadow.
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I have to admit I returned my first Sigma 12-24 for that very reason -dark patches on my pics. The shop kindly changed it for me without question. It didn't dawn on me until later that the D70's flash was being obscured by the end of the lens. I felt so n00b. :getmecoat:laugh1:
 
^^^^ :laugh1:^^^^^

Honest man though! :thumb:
 
You have to ask what the level of knowledge the shop assistant had though as to not ask the question.? ;)
 
So how come it's always photographers who get caught 'chimping'?
 
Steve said:
You have to ask what the level of knowledge the shop assistant had though as to not ask the question.? ;)
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The worst thing was I phoned Sigma first, and it was their helpdesk guys that advised me to return the lens!
 
If you want to use the internal flash whilst using the lens hood, why not try some of the lumiquest flash accessories? Can't say if they're any good myself, but it might be worth a punt...

http://www.lumiquest.com
 
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