Lens Hoods

Sean_m

Sean_m

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Sean
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They come in different shapes and sizes but I have absolutely no idea if and when I should be using one?

Anyone got any advice or tips on this, would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Sean
 
As far as I know lens hoods are designed to suit different lenses hence why they come in different shapes and sizes and so there should be a specific hood to suit a specific lens. At least that's the case with canon.

I believe that the lens hood is intended to be used at all times although I'm not sure why you'd use it indoors or at night?

Some people have the lens hood on all the time just to protect the end of the lens.
 
They also help protect the lens from damage should you turn round quickly or clatter the end of the lens on something.

Also, they help in stopping dogs whose main aim in life is to lick the end of your lens :D
 
Most lenses I've bought have been supplied with a specific hood depending on type/focal length. My zooms have come with petal hoods, primes with plain hoods. The wider the lens goes, the wider the hood that comes with it.

I tend to use mine during the day, and leave them in the bag at night. Most hoods can be reversed onto the lens to make storage easier, and with some lenses you can still access all the controls with the hood reversed, but with some you can't.

Oh, and they make your lens look bigger, which is what photography's all about, surely? ;) :D

Like UV or protection filters, the debate will rage forever as to whether or not you "need" to use a hood. If you don't have one and are getting good pics, why bother?
 
Hoods, as said are generally lens specific, I use mine at all times, it prevents stray light entering the lens plus again as said it stops accidental damage to the front element.
 
ronnus said:
I tend to use mine during the day, and leave them in the bag at night. Most hoods can be reversed onto the lens to make storage easier, and with some lenses you can still access all the controls with the hood reversed, but with some you can't.
QUOTE]

I've never understood why people have a lens hood yet use their camera with the thing reversed on the lens. See it all the time with tourists in London. My main grouse is that mostly having spend £££ on the lens you still have to spend ££ to buy the lens hood. I guess that's why some people don't bother with them.
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Photodiva said:
ronnus said:
I tend to use mine during the day, and leave them in the bag at night. Most hoods can be reversed onto the lens to make storage easier, and with some lenses you can still access all the controls with the hood reversed, but with some you can't.
QUOTE]

I've never understood why people have a lens hood yet use their camera with the thing reversed on the lens. See it all the time with tourists in London. My main grouse is that mostly having spend £££ on the lens you still have to spend ££ to buy the lens hood. I guess that's why some people don't bother with them.
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I have never had to buy a hood separately, all the lenses I have have come with a hood, Is it a canon thing that you have to buy the hoods on top of the lens?
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mezzyg said:
Only L lenses get hoods
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I was going to say this - only Canon L lenses come with hoods, all the other Canon lenses you have to buy hoods separately :bang:.
 
Photodiva said:
ronnus said:
I tend to use mine during the day, and leave them in the bag at night. Most hoods can be reversed onto the lens to make storage easier, and with some lenses you can still access all the controls with the hood reversed, but with some you can't.
QUOTE]

I've never understood why people have a lens hood yet use their camera with the thing reversed on the lens. See it all the time with tourists in London. My main grouse is that mostly having spend £££ on the lens you still have to spend ££ to buy the lens hood. I guess that's why some people don't bother with them.
Click to expand...

You can store the hood that way to save space in your bag (reversed), but there is no point shooting with it that way! Maybe they stored it as such but then didnt feel the need to use it?
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Thanks for the responses guys, very useful.
Ive only had my camera since christmas so still only got the kit lens. It comes with a hood that is only about 1cm in length. I havnt really used it because it doesnt seem like it would make much difference :shrug:?
I might give it a go to see what the results are like.


Again thsnks for answering everyone :thumbs:
Sean
 
ronnus said:
Most lenses I've bought have been supplied with a specific hood depending on type/focal length. My zooms have come with petal hoods, primes with plain hoods. The wider the lens goes, the wider the hood that comes with it.

I tend to use mine during the day, and leave them in the bag at night. Most hoods can be reversed onto the lens to make storage easier, and with some lenses you can still access all the controls with the hood reversed, but with some you can't.

Oh, and they make your lens look bigger, which is what photography's all about, surely? ;) :D

Like UV or protection filters, the debate will rage forever as to whether or not you "need" to use a hood. If you don't have one and are getting good pics, why bother?
Click to expand...


Thats helped me out thanks!
 
odd jim said:
I was going to say this - only Canon L lenses come with hoods, all the other Canon lenses you have to buy hoods separately :bang:.
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My first few lenses (50mm, 85mm, 70-300mm) needed the lens hood bought separately. Relieved that the L series include it in the price - well really I think they'd find it hard to justify otherwise!
 
odd jim said:
Photodiva said:
You can store the hood that way to save space in your bag (reversed), but there is no point shooting with it that way! Maybe they stored it as such but then didnt feel the need to use it?
Click to expand...
Spot on, when I owned smaller camera bags, I tended to store the hoods reversed, and if I was just taking a quick snapshot I wouldn't bother putting the hood on correctly. If I was walking about with the camera on a strap, I'd have the hood on properly.

And I've learned something, had no idea Canon made you buy hoods for non-pro lenses. Only Nikon lens I've ever bought that didn't come with a hood was an 18-55 VR kit lens (was upgrading from a non-VR) - even then I bought a Nikon bayonet hood for it, mainly for protection. All other Nikkors I've bought plus my Tamron all came supplied. :)
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It's a bit of a sore point with Canon. For example, the 17-55mm f2.8 is quite expensive but it's not an L lens, so the hood is extra.

The hoods can't cost much to manufacture, and I think it's a rip off. Canon aren't doing themselves any favours, and a lot of people just buy a copy on eBay.
 
MartynK said:
It's a bit of a sore point with Canon. For example, the 17-55mm f2.8 is quite expensive but it's not an L lens, so the hood is extra.

The hoods can't cost much to manufacture, and I think it's a rip off. Canon aren't doing themselves any favours, and a lot of people just buy a copy on eBay.
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I think that'd be fine if there was a tangible saving to be made by excluding the hood, but somehow don't think it's the case. Maybe Canon believe that people want to make the choice, but I'd prefer to get a hood and not want it than want a hood and not get it! :)
 
I dropped a Nikon 16-85mm lens which landed on the lens hood, which snapped. The lens, and the filter, were undamaged though as the hood dissipated the impact. :)

Always get a lens specific hood as a generic hood may be of no help or may even cause vignetting.

You can pick up some lens specific lens hoods quite cheaply from a well known auction site. ;)

The Nikon lens hood was about £20 at the time, a copy was about £4 on said auction site. So I got the copy. Not that much difference, but every penny counts. ;)

Comparing it to the broken original, it wasn't an exact copy (handy for their legality ;) ), being slightly more angular in design, but the size of the petals seemed OK. Some hood can be really expensive, so more savings could be made by getting a copy. If you have the money though, get the original. ;)
 
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