Lens Hood

[rashed]

I have recently seen many people using lens hood out door, most of them are tourist and most are using DSLR cameras,

this show that more and more people getting interested in photography, specially when they are on holiday to record their

holiday events, but what makes these tourist so interested in using the lens hood?

 

How much of a difference a lens hood could do to improve an image? and will it cause corners veginating ( I am sure this is

wrong spelling – but I could not find it in the MSN word dictionary ) on some DSLR cameras even if that hood been supplied

by the manufacturer of the lens itself?

 

Is the lens hood also having different effect on studio photography, or just meant for outdoor?

 

Thank you and wishing you all of the best.

[martijn_houtman]

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I use my lens hood on it all of the time, specifically for anti-flare and anti-glare, but also for protection. This goes for

studio work as well, although you can control the light, so there will be less flare/glare. The reason that more people use

it is maybe because more lenses get delivered with a lens hood out-of-the-box, I don't know.

</p>

<p>

A lens hood should not vignette at all. If it does, you are using the wrong lens hood. That is the reason why you see cut-

outs on those hoods: they're there to prevent vignetting.

</p>

[thomasmckown]

The lens hood will not cause any vignetting of any sort since it does not block any light in its direct view. Vignetting is usually caused by the optics in the lens or by using a filter. One reason filters can cause vignetting is when using a wide angle lens, because you are looking through the filter at an angle around the edges of the frame and essentially looking through more glass than in the middle of the frame. The lens hood simply blocks light from angles that are not withing the lens' view. Lens hoods help reduce lens flare as well as keeping water droplets from landing on the lens when there is any rain. A lens hood is always recommended especially for outdoor use and will not degrade image quality in any way.

[charles_stobbs3]

A telephoto lens hood may cause vignetting on a wide angle lens. And a wide angle lens hood may not give adequate shading in all situations with a telephoto lens. There is more to consider than just the thread size.

[fourthst]

A lens hood is always a good idea. It is indeed important to use one in the studio.

[frank uhlig]

Since often DSLRs have a crop factor of around 1.5, they take pictures through the same old film lenses, but at a narrower

angle of view. Thus: if the hood does not vignette on a full format camera behind the same lens, then it will certainly not vignette on a

narrower view digital one either.

 

AND: you need to use a narrower hood than prescribed for full format when using the same lens on a crop factor camera for

best results. Sorry, poster, you did get your fears backwards ... and missed the last point entirely. Sorry to correct you.

[aplumpton]

Indispensable. If you want best results. If the hoods you are seeing are detachable rather than integrated to the lens, then

we have an indicator (of sorts) of the state of knowledge of the amateur photographer. That result would be great.

 

If you can open the back of your film camera, it is easy to determine if vignetting will occur or not. Set it on B or T

and with the lens open to its widest aperture look through the back and through the lens at the sky (not the sun) while tilting the camera left

and right and up and down. If you cannot see the lens shade invading the space you are OK, no vigneting will occur. With a

digital, take a few shots at full aperture and focussed on a very near (focusable) subject of fairly light appearance. The

vignetting should not occur.

 

Properly fitted rectangular lens hoods are better than circular ones, but the major difference is between a lens hood and

none.

[Lou_Meluso]

Rashed: The purpose of the hood is to reduce off axis, non-image forming light from striking the lens. This reduces flare and increases image contrast in the studio or out. Some may tell you that with today's muticoated lenses you don't need one. While modern muticoatings do improve the situation, the physics of light haven't changed. Get the CORRECT size hood for your lenses and use them.......everytime.....everyplace...........Lou.

[BrianS1664879711]

I've noticed similar trend. It is refreshing because now I don't feel so odd... I ALWAYS use a lens hood. I believe what might be happening is that the lenses and cameras are getting better about providing lens hoods with the lens/camera rather than leaving it to the user to buy the aftermarket. It is a refreshing change!

[KenPapai]

I WISH I saw more tourists and rank amateurs using lens hoods, but around here, not.

 

Lens hoods are the first and easiest things you can utilize to improve your photos (as well as protect your lens from falls, stray light, and possible water spray). Not using a lens hood outdoors is one of the most classless (rookie) things a "photographer" can do.

[matthijs]

Dissing people who do not use lens hoods is one of the most snobist things a "photographer" can do.

 

It's about expressing yourself, not about perfect recreation. (Some flares can even be called beautiful.)

 

However for certain uses, when light is unfriendly and perfect color representation is of the essence, a lens hood is indispensible.

 

(-: Matthijs.

[rashed]

I really approciate the Sigma lenses, every lens I bought from them comes with a lens hood, in the past I used to leave the hood in the lens box and never used it, again I thought the modren lenses all been well multi coated and some are of aspherical nature where I tought there is no need for the hood.

 

I changed as the time pass and I can see the value of the hood now, specially when I work out door capturing portrait at the middle of the day.

 

I also thank you all for your input, I am sure many including myself will have a great return out of your experinces as per this issue.

 

Thank you all

[KenPapai]

"Dissing people who do not use lens hoods is one of the most snobist things a "photographer" can do."

 

I definitely disagree -- remember we are preaching to the choir here, so people in this forum already understand the total win you get from using a lens hood. I am not a subtle coach at anything, nor do I want to be babied and coached with kid gloves about obvious things you must do:

 

- Use a Lens Hood

- Wear seat belts in the car

[tdigi]

I like that it also protects the front element. They are annoying trying to fit in your bag sometimes but I most always keep

one on when I shoot.

[mendel_leisk]

I think there are negative impacts in using the hood, at least worth considering. For one, it can take extra time to get your camera at the ready, say if you have the hood reversed, etc. It makes for a bulkier kit, and *may* tip your decision to leave your camera at home the one day a perfect shot comes along. Just food for thought.

[alex_lofquist]

The only time that I don't use a lens hood is when it intrudes into my working distance and blocks access or illumination of the subject.

[alex_lofquist]

The only time that I don't use a hood is when it intrudes into my working distance and blocks access or illumination to the subject.

[hjoseph7]

I was using a lens hood on my camera this weekend and onnce in a while when I looked throught the view finder, I could actually see some vignetting. After I took the picture and looked at the playback I could not see any dark corners so I figured it was my eyes were playing tricks on me ?

[rashed]

Thank you all, I am of no expert and love to learn, there was no camera, lens and a hood where Adam came from but there been a lot of very great and interesting inputs to this thread which been so helpful to me and for sure to some others.

 

Wishing you all of the best my friends

[JDMvW]

Canon has specific hoods for most of their lenses. The L lenses come with their hood, and a few others, I think, like the 70-300mm DO lens also come with the hood. All of them SHOULD come with the hood. Fortunately, if you look up which one works on your Canon lens, and then Google™ that code, you will find a number of copies of the hoods for much lower prices than those charged by Canon. I have some of each, and I can see no difference aside from the cost, between them. For all I know, they're made in the same factory in China. As noted above, most "third-party" lenses do come with their hood.

 

A properly designed hood will not vignette -- that's why many of them have their peculiar shapes.

[rashed]

My canon 135MM soft focus lens ordered froom Adorama did come with no hood and for that lens to use specailly for portrait in studio, the way I read here should have one, I will search for one via the net ot email canon for a prefared one.

[paul_goutiere]

I haven't always used a lens hood but like most of the folks here, I do now. It adds protection, reduces flare especially when I use filters and can keep rain off the lens.

I did have vignetting when I used the wrong hood on a wide angle lens. I learned.

The challenge is when using older vintage stuff like Super Ikontas, where a hood is really necessary. Finding a hood that fits properly is difficult.

[JDMvW]

Not the least of the benefits of having a B&H printed catalog is that their listing of EOS lenses includes the code for the proper lens hood as well as the filter diameter.

 

You can also download a pdf file that has more information than you can probably use on EOS lenses:

 

www.usa.canon.com/eflenses/pdf/spec.pdf (it's a 136K pdf file)

[JDMvW]

Sorry the link didn't come across live. Try 2. As I say Google or search on eBay for the particular Canon code and you will find clones as well as discounts on genuine Canon hoods

 

 

www.usa.canon.com/eflenses/pdf/spec.pdf