Using lenshoods to protect the lenses.

[thomas_k.]

<p>This is not a question, but is stems from many discusions about reasons for using lenshoods. I am a proponent of using lenshoods. I have a lenshood for every lens I own and use them on all the time. I collected metal lenshoods for every AI and AIS nikkor I have. One of the reasons I keep lenshoods on is to protect the lens from accidental bumps or drops. This summer I dropped on concrete my 28mm f2 nikkor, lens hood hit first. Front of the lens was undamaged ... but helicoid was busted - $180 for repair. I was sort of dissapoited that my lenshood did not prevent this dammage. A couple dasy ago while photographing an event I noticed a big chip on plastic lens hood of my 17-55 f2.8 nikkor lens- it must have hit something hard without me even noticing it - the lens is perfectly fine no dammage whatsoever. And then I realised: bayonet lens hoods of my 17-55mm and 80-200mm nikon lenses attach to the OUTER casing of the lens!!! Any force aplied to the lens hood does not transfer to the lenses helicoid. Lenshoods of these lenses really protect agains hits. As for my 28mm f2 nikkor and many others the lens hood attaches to the inner (moving) barrel of the lens and transfers all impacts to lenses helicoid. This is it, my metal lens hoods go to hell, I'll be buying rubber ones.</p>

[bob_sunley]

<p>Rubber lens hoods offer almost no protection against a solid hit. Metal or plastic hoods attached to the moving optics may or may not offer some protection, it all depends on the angle the lens hits the concrete. :( If the hit is a hard one and is along the optical axis, there will be internal damage, if the hit is at an angle and the hood bends or shatters, energy is absorbed and not transmitted to the lens. Soft rubber just bends out of the way and almost all the energy is absorbed by the lens. Keep the metal hoods.</p>

<p> </p>

[luis_g]

<p>Use the OEM hoods. They are the best design for the lenses you have. Rubber not only does not offer much protection against a hard it, but they often fold partially and cause vignetting. Stick with OEM shades.</p>

[frank_skomial]

<p>You are talking about the damage to helicoid... next time get an internal focusing lens, that could possibly survive better.</p>

[CvhKaar]

<p>mm How about something like this :<br>

<a href="http://www.wildlifewatchingsupplies.co.uk/lens_hood_covers.htm">http://www.wildlifewatchingsupplies.co.uk/lens_hood_covers.htm</a><br>

or just a piece of ( thin) neoprene made to fit by yourself for any lenshodd you'd like too ??</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>There's also the issue of flare which lens hoods can prevent in many situations, too.</p>

<p>I almost always use my lens hoods AND I keep a UV or NC filter on the front, too (I take that filter off for a lot of photos, but then it goes right back on).</p>

<p>I never thought about the possibility that my metal hood for my 105mm AI lens might actually cause damage... but I don't use that lens often and I handle it pretty carefully.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Depending on a lens hood to protect a lens from damage sounds sorta like depending on a windshield sun visor to protect my head in the event of a car crash. I suppose the padding might help a little. I'd rather not crash at all as the best method for protecting my noggin.</p>

<p>For the utmost in protection, Nikonistas with a serious case of NAS need NikkorNoodles™.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>NikkorNoodles™</p><div></div>

[thomas_k.]

<p>This isn't for real. You are making this up Lex, aren't you?</p>

[dbcooper]

<blockquote>

<p>This summer I dropped on concrete my 28mm f2 nikkor...<br /> I was sort of dissapoited that my lenshood did not prevent this dammage.<br /> ...it must have hit something hard without me even noticing it</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I think there's a paradigm going on of expecting a hood to do a job it's not designed or intended for. Perhaps over time 'gee, I was really lucky' stories have transmuted into an (unrealistic) expectation. A hood is a shade, not a bumper. You're not supposed to whack lenses or drop them onto concrete. If a hood protects from an impact, it's <a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/lagniappe">lagniappe</a>. OTOH, a rubber hood probably won't get chipped and takes up less room in the bag than a metal one.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Lenshoods of these lenses really protect agains hits.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>In that light, you may occasionally want to have the camera body mounting flange checked for alignment.</p>

<p>Good one, Lex!</p>

[akira]

<p>Oh, no, Lex. These won't protect the front elements!</p>

[CvhKaar]

<p>Wonderfull Lex, but these only protect the lenses, do they have matching matrasses to put on the floor ( or pavement) to catch the cam. when dropped ?</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<blockquote>

<p>These won't protect the front elements!</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The lenses are protruding only for display purposes. In actual practice the lens is inserted safely within the NikkorNoodles™. For additional protection a translucent neon hued NoodleKapp™ can be fitted over the front.</p>

<p>For the ultimate in protection, have an assistant follow you everywhere with a NikkorMatt™, a large sheet of protective foam that can be rolled out in front of you as you walk.**</p>

<p><em>**Please note that the NikkorMatt™ is not guaranteed to protect the Nikon EM or D3000 models against damage from dropping. On the plus side, dropping those models was the best thing Nikon could do.</em></p>

[lajolla_photofan]

<p>Never thought of lens hood as a safety device before my recent travel to Grand Teton NP. One fine morning I had joined a large group of photographers at Schwabacher Landing. There was a big group of photographers who probably came for some kind of work shop and every one had fancy cameras and lenses. I was very curious to see that all of them had their lens hood on. Please do note that we are shooting the reflection of the sun on mountain not the sun. Then I thought aha tonight was full moon and the moon is still setting over the mountain and these guys are smart.<br /> There was another guy who was shooting beside me sitting on the bank of the river probably with more beat up equipments than I had just could not resist himself to ask the question. The instructor's reply was classic, " I don't want their lenses/camera get damaged if they tip over their tripod" !! No more questions, we put on our hoods too; as we were hand holding our cameras and we had a bigger chance of dropping them.</p>

[angkordave]

<p>In February I knocked my Camera and tripod over on to rocks, the lens hood of my Nikon 17-55 took the full force, and broke, there was no apparent damage to lens which has been working fine for 7months.<br>

A few weeks ago I struck the same lens against a post with no lens hood attached whole walking down an alleyway. I now have a big repair bill of $600+ or more likely may have to write of the lens; setting off the cost towards an FX lens. I am 100% certain that If I had the hood on, it would have taken the impact and not damaged the lens!<br>

Enough Said!</p>