Always use lens hood?

jaz · 03-29-2009, 10:53 AM

Hi all, have been watching and learning from here for the last year-and-a-half; thanks for the great input. Except for the time I was forced to introduce myself (good icebreaker), this is my first real post. Do you always shoot with the lens hood attached, or are there situations where it is not needed or actually takes away from a shot? I realize the lens hood is used by many who do not use a filter for protection, and I am not asking about this particular instance, just as a measure of quality of the photo. Thanks for any responses.

Old Timer 56 · 03-29-2009, 10:57 AM

I always use a lens hood. Also, a filter for protection, mostly in order to avoid having to clean the lens itself. However, if you are looking for advice here, I think you'll find there is no real consensus. Everybody has their own opinion.

Richard

séamuis · 03-29-2009, 11:02 AM

I always use a lens hood.

HansenTsang · 03-29-2009, 11:14 AM

Lens hood does not take away from the quality of the image. As long as you have one it is almost always prudent to keep the lens hood on the lens. I shoot a lot inside a studio and there isn't any problem with lens flare. However I still always keep the lens hood on as a habit.

TaoMaas · 03-29-2009, 11:21 AM

There's never image quality downside to using a hood. I use one whenever I can.

Venturi · 03-29-2009, 11:28 AM

The only times I take the hood off during shooting are
- if I'm in a situation where I have to use flash mounted on-camera and I'm shooting wide.
- macros and the hood is blocking precious light from reaching the subject.

Hoods reduce lens flare, filters generally amplify it. Using the correct hood for your lens will never taint your photos; unless you're paying a significant percentage of the lens' value per filter it will diminish IQ. And, Hoods help keep your fingers away from the front element.

jaz · 03-29-2009, 11:35 AM

My biggest concern is for low light situations - and whether the hood "takes away" available light. In addition to reducing glare and stray light, does a hood "funnel" light to make for a better picture?

Venturi · 03-29-2009, 11:47 AM

No it won't take away light nor does it funnel light.

Think of it as an omni-directional baseball hat. It keeps the glare of the sun so to speak off your eyes without preventing you from seeing the fly ball coming at you. The caveat, again in baseball terms, is if you're standing nose-to-nose with the umpire and the brim of your hat is pecking at his forehead then yes the sun and/or field lights would be blocked from reaching the umpire's face.

netuser · 03-29-2009, 12:07 PM

I always use UV filter + lens hood

mutedphotos · 03-29-2009, 12:26 PM

I almost always use a hood, except on a couple lenses that I don't have hoods for (but should really get). The only exception is my macro lens (tamron 90mm/2.8). The front element of the lens is so deeply recessed that a hood is unnecessary, and gets in the way when shooting close macros anyway.

The only time you should worry about taking off the hood is either the aforementioned macro situation or if the flash is being blocked by it. Otherwise it can only help.

emr · 03-29-2009, 12:43 PM

Do you use the provided default hoods? I find them clumsy and they get loose easily. Something like a firmly attached rubber hood would be great.

séamuis · 03-29-2009, 02:03 PM

Originally posted by emr

Do you use the provided default hoods? I find them clumsy and they get loose easily. Something like a firmly attached rubber hood would be great.

that's only a problem with the plastic bayonet hoods. I don't have to worry about that with my metal screw-on Takumar hoods.

axl · 03-29-2009, 02:11 PM

for me it's lens hood yes, filters no. I don't haveUV filter on any of my lenses, and honestly I don't think of using one. I'm carefull with the lenses so I hope I will never regret it....
On the other side, I don't leave house without hood in my bag (I tend to use one hood with step up rings to fit some of my lenses)
BR

gemini · 03-29-2009, 02:21 PM

Originally posted by séamuis

I always use a lens hood.

me too!

jaz · 03-29-2009, 02:27 PM

I know it's been an often-repeated topic, filter vs no filter, but for me it's the protection value of filters that outweigh the loss of image quality. I buy quality filters. Wish I had the stones to go without them, though, but lenses just cost too much.

Regarding the hoods, I appreciate the confirmation about using them in low light, they seem to be even more important than I thought.

03-29-2009, 10:53 AM	#1
jaz Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 45	Always use lens hood? Hi all, have been watching and learning from here for the last year-and-a-half; thanks for the great input. Except for the time I was forced to introduce myself (good icebreaker), this is my first real post. Do you always shoot with the lens hood attached, or are there situations where it is not needed or actually takes away from a shot? I realize the lens hood is used by many who do not use a filter for protection, and I am not asking about this particular instance, just as a measure of quality of the photo. Thanks for any responses.

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03-29-2009, 10:57 AM	#2
Old Timer 56 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New York Posts: 168	I always use a lens hood. Also, a filter for protection, mostly in order to avoid having to clean the lens itself. However, if you are looking for advice here, I think you'll find there is no real consensus. Everybody has their own opinion. Richard

03-29-2009, 11:02 AM	#3
séamuis Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Savannah, U.S./Baguio City, P.H. Posts: 5,979	I always use a lens hood.

03-29-2009, 11:14 AM	#4
HansenTsang Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hilo, Hawaii Posts: 42	Lens hood does not take away from the quality of the image. As long as you have one it is almost always prudent to keep the lens hood on the lens. I shoot a lot inside a studio and there isn't any problem with lens flare. However I still always keep the lens hood on as a habit.

03-29-2009, 11:21 AM	#5
TaoMaas Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oklahoma City Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,574	There's never image quality downside to using a hood. I use one whenever I can.

03-29-2009, 11:28 AM	#6
Venturi Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Tulsa, OK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,636	The only times I take the hood off during shooting are - if I'm in a situation where I have to use flash mounted on-camera and I'm shooting wide. - macros and the hood is blocking precious light from reaching the subject. Hoods reduce lens flare, filters generally amplify it. Using the correct hood for your lens will never taint your photos; unless you're paying a significant percentage of the lens' value per filter it will diminish IQ. And, Hoods help keep your fingers away from the front element.

03-29-2009, 11:35 AM	#7
jaz Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 45 Original Poster	My biggest concern is for low light situations - and whether the hood "takes away" available light. In addition to reducing glare and stray light, does a hood "funnel" light to make for a better picture?

03-29-2009, 11:47 AM	#8
Venturi Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Tulsa, OK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,636	No it won't take away light nor does it funnel light. Think of it as an omni-directional baseball hat. It keeps the glare of the sun so to speak off your eyes without preventing you from seeing the fly ball coming at you. The caveat, again in baseball terms, is if you're standing nose-to-nose with the umpire and the brim of your hat is pecking at his forehead then yes the sun and/or field lights would be blocked from reaching the umpire's face.

03-29-2009, 12:07 PM	#9
netuser Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Azores Islands, Portugal Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,236	I always use UV filter + lens hood

03-29-2009, 12:26 PM	#10
mutedphotos Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 149	I almost always use a hood, except on a couple lenses that I don't have hoods for (but should really get). The only exception is my macro lens (tamron 90mm/2.8). The front element of the lens is so deeply recessed that a hood is unnecessary, and gets in the way when shooting close macros anyway. The only time you should worry about taking off the hood is either the aforementioned macro situation or if the flash is being blocked by it. Otherwise it can only help.

03-29-2009, 12:43 PM	#11
emr Guest	Do you use the provided default hoods? I find them clumsy and they get loose easily. Something like a firmly attached rubber hood would be great.

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03-29-2009, 02:03 PM	#12
séamuis Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Savannah, U.S./Baguio City, P.H. Posts: 5,979	Originally posted by emr Do you use the provided default hoods? I find them clumsy and they get loose easily. Something like a firmly attached rubber hood would be great. that's only a problem with the plastic bayonet hoods. I don't have to worry about that with my metal screw-on Takumar hoods.

03-29-2009, 02:11 PM	#13
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	for me it's lens hood yes, filters no. I don't haveUV filter on any of my lenses, and honestly I don't think of using one. I'm carefull with the lenses so I hope I will never regret it.... On the other side, I don't leave house without hood in my bag (I tend to use one hood with step up rings to fit some of my lenses) BR

03-29-2009, 02:21 PM	#14
gemini Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 256	Originally posted by séamuis I always use a lens hood. me too!

03-29-2009, 02:27 PM	#15
jaz Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 45 Original Poster	I know it's been an often-repeated topic, filter vs no filter, but for me it's the protection value of filters that outweigh the loss of image quality. I buy quality filters. Wish I had the stones to go without them, though, but lenses just cost too much. Regarding the hoods, I appreciate the confirmation about using them in low light, they seem to be even more important than I thought.