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06-04-2009, 08:03 AM   #1
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hood not necessary for pancake lenses?

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I'm pretty used to keeping a hood on my lenses. Helps avoid flare, people say it increases contrast, and I can say from personal experience that a hood is useful as a means of protecting the lens if it should get dropped or otherwise bumped.

I don't have hoods for my Pentax 35 f/2 or 50 f/1.4 and it makes me nervous. And I'm considering the purchase of the Pentax 40 f/2.8 pancake. Does a lens like that even have a hood available? Would a hood make any optical difference? What about protection?

Will

06-04-2009, 08:09 AM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by WMBP Quote
I'm pretty used to keeping a hood on my lenses. Helps avoid flare, people say it increases contrast, and I can say from personal experience that a hood is useful as a means of protecting the lens if it should get dropped or otherwise bumped.

I don't have hoods for my Pentax 35 f/2 or 50 f/1.4 and it makes me nervous. And I'm considering the purchase of the Pentax 40 f/2.8 pancake. Does a lens like that even have a hood available? Would a hood make any optical difference? What about protection?

Will
The DA40 comes with a built-in hood--it's actually part of the lens cap. You can see it here: http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00C/00CA4u-23456884.jpg

You can also buy cheap metal screw-in hoods for your FA 35 and FA 50 on eBay. Check out seller "heavystar". I've bought several from him and like them very much.
06-04-2009, 08:16 AM   #3
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I've got a collapsible rubber hood for my FA50. It's awesome. Get a longer hood since your effective FOV is about 75mm.
06-04-2009, 08:27 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by deadwolfbones Quote
The DA40 comes with a built-in hood--it's actually part of the lens cap. You can see it here: http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00C/00CA4u-23456884.jpg
Bones: Thanks, but where's the hood in that photo? I'm used to, you know, big manly hoods that keep light from hitting the lens surface sideways.

I'll check out the eBay option, by the way. Thanks for the tip.

Will

06-04-2009, 08:31 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by soccerjoe5 Quote
I've got a collapsible rubber hood for my FA50. It's awesome. Get a longer hood since your effective FOV is about 75mm.
Diego, where'd you get the collapsible rubber hood? and what's the point of collapsible rubber? Sounds like it would provide less protection against bumps.

Also, can you please explain what you mean by "get a longer hood" because of the FOV? If I'm buying a hood for the 50, do I have choices with respect to hood length? And what difference does the FOV make? I've never thought about the impact of "crop factor" on the lens hood.

Will
06-04-2009, 08:52 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by WMBP Quote
Bones: Thanks, but where's the hood in that photo? I'm used to, you know, big manly hoods that keep light from hitting the lens surface sideways.

I'll check out the eBay option, by the way. Thanks for the tip.

Will
The hood is the "ring" with the hole in the center, which is actually the cap with its center removed. It screws onto the inside of the filter ring. A pretty unique and impressive solution intended to keep the lens as small as possible while still preventing flare. In my experience it works very well.

Edit: I'm pretty sure Diego is a bit off on this one. The effective FOV of the lens doesn't factor into the hood's coverage, which is a purely physical thing. A hood that works on film (provides sufficient coverage) will also work on digital, as I understand it. This is the hood I use on my FA 50/1.4: http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Metal-Tele-49mm-Screw-in-Lens-Hood_W0QQitemZ20031523...3A1%7C294%3A50

Never had any issues with flare.
06-04-2009, 08:59 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by deadwolfbones Quote
The hood is the "ring" with the hole in the center, which is actually the cap with its center removed. It screws onto the inside of the filter ring. A pretty unique and impressive solution intended to keep the lens as small as possible while still preventing flare. In my experience it works very well.
Ah, I see. Well, I don't see, but I'll take your word for it. Very interesting.

To return to the question I started with: Do you think this hood (for the Pentax 40) is useful? I gather that you do. Do the other pancakes from Pentax come with similar hood options?

Will

06-04-2009, 09:05 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by WMBP Quote
Ah, I see. Well, I don't see, but I'll take your word for it. Very interesting.

To return to the question I started with: Do you think this hood (for the Pentax 40) is useful? I gather that you do. Do the other pancakes from Pentax come with similar hood options?

Will
The DA 35 and DA 70 have built-in extending hoods that are perfectly circular (built into the barrel). These seem to work well (no flare issues for me yet).

The DA 21 is a bit different... its hood has a unique bayonet mount that twists off and on, which you can see here: http://www.takegreatpictures.com/content/images/DA21mm.jpg

It also seems to work well, but it does occasionally come off inadvertently if you're not careful when removing the lens cap (the cap kind of sucks the hood off the lens if you twist while removing it).

The DA 15 I don't have, but I think it's also a built-in hood but in a "petal" style. Like so: http://ct5.pbase.com/t5/93/723093/4/103347842.dovz6J95.jpg
06-04-2009, 09:12 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by deadwolfbones Quote
The DA 35 and DA 70 have built-in extending hoods that are perfectly circular (built into the barrel). These seem to work well (no flare issues for me yet).
I used to have some old lenses that worked that way. I kind of like having everything stuck together, although I guess the petal style hoods have their advantages.

I was wrong earlier when I said I lacked a hood for my 35mm. It's the FA 35 f/2 and it's on my K20D right now. It's got a petal hood. My 50mm 1.4 lacks a hood, though.


QuoteQuote:
The DA 21 is a bit different... its hood has a unique bayonet mount that twists off and on, which you can see here: http://www.takegreatpictures.com/content/images/DA21mm.jpg

It also seems to work well, but it does occasionally come off inadvertently if you're not careful when removing the lens cap (the cap kind of sucks the hood off the lens if you twist while removing it).
Bummer. Aside from the cap/hood problem you mention, I gather the 21 is a great lens.


QuoteQuote:
The DA 15 I don't have, but I think it's also a built-in hood but in a "petal" style. Like so: http://ct5.pbase.com/t5/93/723093/4/103347842.dovz6J95.jpg
Ah, yes, THAT is what I call a hood. :-)

Thanks, Bones.

Will
06-04-2009, 09:38 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by WMBP Quote
Diego, where'd you get the collapsible rubber hood? and what's the point of collapsible rubber? Sounds like it would provide less protection against bumps.

Also, can you please explain what you mean by "get a longer hood" because of the FOV? If I'm buying a hood for the 50, do I have choices with respect to hood length? And what difference does the FOV make? I've never thought about the impact of "crop factor" on the lens hood.

Will
I got mine at a local store. I like it because you can collapse the hood when not in use, it pretty much wraps around the lens. It protects from bumps, but in a different way.

A hard knock on a typical lens hood may knock something loose or misalign something inside. With the rubber hood, it absorbs the impact.

Oh and rubber hoods are dirt cheap

I like it because you don't have to fumble around to reverse the hood, just pop the hood out.



Here's the text from our local store:

Have you ever lost a photo-op because you were fumbling to attach your reversed lens hood? More so, have you ever accidentally lost a lens hood because it was knocked off or not properly attached? The screw-mount rubber lens hood solves those problems.
• Rubber Collapsible Hood
• Contracts as a lens protector
• Double Filter thread
• Easy one-time installation
• Stablizer and Lens guard{/slide}

No more fumbling to unmount and mount your lens hood, or worse, lose it. The Collapsible Lens Protect Hood is designed so that you can install once and conveniently have a lens hood on-call anytime.

In addition, when the Collapsible Lens Protect Hood is contracted, it becomes a natural lens rim protector safeguarding your lens from bumps and minor shocks. Once the Collapsible Lens Protect Hood in installed, you can store your lens face down on your camera bag without the worry that your lens will collide with other lenses. In a way, the Collapsible Lens Protect Hood acts as a stabilizer or bumper for your lens when in transport.

Indeed, the Collapsible Lens Protect Hood is a smart and fast way of shooting and protecting your lens.

Features and Functions:

* Collapsible Lens hood
* Contracts as a Lens rim protector
* Space spacer and lightweight
* Easy on-time installation
* Durable plastic attachment with double front and back filter thread
* Durable rubber lens hood with lens rim protect

About the focal length, yup! The point of the hood is provide blockage protection from stray light that's outside the field of view. If it's inside the field of view (FOV) it'll cause vignetting. If it doesn't cover enough outside the FOV, it isn't as effective.

The typical 50mm and its hood are designed for FF/35mm film. But since we shoot digital 1.5x crop, our FOV is narrower. So a longer hood will cover more.

But it's probably just me being nitpicky or OC (obsessive compulsive) hehe. Any typical lens hood should be fine
06-04-2009, 09:41 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by WMBP Quote

To return to the question I started with: Do you think this hood (for the Pentax 40) is useful? I gather that you do. Do the other pancakes from Pentax come with similar hood options?

Will
The hoods of my DA21, DA35, DA40 and DA70 have been VERY effective so far for me
06-04-2009, 09:52 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by soccerjoe5 Quote
I got mine at a local store. I like it because you can collapse the hood when not in use, it pretty much wraps around the lens. It protects from bumps, but in a different way.

A hard knock on a typical lens hood may knock something loose or misalign something inside. With the rubber hood, it absorbs the impact.

Oh and rubber hoods are dirt cheap

I think I'll look around for one. Thanks for the info Diego!

Will
06-04-2009, 09:58 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by WMBP Quote
I think I'll look around for one. Thanks for the info Diego!

Will
You're most welcome, Will! You can find 'em on ebay too.

Best of luck

Diego
06-04-2009, 10:47 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by WMBP Quote
Diego, where'd you get the collapsible rubber hood? and what's the point of collapsible rubber? Sounds like it would provide less protection against bumps.

Also, can you please explain what you mean by "get a longer hood" because of the FOV? If I'm buying a hood for the 50, do I have choices with respect to hood length? And what difference does the FOV make? I've never thought about the impact of "crop factor" on the lens hood.

Will
Look here for a line of rubber collapsible lens hoods. I've been using rubber lens hoods on my primes for years, they are nice, they just collapse and don't need to be removed for storage.

jimH

Rubber Lens Hood | B&H Photo Video
06-04-2009, 11:33 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by deadwolfbones Quote
The hood is the "ring" with the hole in the center, which is actually the cap with its center removed. It screws onto the inside of the filter ring. A pretty unique and impressive solution intended to keep the lens as small as possible while still preventing flare. In my experience it works very well.

Edit: I'm pretty sure Diego is a bit off on this one. The effective FOV of the lens doesn't factor into the hood's coverage, which is a purely physical thing. A hood that works on film (provides sufficient coverage) will also work on digital, as I understand it. This is the hood I use on my FA 50/1.4: New! Metal Tele 49mm Screw-in Lens Hood - eBay (item 200315235812 end time Jun-28-09 09:55:29 PDT)

Never had any issues with flare.
Well actually you're using a tele hood on a standard lens, which kind of goes along with what Diego was talking about.

Which is cool--I do it too, but it just shows that a longer hood (like the tele hood) works fine on digital, whereas on film it would vignette.

Hoods help with flare and contrast, so try and use the longest hood that doesn't cause vignetting.

If you look at the hood for the DA*55, it's the same size (roughly) as the hood for the Takumar 135/2.5.
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