[audiobomber]

Rarely. If I take my camera outside, I generally will throw a hood on, but I'm not really that fussed. And my FA50's hood is really loose and falls off all the time so it annoys me a great deal, almost never put it on.

That's a shame, the FA 50mm really needs a hood. Is it the rectangular hood you're using?

I have four hoods for the FA 50; the rectangular Pentax, a standard rubber hood, metal tele hood, and 49-28mm step-down adapter as SOldBear is showing above. The rectangular hood looks cool but is not well thought out, the rubber hood is compact and handles a CPL best, the metal tele hood provides the best shade by far, the step-down adapter is compact and looks good, but I don't have a cap for it and it doesn't accomodate a CPL.

[alexoz]

Always, a must

[jpyykonen]

Always, for every lens. When shooting my lenses are usually without lens caps in my bag (pointing down) so lens hood is must to keep front element without scratches. I don't like playing with lens caps, they go missing anyways if I start playing with those Also helps with flare, rain, snow, branches, cats, kids or whatever tries to distract the front element. Inside and outside. I never take lens hoods off.

[Tom S.]

Do I use a hood? Yes, his name is Bruno. He only speaks one syllable words, but he keeps people from bothering me when I'm taking photos.

[stormtech]

My FA50 hood is solid. It doesn't come loose unless I tell it to.

I kind of followed your lead with the step down ring hood arrangement on my DFA 100 WR and love it. I just got a DFA 50 Macro also and just ordered the same setup.

[Docrwm]

Why is this even a question? Understanding and controlling light is the single most essential skill for a photographer. Hoods are your friends.

[Na Horuk]

I would like to use a hood, but I don't have a hood for every one of my lenses. I can't seem to find a good tight hood for some of them, only Chinese generic hods which might not be effective at all. I'll have to look into folding rubber hoods and step down rings..

[northcoastgreg]

Canon shooters usually don't have a hood mounted, or they have it stored on the camera, achieving nothing.

I'm shocked how often I see both Canon and Nikon users photographing with the hoods reversed on their lenses, in the storage position. It's as if they're too lazy to unreverse them.

If a hood is reversible and easy to take with the lens, I'll use it. I don't use hoods, however, on any of my older glass. I just can't find hoods that are easy to store along with the lens; plus I'm so often switching filters on those lenses, including cokin square filters, that it simply becomes too much of a bother. Since I do almost all my shooting with older lenses on tripods, it's easy to use my hand as a hood when necessary.

[dualie]

Absolutely, especially a hood like this, protecting the front lens element very well.

May I know to determine what is the correct step down value?
Or do you step down to 28mm for all lens?

[audiobomber]

If a hood is reversible and easy to take with the lens, I'll use it.

I used to carry just one 49mm standard rubber collapsible hood for all my primes, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm and D FA 100, because it did a decent job and took up no space in the bag.

[johnyates]

Image quality is very important to me. I always always always use a hood.

Because I'm shooting with a crop camera, I use hoods designed for longer lenses on full-frame.

There are metal hoods cheaply available on eBay described as being for telephoto lenses--they're great for my 55mm lens.

The 3 way rubber collapsible fully extended is perfect for the 35mm, and collapsed to medium for the 28mm and 24mm.

[Kerrowdown]

You mean lens hoods can come off.

Seriously, on all the time for all the good reasons as already mentioned in this post.

[mikeSF]

Always, yes.
I cannot remember the last time I clicked the shutter with an unhooded lens, gasp!

[Kona]

That's a shame, the FA 50mm really needs a hood. Is it the rectangular hood you're using?

It's the FA 50 2.8 Macro, and it came with a round hood. The "thread" on it is just loose, so the hood likes to fall off a lot. I've not looked in to alternatives.

[audiobomber]

It's the FA 50 2.8 Macro, and it came with a round hood. The "thread" on it is just loose, so the hood likes to fall off a lot. I've not looked in to alternatives.

Oh, I was talking about the FA 50mm 1.4. It has a very exposed front element that catches any ambient light. I don't know anything about the 2.8 macro. The front element on my D FA 100 2.8 macro is recessed about an inch. I still use it with a hood though, except when I'm shooting insects at 1:1.