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12-23-2006, 01:26 AM   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by WMBP Quote
I do find what you say about the hood helping to increase the contrast believable, and if a couple quick tests bear it out, well, I'll say so here.

I reckon there has to be a reason, as I don't think many photographers want to carry more junk around just because it looks cool.
Hi, Will!

I second everything Jonas said (as usual ), and would like to add that even (and sometimes especially!) in low light and night situations hoods are important to significantly reduce glare produced from stray lights. My experience in night photography has led me to 1) put on hoods if I have one, and 2) remove every filters if I have any an the lens (I usually don't) to get the best possible image with best contrast.

And since the hard hoods can protect your expensive lenses in lots of situations I'd have to have a good reason to take a hood of my lenses ever ...

In photography it's all about light and glass; and those two together mean "reflections". So it's a good idea to have as few glass surfaces as possible and as few unwanted light as possible to get the best image quality. And that's BTW the reason why primes in challenging condition have the edge - fewer lens elements means fewer glass surfaces where in spite of all advanced coatings reflections and stray light can occur - and that leads to better contrast and in the end to better images.

Phil

12-23-2006, 04:14 AM   #17
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Check this link.

Lens hoods

The only time I don't use a hood is when I'm shooting indoors using the built-in flash--you can get nasty vignetting at the bottom center of your image as the top part of the hood can block the flash's reach.
12-23-2006, 04:17 AM   #18
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I'm a rather hardheaded old coot. I've ruined many shots with my Panny FZ20 by adamantly refusing to install the hood. Some I'd consider beautiful shots, ruined with lens flare that can't be removed in PP.

Now when I'm out shooting I use the hood and flare is nonexistent. I have to admit though, I still remove it indoors. Why? Danged if I know.

I suppose the biggest problem is my smallish camera bag. It won't hold the camera with that big hood on so I have to remove it to fit it into the compartment. Well - that'll be solved when my K10 arrives. I'll have to get a larger bag since I'm keeping the Panasonic for those long lens shots.

Hey! I'll work on keeping it on!

Dan
12-23-2006, 06:00 AM   #19
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Some answers here:

Understanding Lens Flare in Photography

dave

12-23-2006, 06:32 AM   #20
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the hood stays/stayed on my panasonic fz20 except for flash shots and it fitted in my bag..

but my k100 complete with tamron 18 x 200 plus sigma 70 x 300 needed to give me the same range as my fz20 is another kettle of fish..

i know my k100 takes better pictures (i think) but part of me still wonders about something like the fz50 and the practicalities of it..

trog
12-23-2006, 06:55 AM   #21
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A good (bad) example of lens flare

This is why I use a lens hood. This obvoiusly happened outdoors, but ANY light source can cause this kind of problem, especially in side and (as in this case) back lit scenes.


NaCl(and frequently not noticed in the viewfinder)H2O
12-23-2006, 07:04 AM   #22
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I am with Phil and Jonas on this 100%. What Phil says is really important; with low light, out of frame light can cause quite a lot of issues whereas in a brighter situation, a little extra from the edge isn't likely to be noticed. I do a lot of night and low light photography and I always use a hood. Somewhat like Phil, I don't use filters. I am more extreme than Phil though; I almost never use filters. It has probably been two years since I have mounted one on any lens.

I remember back when I was shooting slides. I did a test in controlled circumstances. The improved contrast and color saturation when using a hood was noticable at a glance on virutally every shot.

I also count on the hoods to protect my lens. So far, I have never had a scratch and I don't baby my stuff at all. No down sides at all to using a hood IMO.

12-23-2006, 08:06 AM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by MPrince Quote
Check this link.

Excellent informative link - THANKS!

WP
12-23-2006, 09:42 AM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by WMBP Quote
I also presume that lens hoods are intended for use outdoors in bright sunlight. What if I'm not outdoors or at least not in bright sunlight? ...

Do you use a hood? All the time? Even in the house, when ladies are present?
I read several articles stating digital camera being more susceptible to flares, one in particular had a detail technical explanation why. Unfortunately I can't find it again. Here is a short explanation

Rick Sammon's Pixel News, Vol. 1 No. 3, September 2006

Here is another
Flare-01-11-01-03

This is one reason why many of the newer lenses out there comes with a hood. I bet the other reason is the coolness factor

At any rate, flaring is an issue if you are pointing your camera towards a bright light source. You can dispense with the hood if tend not to make shots like that. I keep mine attached in reverse - just in case I need it.
12-23-2006, 09:48 AM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by NaClH2O Quote
This is why I use a lens hood. This obvoiusly happened outdoors, but ANY light source can cause this kind of problem, especially in side and (as in this case) back lit scenes.


Hey, I have lots of photos that look like that! :-)

Thanks for the excellent example.

Will
12-23-2006, 10:05 AM   #26
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Another small remark...

... as we all (likely most ) are talking about DSLR with crop factor of 1.5x- then You can imagine Yourself how versatile the things have gone... on one of the bestsellers (FA50/1.4) You are not limited to the rectangular hood anymore- feel free to use RH-RB49 (originally for FA70-xxx)- more flexible etc.
NB! This knowledge goes to pre DA (DFA) aka full-frame ones- so feel free to experiment at a store and please, please... share Your findings

Best and merry Christmas etc..., JR
12-23-2006, 12:32 PM   #27
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to sum up...

OK, to sum up, then, here's what I think I've learned from this thread.

1. I SHOULD use a lens hood, more or less always, unless, of course, doing so interferes with using the flash.

2. I SHOULD NOT use lens filters, certainly should not use a standard UV filter just for the heck of it.

Is that about it?

I must say, getting rid of the UV filter makes me nervous. I just want to confirm that this is what y'all are doing before I do it myself. I'm going to feel like I'm walking around without a shirt on.


THanks again to everybody who has responded in this thread.

WP
12-23-2006, 12:48 PM   #28
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More or less.

If you go off-camera with the flash then the hood isn't a problem. Hoods are particularly effect when a large number of reflective objects are nearby-car glass and chrome, signage, reflective tape on clothing, shoes, etc. And in situations with multiple light sources. Pay particular attention to ordinary objects: doors with small windows, fire suppression equipment, advertisement signs and displays.

Here is a good time to use the digital preview button; searching corners and background areas of the frame for problems.

There isn't any rational reason to remove UV/protection filters in routine operations--in and out of the bag, changing lenses, walking about. I've got just such a filter in place on all of my lenses-some fifty of them.

I have removed said protection for very specific applications-macro or close-up work, some portraiture, some product shots, a few other 'safe' situations. But not in a crowd, not around children with pointing little fingers, never when allowing a novice to handle my camera.

Keep your shirt on, the sun is bright!
12-23-2006, 01:23 PM   #29
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QuoteOriginally posted by jfdavis58 Quote
There isn't any rational reason to remove UV/protection filters in routine operations--in and out of the bag, changing lenses, walking about. I've got just such a filter in place on all of my lenses-some fifty of them.


OK, thanks. I am pretty sure there's a disagreement among the respondents in this thread, that is, I'm pretty sure I understood some folks to be saying that filters have a deleterious effect. That's cool. I don't expect experienced people to agree about everything and disagreement doesn't make my head spin. Just trying to be clear here.

So there appears to be something close to unanimity on the issue of using a hood; the consensus is that I should, almost always.

Not so much unanimity about the importance or value of removing filters.

That's fine. I will try these options out and see what works for me.

Thanks again,

Will
12-23-2006, 01:58 PM   #30
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I'm with jfdavis (Jeff?) when it comes to UV/protectional-filters. In most cases I just let them stay on the lens. In certain situations I sometimes remove them.
My take on filters (a test done after having been fed up with the mantra about flare and loss of contrast and double pictures and things):
Home Test: UV-filters - good or bad?

When you say you'll try out for yourself it's exactly what many more should do.

regards,
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