Do you use lens hoods?

[Ukwoody44]

Hi all.

With all my lenses I got a lens hood. Bit I never use them.

Do you use yours and if so what for?

Cheers

Woody

 

[Skeeterbytes]

Yes. Foremost for flare control second, protection from debris, water, physical damage.

Cheers,

Rick

 

[sherman_levine]

Yes. They keep my greasy fingers off the expensive glass, and serve as a bit of a cushion if I tap the lens against something.

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[WilyKit]

Sure, I use it to avoid flares and ghosting, just generally get the best image I can get. If the company included it, it usually means they did it for good reasons, even if sometimes it's not really effective.

 

[Guy Parsons]

Hi all.

With all my lenses I got a lens hood. Bit I never use them.

Do you use yours and if so what for?

Cheers

Woody

Most lens greasy finger marks come from putting lens caps on and off. If employing a reasonably deep lens hood then usually there's no need for the lens cap, hence way less (or zero) finger smudges. Any loose dust is easily shuffled off with a rocket puffer or micro fibre cloth.

Plus of course they can lessen lens flare and also provide the much needed mechanical protection to that expensive front element. Bump the hood against random objects rather than bump the front lens.

 

[drj3]

Yes, I rarely shoot without one for any focal length.

 

[alcelc]

One obvious useage, to reduce flare under bright light condition, e.g. sunny day outdoor.

For other times:

• Could be a cushion between my lens and the window plane when shooting through window,
• To protect the front element from direct hit and bumping,
• To reduce rain or snow deposit on the front element, and
• it is also part of my DIY rain coat,
• Easier to take a lens out from camera bag for quick lens swapping, and
• Without worrying on touching the lens front element leaving finger print on it...

Together with protective filter, they are my lens protection system.

I won't leave them home.

--
Albert
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[UrbaneHobbit]

I do, mostly for protection of the front element of most of my lenses This is because I do not use filters or lens caps, and store my lenses in a padded bag or (for long telephoto lenses when mounted to my OM-1) in the hydration reservoir pocket of my backpack.

There is one lens where I always had the hood on specifically for improved handling and image quality, and that was the Olympus 75-300. That lens is not optically stabilized, and at 600mm equivalent maximum focal length, I found that cradling the (large) factory hood with my left hand allowed the IBIS unit to be more effective when shooting birds. With a lot of practice I was able to maximize on that very light and rather inexpensive lens. I found it to be plenty sharp wide open and at 300mm that way.

 

[Woody Meristem]

Yes, BUT I use one inch long screw-in hoods on all my lenses other than the Panasonic 12-32mm lens on my old PEN E-PL1 that I carry in my pocket for street photography. Those short hoods are only for protection of the front element.

 

[richj20]

Yes. Foremost for flare control second, protection from debris, water, physical damage.

How does a hood protect from water?

-richard

 

[richj20]

I stopped using lens hoods many years ago. Too cumbersome.

As far as flare - I rarely encounter it, and when I do with the sun at a sharp angle, I just put my hand up to block it.

As far as protection for the lens - after making an exposure, I replace the lens cap. The most secure protection, IMO.

I just now looked at my Panasonic 20mm, 14-45mm, and 45-150mm lenses - among my first lenses some 15 years ago, and the front elements show no damage.

I don't know why one would touch the lens "with greasy fingers" as one person wrote.

-richard

--
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[alcelc]

When it rains, a hood could be good enough to shade the lens from shower, and to reduce chances of rain drop fall directly on the front element under heavier rain.

I also make use of lens hood to attach a plastic bag (with a hold) as my DIY camera rain cover under extreme condition .

 

[alcelc]

I stopped using lens hoods many years ago. Too cumbersome.

As far as flare - I rarely encounter it, and when I do with the sun at a sharp angle, I just put my hand up to block it.

You might not notice that a hood can improve the contrast. It is useful for SOOC shooter. It could also save you some editing work even if you would edit your output.

As far as protection for the lens - after making an exposure, I replace the lens cap. The most secure protection, IMO.

I swap lenses a lot. Hence, I would uncap every lens, both the front and back cap (and put on the hood), when starting a shooting session. This can speed up lens swapping by >50%.

Caps would be put on again by the end of the shooting session.

For quick lens swapping, I would also locate and take out the required lens from camera bag/lens bag by feeling. The extra length of a hood can make my life easier and also reduce chances on touching the uncap lens.

I just now looked at my Panasonic 20mm, 14-45mm, and 45-150mm lenses - among my first lenses some 15 years ago, and the front elements show no damage.

It definitely helps to reduce cleaning of finger print on my lenses .

I don't know why one would touch the lens "with greasy fingers" as one person wrote.

When I required to swap lenses within few seconds nearly on shot to shot basis (the fun to use ILC ), I must have to think about finger print problem .

-richard

 

[StevoPhilo]

I hate lenses that don't come with them, but if they don't I will typically go out and buy them. It looks better and does the obvious things many here have already stated.

 

[Sujiar]

Almost all of the above postings contain good reasons to use a hood. But there is very good evidence that with long lenses (400mm etc), big lens hoods can trap either warm or cold air, and thus can cause loss of IQ if shooting in the opposite, outside conditions...

 

[the bluesman]

I remember watching this when it was released so I found it again for the purpose of this thread, the comments on the video are really interesting as well.

Me I use a Lens hood all the time unless I'm shooting a live gig and there is a big crowd

 

[epozar]

yes

 

[Ixoye]

No I don't use lens hoods, neither straps, too cumbersome.

 

[Tom Axford]

Hi all.

With all my lenses I got a lens hood. Bit I never use them.

Do you use yours and if so what for?

Cheers

Woody

I rarely use lens hoods (except for the very long focal lengths) as they are just too much bulk and bother. For photos taken with the sun shining onto the lens, I generally find some other way of shading the lens from direct sunlight. I find that works for me, but it wouldn't for everyone.

 

[Art_P]

Almost always.

Provides some protection for the front element when hiking through brush or scrambling over rocks.

Acts as a rain hood in wet weather.

Now w my 17/1.8 I just have an adapter ring... Only extends about 1/3".

On my 90 macro, I might have the hood reversed so I'm not shading the subject, especially when using flash.

But other than that, hood is always in place on all lenses.