Lens Hood Usage - When / Why?

[leek]

I've noticed that several D70 members keep their lens hoods permanently attached to their lenses in the inverted position.

It might make your lens look a little funkier, but permanent mounting in the inverted position seems a little pointless to me as it (depending on the lens) inhibits access to the zoom or focus rings...

So far I have not used my lens hoods at all on the D70 and I'm ashamed to say that I have no idea when it might be appropriate...

PLEASE educate me...

[sirhc55]

Lens hoods where designed to stop stray light from hitting the lens and causing halation rings

[fozzie]

leek,

I store mine inverted, takes up less room. When in use place correctly to stop stray light.

[leek]

OK... Stray light... means what??? (just pretend I'm a real beginner )

Does this mean when the sun / light source is <45 degrees to the direction your lens is pointing? <70 degrees, <30 degrees???

[MATT]

Leek, that is spooky. I started writing a thread with the exact same question (worded differently but asking the same Q).But was interupted and did not finish.

Thanks leek this is something I was interested in cause I leave mine in the bag. But they do look funky when on backwards.

MATT

[marcus]

I also keep mine inverted for storage. In sunlight, I almost always shoot with it on to deter stray light...it definately helps alot. Although........

I shot my photo for the last challenge in complete darkness with it on to achieve the shadow effect (using built in flash).

[sirhc55]

If you are using a macro lens the actual elements are generally set back in the housing of the lens.

When you get to wider angle lenses, the very nature of how they ”see” means that the lens is closer to the front of the lens housing. This makes them more prone to oblique rays of sunlight. This can cause a form of bounce effect within the elements causing the halation.

But, the obvious answer is, if you are supplied a lens hood it is for a purpose so why not use it

[Mal]

I keep mine on so that when the D70 is swinging around on my shoulder and smashes into the wall it is the lens hood that takes the impact

[kipper]

All of my lenses that I have that have hoods I store with hood inverted. Like everyone said, makes for easy storage. As soon as they're out I put the hood on the 70-200VR or with the 18-70 keep it inverted or orientated the right way. Depends how much light there is and where it is in relation to the shot.

[Onyx]

Leek, weren't you there at Bobbin Heads? I believe the inverted lens hood ultimately saved my 18-70. It certainly helped it bounce...

The optimal answer is always. You even see papparazzi's have their hoods on when they're shooting flash at night, when there's hardly any chance of stray sunlight affecting their shots.

[sirhc55]

Leek, weren't you there at Bobbin Heads? I believe the inverted lens hood ultimately saved my 18-70. It certainly helped it bounce...

The optimal answer is always. You even see papparazzi's have their hoods on when they're shooting flash at night, when there's hardly any chance of stray sunlight affecting their shots.

But another flash could

[birddog114]

I keep my the hoods away from the lens and rarely use them, hard to pack with all hoods inside the bag when you have assorted lenses and they're difference size of thread and shape.
I can avoid the stray light in shooting by using difference angle to shoot.
Some my big lenses as 70-200/ 80-400/200-400VR, I store the hoods reversed but only using them when needed, not everytime, without the lens hood is more flexible to maneouvre.
Some lens hoods can be shared as 17-35/ 17-55/ 12-24, same type and size of lens hood.
Other hopeless: 85/1.4 screw-in type/ 24-120VR 72mm hoods/ 28mm 72mm hood screw in.
You can imagine, you carry with you ten lenses and have 10 lens hoods in difference shape & size, how is the inconvenience?

[dooda]

It also adds respect to you as a photographer. IE: if you were standing next to a guy without lens hood and you had yours on, you'd definitly get chosen to do the wedding shoot or fashion shoot or whatever.

I broke mine and haven't gotten a fashion shoot since. Please don't ask me how many I had before.

[Oneputt]

I rarely shoot outdoors without one. Sometimes you need to take the shot that you have and cannot move to avoid stray light.

[mudder]

I've never known why some photog's have them inverted, I always just thought I was missing something...

I usually use mine when in bright daylight to minimise flare and hopefully aid contrast(?)

[Matt. K]

John
The lens hood should be used all the time. There is no sound reason not to use it . It prevents side light from causing reflections and improves contrast. It may also protect the lens in case of a drop or fall.

[joolz]

Being the lazy sort that I am, I use leave my 85 1.8's lens hood on all the time.
I use it as a "lens cap" and don't put it's proper lenscap on.
It has saved the front element quite a few times and I find that I have less issues with that than my other lenses, when I sometimes forget to put lenscaps back on.

Oh yeah - it also helps with flare.

Joolz

[dhess]

Won't leaving the lens hood on all of the time ocasionally result in vignetting with certain lenses?

[redline]

hoods are great when using large primes lenses.
as earlier discussed rids of stray light. but they protect the front elements from bumps incoming rocks and derby as they don't use front filters.
a repair bill for a broken 400$ hood(http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... 493&is=REG) vs 10k lenses front element damage.
but this didn't save my friends 300afs f/2.8 lenses when he dropped it and broke the mounting coupling right off the camera body it was attached to.

[meicw]

I can remember an adage from my film days that I saw in Amateur Photography (now that was a great magazine): There is no shot that cannot be improved by the use of a lens hood.
I use mine all the time, but some of the hoods produced today are not designed too well.

Regards
MeicW

[sirhc55]

I grew up on Amateur Photographer - good memories

[Spooky]

I have found that when used inside with flash the hood is better taken off. At times I have had a dark area appear on the image where the hood has blocked the flash.

Otherwise I leave them on.

[gstark]

Leek, weren't you there at Bobbin Heads? I believe the inverted lens hood ultimately saved my 18-70. It certainly helped it bounce...

The optimal answer is always. You even see papparazzi's have their hoods on when they're shooting flash at night, when there's hardly any chance of stray sunlight affecting their shots.

But another flash could

And the timing for that happen would make the odds ... ???

As with most others, it's far more compact for storage and travel to have the hood mounted in the reverse position.

As others have said, it can offer an extra layer of physical protection against being knocked against a brick wall or something else more substantial than the lens, but yes, the primary purpose is to protect the front elements of the lens from unwanted light reflections.

Consider that you're shooting obliquely but towards the sun. The sun itself might end up as a reflection within your field of view. Sometimes this is desirable and wanted, but many times it will only reduce contrast wrt the subject matter that you're really interested in, and thus it will detract from the image that you're trying to make.

Just as, when looking towards the sun at sunset, you may need to place a hand up towards your eyes in order to see things, the lens hood will perfrom that exact same task and shade your lens from that induced glare.

Note too that (a) there is no real need to use the lenshood at all times, and (b) with the petal shaped hoods, you need to ensure that they correctly monted on the lens to eliminate the possibility of vignetting.

[gstark]

Won't leaving the lens hood on all of the time ocasionally result in vignetting with certain lenses?

If the hood is correctly designed for the lens, no.

[gstark]

John
The lens hood should be used all the time. There is no sound reason not to use it .

Unless you're using the kit lens aat 18mm together with the built-in flash.

The hood will get in the way of the flash, and I believe that the camera's manual warns you of this possibility.

[beetleboy]

I keep my hoods on permanently and especially find it useful when shooting wildlife as a nice deep hood means you can leave your lens cap off and capture those magic moments!

The only issue I've had is one that Gary just mentioned, at 18mm the built-in flash creates a shadow at the bottom of the image. However, with this knowledge, I always take a couple of steps back and zoom far enough to eradicate the shadow..i've also found the extra distance between flash and subject gives a slightly more flattering result.

Liam =]