Lense Hood

[Kronnic]

Gday

Ive been taking photos since I was at school in photography but one thing I never used/was taught to use was a hood.

The only explanation I have found is "A lens hood provides multiple functions: it shades the lens from stray light, improving your contrast and image quality; in inclement weather, it can assist in keeping moisture or wind-blown debris off the lens; and it protects the front barrel from the inevitable impacts against walls, door frames, and other real-life obstacles".

Im just wondering other then the explanation above is there any real times you would really use one... sports photography because of the position of the sun of the lights? what does the cut out version do compared to the full circular version?



Matt

[TCav]

The explanation you found covers the uses of a lens hood, albeit with some broad strokes.

The cutout, or flower lens hood design is for wider angles where the lens hood would cause vignetting at shorter focal lengths (wider angles of view.) The circular lens hoods are more typical for longer, fixed focal length lenses, while the flower lens hood is frequently used on zoom lenses where the angle of view changes.

[Kronnic]

Ok so basically..

If shooting wide angleseg landscapes use the flower hood.

If shooting with a set distance lense eg 400mm use the circular hood.

Correct?

[TCav]

The lens hood that comes with a lens is always the best choice, and you are always better off using it than not using it.

[Kronnic]

Cheers

[superakuma]

Yes it does not hurt the image in anyway if you use the lens hood so I always use it. The only problem with lens hood is when you use a CP filter. You can't rotate the filter with the hood on. Some hood have a little opening on the hood so you can rotate the filter.