shape/size of lens hood.. help?

[ewheeler20]

I have a Canon Powershot SX20is. I am looking for a larger lens hood for it for added protection, and better picture quality. The one that came with the camera (petal) is pretty small.

I have a 58mm adapter on the canon to accept a 58mm lens hood. I bought an aftermarket hood a little while back, but it is just a bit too large. It is petal shaped. When zoomed out for wide angle, you can see the edges of the hood in the frame... bleh.

So.. i guess, i need a bit of help trying to find a suitable (the largest i can use without blocking the shot) hood. Petal, round, square? how will i know if it will block the shot? (I can only buy online). There are no websites that i can find that tell me which hoods will fit my exact camera because my camera isnt "designed" for anything other than what came with it when i bought it.

any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[lisalonewolf]

Well, you have the one you already bought. It already works...only is a bit too big? Why not just sand some of the 'Petals' down? That is what I would do...and I live where I can run to a dozen places to hunt one down...just makes more sense, CENTS, to use what FITS the camera and is just a bit over the limit...I would just take my time with the sanding. Then buff the finished product. and, if not satisfied, keep looking. Still have something for now.

[ewheeler20]

I was considering that too. Thanks for the suggestion. Does the inside of the hood need to be flat black?

[RioRico]

Yes, the inside of the hood needs to be flat (matte) black, else reflections will bounce around in there. I just sprayed a hood today, whose previous coating had been scraped.

If your hood isn't the right size for you, consider a collapsible rubber hood. These let you adjust the coverage as needed to avoid vignetting.

[TCav]

The lens hood that came with your SX20is is sized so that it blocks extraneous light without obstructing the view of the lens at its shortest focal length and widest angle of view. If you use a bigger hood and modify it so it doesn't appear in the photo when using the shortest focal length, you'll have just created a larger hood that's no better for what you want than the one you've already got.

If you have a problem with flare are longer focal lengths, but don't want to block the image at shorter focal lengths, I think you should consider RioRico's suggestion about a collapsible rubber hood. But since it's collapsible, it doesn't offer much protection.

[WCKSer]

Rubber lens hood is very inexpensive and is worth a try. Even it doesn't work out, it will only cots you around $3. I have a 58mm rubber lens hood on my 55-250mm Canon lens, it works pretty well but it looks big and ugly. The advantage of a rubber hood is that you don't have take it off after you are done with shooting. Just push it back and you are done. It is very big and I don't know it will interfere when you are using the flash.

[ewheeler20]

thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I think what i will do is try sanding down the large hood that i have, as well as buy a rubber one.. if all else fails, i have my original one for a backup.