Lens Hood Questions

In article , Alan Wonsowski
writes
I finally purchased a Nikon D70s. My thanks to all who have endured my
questions and provided me with very helpful information.

This fine camera and kit lens came with a lens hood. I've never used
one before. What are the advantages and disadvantages to using a hood
and under what conditions should I use it? What effect does it have on
the photograph?

Thanks,
Alan

Main purpose: to stop unwanted light from outside the area within your
photo falling on the front element of your lens. Such light will get
scattered around by reflection from glass/air surfaces and from internal
surfaces; it will lower contrast in the picture, and in serious cases
will cause bright blobs or shapes (often the shape of the lens
diaphragm, since that is one of the internal surfaces mainly
responsible). This phenomenon is known as flare; it used to be prevalent
on older lenses before current techniques of anti-reflective coating got
so good, but all lenses will suffer to some extent. A good hood will
block out extrinsic light and just allow the necessary field of view for
the lens, which is why lens manufacturers make different hoods to suit
different lenses. The best hoods (e.g. most of the Canon ones - which I
mention only because I know them well) fit by bayonet lugs on the
outside of the lens, allowing filters to be put on and taken off without
removing the hood or moving it further from the lens (which can cause
vignetting); they also are much quicker to put on and take off.

(One slight problem with normal hoods is that with zoom lenses they have
to be shaped to suit the widest end of the zoom range; this means they
are smaller than the optimum shape for the long end. This can be cured
by using some sophisticated bellows hoods, but that's probably going a
step or two further than you want to go, as they are a lot more fuss to
use.)

Secondary benefit: A decent hard plastic bayonet fitting hood of the
Canon type also add a considerable amount of protection from physical
damage. They are very robust and springy, and if you swing the lens
against a wall the hood will most probably prevent any damage. They also
make it a little harder to get fingerprints on the lens surface.

Personally, I never (well, hardly ever) use a lens without one - the
proper one for the lens. Doing this, and being a reasonably careful sort
of person, I do not feel the need to use a UV filter all the time as
lens protection.

David
--
David Littlewood

Hi Alan and David,

Great reply David. One minor problem I ran into was at the short end
(18mm) getting a circular picture with part of the hood being in the
picture. No biggie - in fact - it can add some personality to pic.

Best,

Conrad


--
Conrad

In article 1123333261.2af20aa14e6643b52d9ca6fd3b3ab42f@teran ews,
Conrad writes

Hi Alan and David,

Great reply David. One minor problem I ran into was at the short end
(18mm) getting a circular picture with part of the hood being in the
picture. No biggie - in fact - it can add some personality to pic.


Conrad,

This indicates that the hood is not suitable for the lens. Most hoods
specifically designed for a given wide angle lens or wide zoom have the
corners cut away (they are often called "petal" hoods, as they bear a
passing resemblance to flowers).

Although people vary in their acceptance of vignetting, to have it
happen as a matter of course, rather than choosing to use it
occasionally as a creative choice, is something most of us would I think
find unacceptable.

If you can't find, or can't afford, a matching hood, you may be able to
trim the corners out of the one you have. Take a look at the tailored
designs used by Canon and others and you will get the idea.

David
--
David Littlewood

Alan Wonsowski wrote:
I finally purchased a Nikon D70s. My thanks to all who have endured my
questions and provided me with very helpful information.

This fine camera and kit lens came with a lens hood. I've never used
one before. What are the advantages and disadvantages to using a hood
and under what conditions should I use it? What effect does it have on
the photograph?

I didn't bother reading David Littlewood's reply, but whatever he said
is likely right on the money.

Cheers,
Alan


--
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-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.

In article , Alan Browne
writes
Alan Wonsowski wrote:
I finally purchased a Nikon D70s. My thanks to all who have endured my
questions and provided me with very helpful information.
This fine camera and kit lens came with a lens hood. I've never used
one before. What are the advantages and disadvantages to using a hood
and under what conditions should I use it? What effect does it have on
the photograph?

I didn't bother reading David Littlewood's reply, but whatever he said
is likely right on the money.

Cheers,
Alan

I think that was a compliment, Alan - I'll assume so! And no, I don't
think you'd learn anything you didn't already know.

David
--
David Littlewood

Conrad wrote:
Hi Alan and David,

Great reply David. One minor problem I ran into was at the short end
(18mm) getting a circular picture with part of the hood being in the
picture. No biggie - in fact - it can add some personality to pic.


Someone very close to me had a similar occurrence (Circular picture?
Nuh-uh; part of the hood ... Yup.), and it was cured by rotating the
"petal" hood to the correct orientation with regard to the shape of
the image frame.

Duh.

--
Frank ess

David Littlewood wrote:
In article , Alan Browne
writes

Alan Wonsowski wrote:

I finally purchased a Nikon D70s. My thanks to all who have endured my
questions and provided me with very helpful information.
This fine camera and kit lens came with a lens hood. I've never used
one before. What are the advantages and disadvantages to using a hood
and under what conditions should I use it? What effect does it have on
the photograph?


I didn't bother reading David Littlewood's reply, but whatever he said
is likely right on the money.

Cheers,
Alan

I think that was a compliment, Alan - I'll assume so!

Of course. Or rather an indication that nothing more need be said.

And no, I don't
think you'd learn anything you didn't already know.

I was considering replying, but with your name in the reply list it
would be redundant at best and likely I would have omitted something.

;-)

Cheers,
Alan
--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.

In article ,
says...

In article , Alan Wonsowski
writes
I finally purchased a Nikon D70s. My thanks to all who have endured my
questions and provided me with very helpful information.

This fine camera and kit lens came with a lens hood. I've never used
one before. What are the advantages and disadvantages to using a hood
and under what conditions should I use it? What effect does it have on
the photograph?

Thanks,
Alan

Main purpose: to stop unwanted light from outside the area within your
photo falling on the front element of your lens. Such light will get
scattered around by reflection from glass/air surfaces and from internal
surfaces; it will lower contrast in the picture, and in serious cases
will cause bright blobs or shapes (often the shape of the lens
diaphragm, since that is one of the internal surfaces mainly
responsible). This phenomenon is known as flare; it used to be prevalent
on older lenses before current techniques of anti-reflective coating got
so good, but all lenses will suffer to some extent. A good hood will
block out extrinsic light and just allow the necessary field of view for
the lens, which is why lens manufacturers make different hoods to suit
different lenses. The best hoods (e.g. most of the Canon ones - which I
mention only because I know them well) fit by bayonet lugs on the
outside of the lens, allowing filters to be put on and taken off without
removing the hood or moving it further from the lens (which can cause
vignetting); they also are much quicker to put on and take off.

(One slight problem with normal hoods is that with zoom lenses they have
to be shaped to suit the widest end of the zoom range; this means they
are smaller than the optimum shape for the long end. This can be cured
by using some sophisticated bellows hoods, but that's probably going a
step or two further than you want to go, as they are a lot more fuss to
use.)

Secondary benefit: A decent hard plastic bayonet fitting hood of the
Canon type also add a considerable amount of protection from physical
damage. They are very robust and springy, and if you swing the lens
against a wall the hood will most probably prevent any damage. They also
make it a little harder to get fingerprints on the lens surface.

Personally, I never (well, hardly ever) use a lens without one - the
proper one for the lens. Doing this, and being a reasonably careful sort
of person, I do not feel the need to use a UV filter all the time as
lens protection.

David
--
David Littlewood

Well stated. One caveat to the OP, however, is that with the on-camera flash,
one can get a shadow, if the subject is close. I usually remove the hood if
I'm shooting "happy snaps" indoors, especially if using the 12-24 Nikkor zoom.

For both medium format, and large format shooting I use the bellows type hood
all of the time.

Hunt

In article , Hunt writes

Well stated. One caveat to the OP, however, is that with the on-camera flash,
one can get a shadow, if the subject is close. I usually remove the hood if
I'm shooting "happy snaps" indoors, especially if using the 12-24 Nikkor zoom.

Good point; I got caught out that way on my first expedition with the
10D; my previous main camera, a 1n, does not have such a built in flash,
so I was not used to the effect.

For both medium format, and large format shooting I use the bellows type hood
all of the time.

So do I, mostly - a Lee Filters version, in fact.

David
--
David Littlewood

"Alan Wonsowski" wrote in message
...
I finally purchased a Nikon D70s. My thanks to all who have endured my
questions and provided me with very helpful information.

This fine camera and kit lens came with a lens hood. I've never used
one before. What are the advantages and disadvantages to using a hood
and under what conditions should I use it? What effect does it have on
the photograph?

Thanks,
Alan

1. Prevents the sun and other lights from reflecting off the lens. With an
SLR you will usually see it and can block it with your hand.
2. Helps protect the lens by extending past it without blocking it. I've
dropped cameras with lens hoods on them and the hood took up all the shock.

I normally keep a UV lens and lens shade on the camera at all times. I know
there are many reasons not to do this, but it's cheap insurance against lens
damage. Might be a good idea to remove it when shooting closeups with a
flash, but can't think of any reason not to use the lens shade all the time.
You'll get a lot of arguments about filters, as it's one more piece of glass
between the subject and the image sensor.