# Lens Hood vs Filter



## Sirene (Jul 21, 2009)

I'm thinking of buying a lens hood instead of a protective filter for my lens.
Both for the purpose of protecting my lens. 

What are your thoughts on this ?

I'm hesitating cause a lens hood is kind of bulky but it does more than a simple protecting filter. 

Also lens shades seems less expensive than filter..


Thanks in advance for your input.


----------



## CW Jones (Jul 21, 2009)

well... if you get a lens hood you can go with whatever you can find that is the cheapest... while with a filter you will have to watch quality of the glass so it doesnt downgrade your IQ too much if at all. 

as far as protection goes... I would say the filter would win for a few reasons... spill a drink, the filter will keep it off the front element (not to say it wont ruin the rest of the lens of camera tho!) the filter will also prevent scratches on the lens from lets say sticks on trees where as the hood would only protect things from the sides. its really your call. I personally have looked into both options and I picked a filter because you can get a filter that has an effect on the camera while protecting it.


----------



## musicaleCA (Jul 21, 2009)

Get the hood. The hood will reduce flare, the filter will increase it (and badly if it's not a good multi-coated one).



CW Jones said:


> well... if you get a lens hood you can go with whatever you can find that is the cheapest... while with a filter you will have to watch quality of the glass so it doesnt downgrade your IQ too much if at all.
> 
> as far as protection goes... I would say the filter would win for a few reasons... spill a drink, the filter will keep it off the front element (not to say it wont ruin the rest of the lens of camera tho!) the filter will also prevent scratches on the lens from lets say sticks on trees where as the hood would only protect things from the sides. its really your call. I personally have looked into both options and I picked a filter because you can get a filter that has an effect on the camera while protecting it.



Eh? Hoods are designed specifically for each lens. Using off-brand hoods or whatever you can find and slapping it on will risk serious vignetting.

The front element is one of the absolute cheapest parts of a lens to replace. With a filter, that extra gap of air may reduce image quality, regardless of how spectacularly awesome it is.


----------



## CW Jones (Jul 21, 2009)

still the name brand hoods are not bank breaking like a filter can be lol I dont think i have seen a hood that was more than ~$60 (I am sure there are some out there tho) 
pedal shaped ones should also reduce vignetting?


----------



## Dao (Jul 21, 2009)

Well, the primary function of the hood is for blocking stray light from hitting the front lens element.


And a Filter ...  it is a for filtering light.  They were designed for different application.


----------



## musicaleCA (Jul 21, 2009)

And neither were really designed for protection, but in my experience, it's the hood that gets bashed first, not the front element. If anything knocks my lenses, it tends to be coming at it sideways. :-/

CW Jones: Regarding petal vs. round hoods, look here.

As for the cost of hoods, that depends on the lens it's for. If it's a fairly common lens, then the hoods are probably mass produced, and easily. Those can be had on the cheap. However, if you're talking a really special lens (an EF 500mm L, say), then the hood probably needs to be custom made if you need a replacement, and that can cost a lot of money (I've heard something in the range of several hundred dollars).


----------



## Sirene (Jul 21, 2009)

I was thinking about this hood 
Optex 58MM Rubber Lens Hood

It's 58mm so it would fit my 18-55 and 55-250

What do you guys think about this one.
I'm really leaning towards a hood more than the filter now.

At this store http://www.lozeau.com/product.aspx?nav_id=3149&lang_id=E
they were telling me that this filter has only one purpose and that it's to protect the lens and does not do anything else.

....


----------



## musicaleCA (Jul 21, 2009)

I wouldn't trust it. I've seen other photogs with similar hoods and they've occasionally forgotten to push them back over the lens while we're out shooting and gotten some real bad vignetting. Sure it's cheap, but you do get what you pay for.


----------



## PhotoXopher (Jul 21, 2009)

I hate filters and only use them when necessary (neutral density filter for example). I wouldn't use a filter for 'protection', I'd use it for its intended purpose.


----------



## table1349 (Jul 21, 2009)

Sirene said:


> I was thinking about this hood
> Optex 58MM Rubber Lens Hood
> 
> It's 58mm so it would fit my 18-55 and 55-250
> ...



Hoods *ALWAYS!!!

*Filter only when the conditions call for it.

Those Optex hoods.  Worthless for protection. 

Only practical uses are to provide access to a CPL filter or when required at certain sporting venues for player protection / not lens protection when shooting on the sidelines or court side.  Otherwise they provide little real protection.  The OEM usually is not that expensive relative to the lens cost and are desiged for the lens for both the physical protection of the lens and the best stray light protection for that lens.


----------



## Sirene (Jul 21, 2009)

N0YZE said:


> I hate filters and only use them when necessary (neutral density filter for example). I wouldn't use a filter for 'protection', I'd use it for its intended purpose.


 
So what do you use for protecting your lenses ?


----------



## Sirene (Jul 21, 2009)

L.L.Lozeau - Nikon neutral colour filter 58mm NC

Does a neutral density filter will really only protect or does it also cuts down light ?


----------



## Sirene (Jul 21, 2009)

I found this hood
L.L.Lozeau - Canon Lens Hood EW-60C
which is made for 18-55
Would it also fit my 55-250, which has the same diameter 58 ?

Thanks


----------



## PhotoXopher (Jul 21, 2009)

Sirene said:


> N0YZE said:
> 
> 
> > I hate filters and only use them when necessary (neutral density filter for example). I wouldn't use a filter for 'protection', I'd use it for its intended purpose.
> ...



Common sense, caution, and once in a while when those fail I'm glad I always have my lens hood and/or cap on


----------



## table1349 (Jul 21, 2009)

Sirene said:


> L.L.Lozeau - Nikon neutral colour filter 58mm NC
> 
> Does a neutral density filter will really only protect or does it also cuts down light ?



That is a neutral color filter.  This is a neutral density filter: Lee Filters Neutral Density Standard Filters 

Neutral Density filters cut the light that reaches the sensor for very bright conditions.


----------



## Josh66 (Jul 21, 2009)

Sirene said:


> N0YZE said:
> 
> 
> > I hate filters and only use them when necessary (neutral density filter for example). I wouldn't use a filter for 'protection', I'd use it for its intended purpose.
> ...



I'm not noyze, but I think his answer will be similar to mine.


Lens cap, hood, and common sense.  


Lens cap when you're not shooting, hood when you are, common sense all the time.


----------



## PhotoXopher (Jul 21, 2009)

O|||||||O said:


> I'm not noyze, but I think his answer will be similar to mine.



You know me too well


----------



## table1349 (Jul 21, 2009)

Sirene said:


> I found this hood
> L.L.Lozeau - Canon Lens Hood EW-60C
> which is made for 18-55
> Would it also fit my 55-250, which has the same diameter 58 ?
> ...



No, this is the filter for the 18-55. Canon | EW-60C Lens Hood | 2639A002 | B&H Photo Video

This is for the 55-250: Canon | ET-60 Lens Hood for EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 | 2637A002


----------



## Sirene (Jul 21, 2009)

gryphonslair99 said:


> Sirene said:
> 
> 
> > L.L.Lozeau - Nikon neutral colour filter 58mm NC
> ...


 
So a neutral color only protect the lens ?


----------



## Baaaark (Jul 21, 2009)

Sirene said:


> So a neutral color only protect the lens ?



No.  Neutral Density filters make everything darker without messing up the colors and everything.

Without getting into a lot of detail, its used a lot with flashes.  Flashes are special so you can't use shutter speeds much over 1/200 of a second.  So, you put one of those ND filters on, and you get the shot you want (right aperture, ISO and shutter speed).


----------



## table1349 (Jul 21, 2009)

Baaaark said:


> Sirene said:
> 
> 
> > So a neutral color only protect the lens ?
> ...


    :scratch:


----------



## Sirene (Jul 21, 2009)

Well my choice is made 

I will buy two lens hoods, one for my 18-55 and another one for my 55-250.

Thanks for all the help.


----------



## Baaaark (Jul 21, 2009)

gryphonslair99 said:


> Baaaark said:
> 
> 
> > Sirene said:
> ...



What?  Do people not use ND with flash?  IT works too with effects where you want to lower shutter speed (like water), but it works also with flashes, right?


----------



## musicaleCA (Jul 21, 2009)

Sirene said:


> I found this hood
> L.L.Lozeau - Canon Lens Hood EW-60C
> which is made for 18-55
> Would it also fit my 55-250, which has the same diameter 58 ?
> ...



Maybe, if the mount is the same too, but you might as well buy the correct hood for the other lens too.


----------



## UUilliam (Jul 21, 2009)

Buy a cheap UV filter, Most come in at about £5 ($7.80 i think)
Or a Clear Filter from $15+

AND a hood

Every lens I have (with the exception to my crappy mirror lens) has a UV Filter (hoya) And a Lens hood (with the exception of my 50mm f1.8 but i plan to buy a petal for it soon)

Atleast that way its about 60% protected from most damages that will occur (Figure is a Guesstimate)


----------



## musicaleCA (Jul 21, 2009)

Yeesh, I keep getting ninja'd by posts on this forum. You're talking about the max sync speed Baark, and I occasionally use ND filters to get my ambient down to a workable level where I don't have to use high-speed sync, notably when using my V4 triggers, since they don't support high-speed sync. Slap a 3-stop ND on and I'm good. Of course, shooting in better light is the preferable option.


----------



## table1349 (Jul 21, 2009)

Baaaark said:


> gryphonslair99 said:
> 
> 
> > Baaaark said:
> ...



I'm not usually using a strobe or flash at such a close distance that I need the manual light output reduction.  Besides with modern TTL for flash there is much less need for it.  Just didn't see that as the Main focus of a ND filter these days.  Well unless you are using a fixed frame rate movie camera.


----------

