# What are Lens Hoods for?



## DRB022 (Jul 16, 2009)

Title says it all. I bought a Nikkor 55-200mm lens and it came with a Lens Hood but I don't notice any difference in my photos whether it's on or off. I only used it indoors, though.


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## table1349 (Jul 16, 2009)

A couple of really good uses for a lens hood that only become apparent when the need jumps out at you. 

First it protects the front of the lens from bumps, scrapes etc.  Some people like glass filters to do this, some don't.  I don't. Personally I always use a hood, but that is a whole other debate.   

Second, ever drive east about an hour before sunrise or west about and hour before sunset.  The sun that is shining indirectly into your eyes making it harder to see is the same kind of thing that light in front of the lens will cause producing lens flare.  A hood can help reduce the likely hood of lens flare.


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## Ebag17 (Jul 16, 2009)

They add a few mega pixels.


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## Sachphotography (Jul 17, 2009)

Are you Serious? What are visors in cars for?
They block unwanted light.


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## bhop (Jul 17, 2009)

They can also improve contrast, although, that probably only matters if you're shooting film since you can boost contrast easily with software these days.


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## Restomage (Jul 17, 2009)

I hear if you put a lens hood on your lens it makes you a 4% better photographer.


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## musicaleCA (Jul 17, 2009)

Ebag17 said:


> They add a few mega pixels.



...um. No. Just no.

Lens hoods primarily prevent lens flare, as gryphon noted. That's why I have hoods on all of my lenses. I'll be damned if I take a great action shot and then get flare across my entire photo that ruins it.

In rain, it can also keep a bit of water off, but you'll still have to wipe the front element regularly.


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## JamieR (Jul 17, 2009)

Restomage said:


> I hear if you put a lens hood on your lens it makes you a 4% better photographer.



Aren't you the comedian.


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## Steph (Jul 17, 2009)

Ebag17 said:


> They add a few mega pixels.





Restomage said:


> I hear if you put a lens hood on your lens it makes you a 4% better photographer.



Why so much sarcasm? That's a genuine question and your answers were far from helpful. To the OP, a lens hood will block some light that does not contribute to the formation of your image, thus reducing the risk of unwanted reflections in the lens (flare) that tend to decrease image quality (very often decreasing contrast).


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## benhasajeep (Jul 17, 2009)

Lens hoods are designed to block light comming in the lens at an angle.  Their length (and shape for wide angle lenses) is so that they will not casue vignetting of your picture, but also block light from entering at an angle.

Why do you want this?  If the light is a stong light.  It can enter the lens and bounce around (reflect off glass elements in the lens).  This reflected light will cause funny shapes and light patterns in the shot.  Obviously this is unwanted in the final picture.  

And as mentioned earlier, they are good for lens protection as well.  You can have a hood on a lens all the time.  The only reason to remove one is for room in the bag.  Other than that, they could stay on all the time.


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## benlonghair (Jul 17, 2009)

They're for turning around on your lens when you see ken rockwell coming, just to irritate him. (3/4 of the way down)


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## JFew (Jul 17, 2009)

I'll just add my two cents because...well I'm rather bored. 

A lens hood creates a slight shadow over the front element of your lens, effectively eliminating things like lens flare (see: http://i44.tinypic.com/1zx4lzm.jpg).

Also, this guy "Ken Rockwell"? What's his problem? He sounds like an elitist jerk that needs to be taken down a few notches. Did you see where he linked a picture of someone's gear?? Ridiculous, it's obvious the person that owns that gear took a piece of sandpaper and rubbed the paint off to make it LOOK well-used. You can see the pits and lines from the grit of the paper! LOL! How amusing!


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## JFew (Jul 17, 2009)

Oh BOY I just _love_ the "lens caps are for amateurs" bit. That makes PERFECT sense. Lens caps are only for people who don't have the money to keep buying 4k dollar lenses every 6 months like _he does_. Obviously he's the only _real_ professional around.

I hate people like that. They think because it's how THEY do it...it's the right way and there's absolutely no other way. Furthermore, if you do it differently, you're obviously either not a professional or a "buffoon" as he so eloquently put it.


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## Ebag17 (Jul 17, 2009)

Steph said:


> Ebag17 said:
> 
> 
> > They add a few mega pixels.
> ...




I just bought a Canon 220D. It came with a kit lens but i don't notice a difference whether it's on or off? Maybe it's because i used it in the northern hemisphere? This is a genuine question and im pretty sure it's never been asked before and i could not  of just searched google in a less amount of time to find the answer.


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## Garbz (Jul 17, 2009)

JFew said:


> Oh BOY I just _love_ the "lens caps are for amateurs" bit. That makes PERFECT sense. Lens caps are only for people who don't have the money to keep buying 4k dollar lenses every 6 months like _he does_. Obviously he's the only _real_ professional around.



He's not an elitist jerk he's a down right idiot. There is NO perfect anti glare coating. It just doesn't exist. Hoods are just as important on a $4000 lens as they are on a cheap lens. They are just more important on cheap lenses due to poor coatings. Even Nikon N coated lenses have flare.


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## kundalini (Jul 17, 2009)

I could just as easily state that those who choose NOT to use a lens hood are idiots.

Prove me wrong.





BTW, I don't use UV filters, but always a hood.


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## dxqcanada (Jul 17, 2009)

Any extraneous light coming into the lens will cause degradation of the image ... whether or not you can visually see it.

A lens hood is designed for this specific purpose.

It should always be used.


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## AlexColeman (Jul 17, 2009)

If nothing more to make your lens bigger


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## manaheim (Jul 17, 2009)

Lens hoods attract hawt chicks.


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## JFew (Jul 17, 2009)

Garbz said:


> JFew said:
> 
> 
> > Oh BOY I just _love_ the "lens caps are for amateurs" bit. That makes PERFECT sense. Lens caps are only for people who don't have the money to keep buying 4k dollar lenses every 6 months like _he does_. Obviously he's the only _real_ professional around.
> ...



Hmm...I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say entirely.

There's a section on that site where the guy [Ken Rockwell] specifically says that pros 'don't have time for a lens cap' and what I mean by 'lens cap' is... 'lens cap' .... I use a lens cap. So what? Lens manufacturers don't give you a lens cap so you can throw it away!

I don't mean lens hood. He said that storing the lens hood backwards was dumb. Well, good job. I guess having a preference makes me dumb too.


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## Garbz (Jul 18, 2009)

Oh I didn't misunderstand I completely misread. Sorry.

But yeah he's still an idiot. If he wants to clean his lens every day or worse yet break one, and have a lens+hood take up almost twice the space in his bag that's up to him.


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## Andrew Sun (Jul 18, 2009)

manaheim said:


> Lens hoods attract hawt chicks.


lol...:lmao:

Personally though, aside from all the technical aspects of why a lens hood is good, I believe it does add that little more of a professionalism if we were to judge the 'looks' of it. However, some lens just does not fit having a lens hood.


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## Sachphotography (Jul 18, 2009)

I mount my hoods backwards and I am Proud of it. 
Keep in mind Rockwell also claims the D40 is like the one of the 
greatest cameras.  hehe.... LOL.... Kinda like saying a Hummer can corner like a Ferrari. Yeah they can both get the job done and 
get around the corner,but the Ferrari can do it a heck of a lot better. :lmao:


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## manaheim (Jul 18, 2009)

Personally, my opinion on Ken Rockwell is simple... the more you talk about him, the more attention he gets, the longer he stays.  If I had to guess, I think he makes some of these outlandish remarks because it stirs up controversy, which stirs up interest in him.  Ignore him and don't ever comment on him and eventually he may lose some of his magic powers and go away... or at least stop being such a dip****.


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## benhasajeep (Jul 18, 2009)

Sachphotography said:


> Kinda like saying a Hummer can corner like a Ferrari. Yeah they can both get the job done and
> get around the corner,but the Ferrari can do it a heck of a lot better. :lmao:


 
  That statement really deppends on the make up of the corner!!   I have a friend with a very nice Corvette and once challenged me to a race with my Jeep.  I said I would but.  I choose the first mile, he chooses the second mile.  But for some reason he backed down.    I don't think he liked my choice for the first mile. :lmao:

 Just like the D40.  It would be the best DSLR ever made in a group that included the D40, Pentax K1000, Canon AE-1, or Minolta X-370    It all deppends on the make up of the study / group.  :mrgreen:

Just playing devil's advocate.


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## rufus5150 (Jul 18, 2009)

manaheim said:


> Personally, my opinion on Ken Rockwell is simple... the more you talk about him, the more attention he gets, the longer he stays.



We should call him 'He Who Shall Not Be Named'.


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## rufus5150 (Jul 18, 2009)

Steph said:


> Why so much sarcasm?



It's this weird convergence of the first responder answering the question to the 98.3% completeness level, this question coming up about 8-10 times a month and a few people having a sense of humor. On an internet message board, the horror!!!


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## table1349 (Jul 18, 2009)

Hey, I thought I got to the 95% mark.  :lmao:  :mrgreen:


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## Restomage (Jul 19, 2009)

manaheim said:


> Personally, my opinion on Ken Rockwell is simple... the more you talk about him, the more attention he gets, the longer he stays.  If I had to guess, I think he makes some of these outlandish remarks because it stirs up controversy, which stirs up interest in him.  Ignore him and don't ever comment on him and eventually he may lose some of his magic powers and go away... or at least stop being such a dip****.



I don't mean to change the subject (actually I am and I apologize to the thread starter), but it seems like everyone has an issue with Ken Rockwell, why?


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## Garbz (Jul 19, 2009)

Because he's the first google hit, yet a horribly over opinionated and one sided and very not neutral source of (mis?)information on the net. A good quick resource if you have a fully functional bull**** meter sitting on your desk, but overall he causes too many "but ken rockwell says" type posts from people who don't know any better on the net. 

Oh and everyone would buy just a D40 and an 18-200 lens because they are the best things ever!


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## Joves (Jul 19, 2009)

benlonghair said:


> They're for turning around on your lens when you see ken rockwell coming, just to irritate him. (3/4 of the way down)


 I see on his list I can irritate the hell out of him. I hope he comes to the canyon when Im up there. I use a tripod with a digital I turn my lens hood backwards to store it in its bag and, I use my lens cap. Also my camera isnt filthy and, isnt showing wear at this point. I also like to use my CP alot.


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## table1349 (Jul 19, 2009)

DRB022 said:


> Title says it all. I bought a Nikkor 55-200mm lens and it came with a Lens Hood but I don't notice any difference in my photos whether it's on or off. I only used it indoors, though.



Read this: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...lery/171606-almost-broke-my-70-200-2-8-a.html

_"Thus endth the lesson." _ 
Jim Malone (Sean Connery in the Untouchables)


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## DRB022 (Jul 20, 2009)

I tried them outside and I did notice some difference in the bright sun. I probably should have waited until I did that to start this thread. Haha, oh well, people had fun talking about Ken Rockwell.


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