Camera Labs

Hi I just wondered if anyone could advise me on weather i need to use my lens hood for a shoot im doing? the shoot is indoors in a club night setting so even though it will be dark there will be lots of lights bouncing around... I will at times be using external flash too but not always if i can avoid it... Any suggestions welcome thanks Nick

I use the lens hood all the time. It's very important if you want your lens to be protected. Also,as you said,it will protect you from annoying flares coming from side lights.

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Gear: Nikon D80, 18-105mm, 35mm F/1.8, 85mm F/1.8, SB-600
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A quick yahoo search with "when to use a lens hood" popped up some articles with thoughts on uses and types of lens hood.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Cano ... Hoods.aspx
http://www.ehow.com/how_4810261_use-cam ... -hood.html
http://photonaturalist.net/4-reasons-wh ... lens-hood/
http://www.suite101.com/content/camera- ... ods-a78037

The thoughts on use seem to range from giving better shots to making you look more professional. I suppose it depends if you are going for a certain type of shot (e.g. where you want to see some lens flare) or not. One thing all of the articles mention is that having a lens hood on the camera can provide a small amount of extra protection for the lens under certain circumstances.

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Nikon D90
Nikkor AF-S DX; 18-105 f/3.5-5.6G VR, 55-300 f/4.5-5.6G VR, 35mm f/1.8G
Speedlight SB-700

http://keystrokesukimages.com

you don't have to "look more professional",the point is to get good shots instead of bad shots. controlling lens flares takes practice,so I would suggest for you to take the lens hood & also make some experiments by taking it off,for less important frames. by controlling lens flares & low shutter speeds you can get amazing shots,but you must practice,practice,practice.

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Gear: Nikon D80, 18-105mm, 35mm F/1.8, 85mm F/1.8, SB-600
Visit my work here

Thanks guys for the advice..I think your proberbly right in that I should take it with me and test it out...Its a new Camera and new lens so i guess i should give it a go with the hood...
http://nickhynan30.jimdo.com/

Cheers Nick

Yes. Smaller chance of people scratching/smudging yoru front element.
I'm often photographing in crowds and my fisheye, which has a very tiny hood, is always smudged to oblivion after a night of shooting.

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

I have decided to stop using UV filters but I mount every time a lens hood.
This gives me enough protection for the front element of the lens and keep costs down. Plus the IQ is not diminished by the filter. So I have a lens hood mounted all the time.

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Radu
Canon PowerShot S100
Canon 50D , SIGMA 10-20 f3.5 ,Canon EF 24-105 L IS USM, Canon EF 100/2.8 macro Canon EF 50/1.4 ,Canon EF 85 f1.8,Canon EF-S17-85 4-5.6 Old Tamron 28-300 inherited from my Canon Rebel G film camera
Canon580EXII
http://www.errre.net

A small tip that I sometimes forget myself: Most lens hoods can be screwed in, in reverse. This means that they are mounted on the nest, but it covers some of the lens instead of sticking out from it.

This is an excellent way of carrying them around. On some lenses it will kind of block you from using the front focusing ring manually though, but for AF it's not an issue.

Carrying the hoods around separately is definitely awkward..they take up a slow of volume and rarely fit in pockets, forcing you to have a bag with you all the time.

Cheers

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Nikon stuff and other stuff, but not nearly as much stuff as I really want!

Good tip LahLahSr. This works on my 70-300 lens hood but not my 50mm 1.4 lens hood.

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Camera: Canon 550D with battery grip
Lenses: Canon 24-105mm f/4L, Canon 50mm f1.4, Canon 18-55mm, Tamron 70-300mm,
Accessories: Manfrotto 055XPROB with 808RC4 head, Canon 430ex II speedlite, Lowepro Nova 180AW and Lowepro Pro Runner 450AW

Oh that is so lame, every hot girl who can aim a camera thinks she’s a photographer -Stewie Griffin

I generally keep the lens hood on my 16-85 all the time, along with a UV filter. You can't have too much protection! Of course as well, indoors or out a hood always will help to prevent flare.

In regards of screwing the hood on in reverse, on my lens it blocks part of the zoom ring and it's harder to use, I don't usually reverse it unless I'm putting it away in the bag.

Why don't they make as many built-in hoods like they used to. I love the sliding hood on my 200mm F4.

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-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams