Can anyone tell me if there are any pros and cons of using a lens hood on your lens? I.E. Purple fringing, blurred images, etc.
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Pros and Cons of Lens Hood?
- Thread starter SolracSelbor
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Only "con" I can think of, off the top of my head, is if you're using a flash - the hood can cause shadows. But then, so can a longish lens. 
Oh, and a hood not designed for the lens can sometimes cause vignetting.
Oh, and a hood not designed for the lens can sometimes cause vignetting.
I swear by lens hoods primarily for front element protection, and don't corrupt the image quality like a UV or protective filter can. I don't use a pop-up flash so I don't have a problem with flash hitting the hood, but if I did it would be an issue because it does cause problems with a on camera flash like stated above.
I don't believe a hood has ever been attributed to chromatic aberration. If I am wrong then...well it's not the first time! I also don't think you can attribute blurred images to a lens hood. As others have said I believe the only downfall of the hood is when using a flash or if the hood was not designed for the lens. Using a 3rd party lens on a say a super wide lens may not always be advised. Either way you're bound to get vignetting and not CA or blurred images.
He said purple fringing, and purple fringing and CA aren't the same, are they?
Anyway, I'm not sure if you can reduce any of those things with a lens hood. I'd use it to reduce/eliminate flares caused by the sun. That's it. I don't use them, though. They take up too much space in my bag.
I'm not sure about some of the image quality factors brought up by others in this thread, but I'll assume they know what they're talking about as well.
Anyway, I'm not sure if you can reduce any of those things with a lens hood. I'd use it to reduce/eliminate flares caused by the sun. That's it. I don't use them, though. They take up too much space in my bag.
I'm not sure about some of the image quality factors brought up by others in this thread, but I'll assume they know what they're talking about as well.
The only time I've seen a lens hood cause a problem is in macro photography. The lens is so close to the subject that a hood would block light and cast a shadow on the subject. But any time the subject is more then maybe a foot away the hood helps by keeping stray light off the lens.
Hoods are most effective on a fixed lens. On a zoom they must be made wide enough for the wide end of the range
As for taking room in the bag. They don't take up any if the can be turned around backwards as some can. they also make rubber lens shades that will compress and take no room.
Sure they do. The hood is a larger diameter than the lens, and even turned backwards they take up a larger width although the length is the same. Even worse is the wide angle lenses. I've got the Canon 10-22mm and the width is much larger than the lens.
I use a rubber collapsible hood one some of my lenses mostly to make them look bigger. The bigger the lens, the less I have found some people question my right to take pictures. At the same time, some places I go to photograph, I go out of my way to make it look like I have no clue what I am doing. I use wider lenses and no hood....don't carry a bag with me if I can help it, etc.
It has the benefit of helping some with lens flare.
At the same time, some places I go to photograph, I go out of my way to make it look like I have no clue what I am doing. I use wider lenses and no hood....don't carry a bag with me if I can help it, etc. It has the benefit of helping some with lens flare.
Pros: Blocks stray light from hitting lens and creating glare, flare, spots, etc.
Cons: Can block flash on wide-angle or close-focusing lenses.
Cons: Can block flash on wide-angle or close-focusing lenses.
I use a rubber collapsible hood one some of my lenses mostly to make them look bigger. The bigger the lens, the less I have found some people question my right to take pictures.
That's funny.
ha, but completely unsurprising. I've found the press pass to some events is a big enough camera setup; moms and dads will get kicked but I won't because of my 70-200 (which isn't even that huge).
When I take my 400/2.8 to the zoo, people pull their friends out of my way so I can take shots. Heck, if I could sell zoo shots without a bunch of negotiating hassle, I'd probably go more often!
So true. I was in a local historic park a few weeks ago with the full kit, tripod, swapping lenses every few minutes with the same subject, super low-angle stuff, hundreds of photos, the usual "photo geek" having a day out. Some lady and her kid came into the general spot where I was shooting, and she actually came up and asked if it was ok for them to be there, in the sense that the area was off-limits to "civilians". No, I didn't goof them, but I did get a few nice candid mother-and-child shots.
Oh, and I used the hood on my 70-200 f/4L. Very intimidating...
Sometimes a hood will cause some vignetting on wide lenses. Other than that there isn't really a down side to them.
I swear by a lens hood as well but if you do travel photography many people get intimidated by a large lens and lens hood shoved in their direction.
Everybody seems to be missing the biggest con. If the hood wasn't made specifically for the lens you are using, make sure it stays out of the image. Some hoods are too big for the lens and will be seen in the image. It is easy to miss, especially if your viewfinder doesn't show the whole image. I almost had a whole shoot on a short film ruined when the cinematographer didn't check his frame and had the a corner covered in about 40% of the shots.
agree that you should keep it on to protect your lens
but then, I shoot without a filter (UV or otherwise) indoors
but then, I shoot without a filter (UV or otherwise) indoors
One other con is that it makes it very difficult to adjust a circular polarizer if you are using one. A rubber hood can be collapsed to adjust the filter, but a plastic one will need to be removed so you don't put finger prints all over the filter.
