Are you using lens hoods?

[cellomaster27]

I was shooting a hockey game and I "threw" my camera and it landed on the concrete. Besides a few scratches on the body, its like nothing ever happened to my lens. Granted I was stupid and didn't wear my camera strap. ;D Hoods are good. Filters... maybe for a dirty environment.

 

[Maximilian]

Does it matter what brand you choose for the hoods?

yes! because of quality.

Are they all the same or are there some noticeable differences?

There are differences in quality
- mechanically: does it fit tight, does it shake, does the mechanism hold out a few hundred mounting/unmounting cylces
- optically: is the inner surface shiny (bad) or matted (good), how is the matting done, varnish (good) or flocking (better), does the flocking hold or flake off, etc.
and higher quality means higher price.

What brands can you recommend?

None! I use original parts so no experience with others.

 

[TheJock]

Living in Dubai, with 364 ½ days of sunshine per year I use them on all except the Macro and the 50mm f1.4, they’re a must out here! 8)

 

[rs]

Hood and filter are a permanent feature on all my lenses, with two exceptions - the hood comes off the 100L as/when is needed at closer working distances, and the 40/2.8 is so compact and cheap that a filter or a hood go against its ethos.

 

[edurieux]

I always use lens hoods.

It protect a little of dust, and a lot of hard bumps. It saved a few of my L lenses...

 

[pwp]

Skimming through the posts here, it tends to look like the photographers who shoot the most tend to use hoods. Stop and think why?

Far more than simply lens shades, they're functional shock absorbers and front element protectors. Period.

-pw

 

[Luds34]

I use them on all my lenses other then the pancake lenses I own. I like to shoot with a shoulder/messenger style bag. Using lens hoods lets me feel comfortable enough to not use front lens caps. So it is much quicker to swap a lens (often a prime) while shooting.

 

[cayenne]

Never used hoods. Take up too much room. I use filters for protection. But then when shooting into the Sun I take off the filter.

Yep, same here.
I'm often out with my 5D3 and my sling bag, I'm loaded often with the camera and my lenses which I often carry:
24-105 f4
70-200L f2.8
rokinon 14mm
17-40L f4

I might take my light meter in there too and possibly the 40mm pancake....at this point, I'm FULL with no room or way to carry lens hoods.

 

[LarryC]

When the lens came with a hood and I'm shooting outdoors and there's bright sun somewhere and I'm not using a CPL and I was able to fit it in my bag. Otherwise, no.

 

[mnclayshooter]

When hiking, yes. Indoors, probably not except for sports or anything where looking through a camera may distract me from seeing something flying at me or my camera - plus the occasions that I have shot sports, sometimes you have to dive out of the way quickly... that hood gives me a little comfort that I can swing the camera to the side and move quickly and hope to not jar the front element on something unfriendly. (I don't shoot a lot of sports, so this is a bit moot).

The "extra" level of protection from bumps etc is the primary reason. I rarely use filters except ND or CPL. Plus, and I'm ashamed to admit this, it gives me a little comfort when I have to set my camera down to tie a shoe or take a wiz that I can set it down without any real fear for something touching the front element - either sharp and hard (sand/gravel/rocks) that might scratch it, or soft/gooey (wet grass, dirt, mud, slugs etc) that would smear it up.

I'm 50/50 on using a clear filter for protection... seems like some of my kit it doesn't make a difference image-wise, while others it does. (Mk1 100-400L for example). It sure does make for some pretty flare when you shoot towards the sun though when you use a clear filter... especially a cheap one - "for protection only".

 

[cayenne]

So, I take it when ya'll are out and about carrying the camera and all these lens hoods, you're NOT carrying multiple lenses at the same time?

I just don't see how you could carry much when out and about if you include the hoods. As I mentioned before, I have a nice sized sling bag, but when I fill it with my lenses, there is NO room for hoods too. I could only get maybe half the number of lenses in there if all had hoods included...?

 

[Sporgon]

So, I take it when ya'll are out and about carrying the camera and all these lens hoods, you're NOT carrying multiple lenses at the same time?

I just don't see how you could carry much when out and about if you include the hoods. As I mentioned before, I have a nice sized sling bag, but when I fill it with my lenses, there is NO room for hoods too. I could only get maybe half the number of lenses in there if all had hoods included...?

Don't ask me. I tend to be out and about with just one or two prime lenses, or just one zoom and that's it If you are shooting across the (strong) light source hoods make a huge difference, and who's to know what your shooting orientation could be ?

 

[lintoni]

So, I take it when ya'll are out and about carrying the camera and all these lens hoods, you're NOT carrying multiple lenses at the same time?

I just don't see how you could carry much when out and about if you include the hoods. As I mentioned before, I have a nice sized sling bag, but when I fill it with my lenses, there is NO room for hoods too. I could only get maybe half the number of lenses in there if all had hoods included...?

When I go hiking, I normally take 3 zooms (17-40, 24-105, 100-400) and one or two of the primes (depending on what I think I might come across) and I take the lens hoods. I'll also be carrying a Lee filter system, tripod, maybe a Speedlite, food, drinks, extra clothing...

 

[cayenne]

So, I take it when ya'll are out and about carrying the camera and all these lens hoods, you're NOT carrying multiple lenses at the same time?

I just don't see how you could carry much when out and about if you include the hoods. As I mentioned before, I have a nice sized sling bag, but when I fill it with my lenses, there is NO room for hoods too. I could only get maybe half the number of lenses in there if all had hoods included...?

When I go hiking, I normally take 3 zooms (17-40, 24-105, 100-400) and one or two of the primes (depending on what I think I might come across) and I take the lens hoods. I'll also be carrying a Lee filter system, tripod, maybe a Speedlite, food, drinks, extra clothing...

Wow!!

That sounds like a LOT to be hauling around on your back....

Or, you must be in really PRIME condition!!

 

[NancyP]

Zeidora, there is a lens hood specifically designed for the MP-E 65, but it is very odd-looking. The hood is very short, and the walls taper inward markedly. Most people go to great lengths to diffuse their light source, so I don't imagine that directional flare is much of a problem in real life.

 

[Loswr]

So, I take it when ya'll are out and about carrying the camera and all these lens hoods, you're NOT carrying multiple lenses at the same time?

I just don't see how you could carry much when out and about if you include the hoods. As I mentioned before, I have a nice sized sling bag, but when I fill it with my lenses, there is NO room for hoods too. I could only get maybe half the number of lenses in there if all had hoods included...?

Interesting. I have many (many!) packs and bags, and in no case do the reversed hoods (for most lenses, stored separately for UWAs) impact the number of lenses that fit in the bag.

 

[RLPhoto]

I use them most of the time, but the tamron 24-70 VC hood is garbage. It's very loose and any little bump on the hood will cover part of the frame, so I try to avoid using that one on purpose.

 

[scott_m]

There are only 2 lenses I use regularly hoods on - the 135/2L and 70-200/4L IS, and then it's only when shooting rockets in flight, since while I always start facing the same direction, I often end up aiming somewhere totally different (especially for shots "under the 'chute"). Also they're of such a shape/size that getting them in and out of a holster bag with the hood reversed is unnoticeable.

Otherwise I just use a hand!

 

[sdsr]

Always, if the lens came with it, and if it didn't I'll usually buy one unless the front element is sufficiently recessed that the front of the lens acts as a built-in hood (e.g. Nikon 55mm mf macro) or it's an old lens and there's none readily available, in which case I use a hand to prevent flare etc. (I use them on bodies with EVFs so it's really easy to tell when you need it and where you need to put your hand); some of those are so cheap it makes no sense to buy filters/hoods to protect them.

What I don't get are all those people out there (and there are lots of them, often with fancy gear) who keep the hoods on their lenses, but reversed, regardless of the light; what's the point? (Reminds me a bit of men who buy sport jackets and overcoats and don't remove the stitching holding the flaps together.)

 

[Joe M]

I use them all of the time on all of my lenses. At least I think so. It's become such a habit that I can't remember the last time I didn't pop one on.