LENS HOOD

[fromthebleachers]

I like to get some feed back on what people think of using or not using a Lens hood on a 70-200 f2,8 for night time sports?

any thoughts ?

[tim]

What kind of a dumbass wouldn't use a hood? L lenses come with the hood. Benefits are contrast and lack of flare, downsides are... well... let me know if you think of any.

[SkipD]

I would say that it would be extremely advisable to use a properly designed lens hood for night-time sports, because there are so many harsh light sources that you do not want impacting your lens and causing flare.

In addition, regardless of time of day, a properly designed lens hood acts as a "bumper", providing you with a lot of physical protection.

I use a lens hood absolutely any time a lens is out of the bag with exception only when the hood is in the way of taking the photograph. An example of that would be trying to focus on a bug at two inches with a three-inch-deep lens hood (using extension tubes, etc., to allow focus that close).

[fromthebleachers]

lmao Thnx Tim This dumbass tried last week at the sugjestion of a nother "photographer" mom with a good camera. I always value your opinion.

[tim]

Owning the best camera means you're the best photographer :p

[fromthebleachers]

well i am proof the good gear does not make you a photographer

http://imageevent.com/bratpics

But i am getting a lil better but along long way to go

[fromthebleachers]

Thnx Skip for your feedback. Im still pretty new to my equipment and IVe met a lot of authoritys that are more then willing to give their free advice. One of my mottos is "Learn from others mistakes, you'll never live long enough to make them all yourself"

[phylet]

i use my hoods 100% of the time

-reduced glare (especially at night)
-protects lens from damage
-protects element from fingers
just to name a few.

[Jon, The Elder]

Tims right, except I use nicer language - I like 'Butthead'. It has a solid feeel to it.

Jon
www.pbase.com/jpferguson

[Crypto]

What kind of a dumbass wouldn't use a hood? L lenses come with the hood. Benefits are contrast and lack of flare, downsides are... well... let me know if you think of any.

I guess I'm a dumbass, I never use that big freakn thing on the end of my lens. And ya know what, I can count the number of times I've seen lens flare on one hand.

[fivefish]

Lens hood also makes you look like a pro.... and gives the illusion that you know what you're doing. I use them.

[tim]

I guess I'm a dumbass, I never use that big freakn thing on the end of my lens. And ya know what, I can count the number of times I've seen lens flare on one hand.

Contrast is still affected even if you don't get bad flare.

[SkipD]

I guess I'm a dumbass, I never use that big freakn thing on the end of my lens. And ya know what, I can count the number of times I've seen lens flare on one hand.By leaving the hoods off, you are missing the very significant physical protection that they can provide even if you don't recognize any image quality issues. This is especially true with L lenses, because the hoods mount to the non-moving body of the lens. Any crashing or banging won't get transferred to the much more delicate innards of the lens.

Keeping the hoods ON the lenses when in use could save you a big chunk of change some day. It did for me many moons ago when I dropped a Nikon F onto a sidewalk back in the late 60's while shooting a Grand Prix race in Monaco. It hit basically on the nose of the lens (lens hood, that is) and then dinged a bottom corner of the body. I picked up the camera, bent the hood back into shape and kept on shooting. The camera and lens are fine today without any repair (other than a routine CLA to the body 20 years later). I did buy a new hood (a metal Nikon hood) for essentially aesthetic reasons.

[Esquire]

I have taken to using my lens hood only when absolutely necessary. I am convinced that the cumulative effect of putting the hood on and taking the hood off my 50mm f/1.4 ruined the barrel motor on my autofocus. It just stopped working one day. The USM got stripped somehow and this is the only culprit. Fortunately, the lens was under warranty and Canon replaced the barrel motor. I was extremely impressed with their warranty service.

[tim]

Esquire, i'm not sure how you're doing it, but putting the lens hood on my 50 1.4 doesn't turn anything that moves - it's all solid plastic, the motor isn't involved at all.