what are the advantages of a lens hood?

[css01]

and when should I be using it?

[John_T]

Well, a lens hood may help prevent sun flares on your images appearing as rainbow colors and iris shaped lights, and prevent light from hitting your lens at an angle catching surface dust or film, accentuating reflections within the lens, etc. which will appear as fogging and/or color distortions in your images. Modern multicoated lenses are less prone to internal reflections from stray light, but not immune.

In principle you should have a lens hood mounted all the time, though in practice they are mounted when there is bright light from various directions and in sunlight, particularly when the sun is low and your are shooting at an angle into the sun.

[s00pcan]

http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=38049&highlight=lens+hood

[mdude85]

plus they just look cool. I would get one if they were not so expensive.

[arogop]

plus they just look cool.


Makes my puny lenses look twice as big. :lol:

My 75-300 easily looks like its 400.

[retro]

I've seen rubber hoods available, but are there better quality hoods? Where could I buy one?

[PhotosGuy]

I would get one if they were not so expensive.

You need to say for what lens?
I got a rubber hood for the kit lens for $6. Lost it, & got another one. No big deal.
For 18mm shots I compress it in about 1 sec., & it takes very little space in the hard case or fanny pack.

[SWPhotoImaging]

Hmmmm, another reason to go to "L"

Most L lenses come with BIG HONKIN HOODS!!

[timmyquest]

The best use i have found for my lens hood other then keeping stray light out is when i'm kneeling on the ground i can just plop the hood in the grass and not worry about fudging my glass up.

[Roger_Cavanagh]

Plastic hoods (not the rubber collapsable type) also provide additional protection for the lens in cases of bumps or drops. I always use the lens hoods and, on all my lenses except the 20/2.8, never fit filters unless in dusty or damp conditions.

Regards,