rubber lens hoods

[mdude85]

does anyone have any experience with rubber lens hoods as opposed to plastic ones? Thanks.

[Perfect_10]

I've been using rubber hoods for years .. don't look as good as the original Canon ones .. but way cheaper .. and have the added benefit of adding protection to the end of the lens.

[mdude85]

thanks. they are way way cheaper. Standard lens hoods seem to go for $25, but rubber ones are like $3. Ha!

[Mark Kemp]

I have one for my 75 -300 - works fine and is easier to carry folded up than the rigid Canon ones for my other lenses. The only downside is that you can stand a lens on a rigid hood but not on rubber one.

[Digital Prophet]

I have rubber and rigid hoods. And let me tell you, I love my rubber hoods. They are easier to store, more flexible in the application arena and WAY cheaper. But if that isn't enough let me tell you a real life tale.

This past weekend I was out shooting a horse show. I was outside from 8:30 to 5:00 in the Houston heat. It was HOT. I was tired. On my way walking to say goodbye to my friends I realized that I lost my lens hood. I took one look at that naked lens and said "You know what, I am too hot, too tired, and too frusturated to care about $4."

That was the greatest feeling. Had that been a $30+ hood I would have probably gone back to look for it. And man I would have been angry.

So it's not just a matter of saving a dollar. Sometimes it's a matter of saving a bit of sanity.

- Digital Prophet -

[mjordan]

There is one other use for a rubber lens hood... taking pictures through glass or plastic. If you want to take a picture through an airplane window or at the aquarium, or zoo through the glass cages, the rubber hood, folded up with give you just enough cushing to let you put the lens up against it. This way you don't get any reflections back from flash or other lights. I carry one in my camera bag, although I do need to get a couple of 77mm ones to go on my "L" glass.

Mike

[vfilby]

I do agree with the glass tip posted above but... I have been warned about screw on hoods (the rubber one I have screws onto the filter threads). If you have it screwed on to a lens where the barrel moves while focussing you are putting your lens at risk. All you have to do is bang it and the focus is out of whack.

Besides you can't invert them like the canon bayonet mounts. I would gladly ditch my screw on rubber model in favor of proper hoods.

[mjordan]

You can invert them. You just collasp them down and open them up backards. I've done this before when I used it on my RB67. But in the collasped position they take up less room than the hard plastic ones. You are right about being careful on lenses where the lens comes out beyound the edge, although if screwing it on would be a problem then it would with a screw on filter as well.

Mike

[nosquare2003]

I use rubber hood for my 50/1.8II. The plastic hood on this lens don't justify the cost.

[vfilby]

You can invert them. You just collasp them down and open them up backards. I've done this before when I used it on my RB67. But in the collasped position they take up less room than the hard plastic ones.

Mine can not be inverted because it is for a wider angle lens, and I didn't realize that you could for the telephotos. It wouldn't be much benefit to putting a wide angle hood on backwards anyways!

You are right about being careful on lenses where the lens comes out beyound the edge, although if screwing it on would be a problem then it would with a screw on filter as well.

I think the rubber hoods present more of a problem for two reasons. First, they are larger than a filter and it is much easier to get them caught on something or otherwise. Second, people see hoods as a protective measure as well as optical. Most people trust that the hood will get banged first and are therefore alittle more careless and trusting of the hood. In this case that is not such a good idea.