hoods?

[thekid17]

do you guys use a lens hood when shooting wildlife? if so when?

[IslandCrow]

I use a hood pretty much anytime I shoot. For wildlife, it's a definite. There's often stray light coming in at strange angles, plus there are just too many things that can possibly scratch my lens, so I'll take all the protection I can get, especially since I'm generally not going to have a lens cap on between shots.

[thekid17]

gotcha.
thanks

[CyberDyneSystems]

I Always have a hood for the same reasons mentioned above.

Improves IQ and protects lens,. how can you argue with that?

[thekid17]

guess u cant

[res]

I have a hood on all the time. I even use them on my shorter lenses.

[scrumpy]

Hoods always - never filters ;)

[Tom Reichner]

I use a hood all the time with my big lens (400 f2.8). With the smaller lenses, such as the 100-400 and 70-20, I sometimes do and sometimes don't.

With the big lens, the hood is so long that it really does a great job of keeping stray dust particles from getting on the lens element itself, so I can put it on and keep it on for a long time before having to briefly remove it to clean the lens.

WIth the smaller lenses, the hoods are not long enough to keep dust out, so I am constantly having to remove them to wipe the lens clean (like, every 5 minutes). Sometimes this is so much trouble that I just don't bother to put the hood on at all. I hate missing a shot just because at the moment an unexpected opportunity presents itself I'm fumbling with a microfiber towel in one hand and the lens hood in the other.

[Shutterrific]

Another vote for lens hood, no filters, for all the obvious reasons mentioned above. Something to keep in mind however is that in windy conditions the hood will increase vibrations and movement. I will remove in these instances only.