I never use hoods - am I missing something?

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #2134243
I hate hoods.

They don't fit in my bag, they are cumbersome, bulky and noisy rattling around in a pack..

I Always use a hood unless I am indoors in low light in which case it's 50/50%

Hoods do more than just reduce flare.

Look closely at the "tulip" style of hood.
They cut off nearly all extraneous light from hitting the front lens element.
The fact of the matter is that any light coming at any angle that hits the front lens element that IS NOT a part of the picture your making, will to some small degree effect your image. This is that "contrast" thing that people often mention. It's real. Hoods reduce this extraneous light dramatically.

Yes, you can go without a hood and still get really great results. Yes in many cases the difference may be hardly measurable, but to me that's all I need to know.

On a sunny day you can see side by side a dramatic difference between hood/ vs. no hood images.

The fact that it is most noticeable in these bright sunny conditions does not mean that the detrimental aspects of extraneous diffracted light is limited only to those extreme circumstances. In fact the same effect comes into play with any amount of light, though to an obviously lesser degree.

The hood stays on and I know my pics are better for it.

haha, laying down the law.

and yes, I do use a hood. all the time. Being poor I can't afford a new front element

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #2134243
I Always use a hood...Hoods do more than just reduce flare...They cut off nearly all extraneous light from hitting the front lens element.The fact of the matter is that any light coming at any angle that hits the front lens element that IS NOT a part of the picture your making, will to some small degree effect your image.

This is, in part, the case for not routinely using an UV filter. The filter, being farther out than the objective lens, receives less benefit of the hoods ability to block stray light.

It can be a pain, but I always use the hoods. Why? Protection from the elements and my own stupidity.

Spray from a waterfall, a sudden rain shower or a gust of wind with dust can prevent me from taking advantage of that magic moment of light.

A hood is like a condom for your lens, always use them for safety!

Tom W wrote in post #2134192
Newsprint is not revealing.

I will do a demonstration if we ever see the sun again. On some lenses, and in some situations, the difference will be rather significant.

I see newspaper photogs without the hood sometimes, but I don't see magazine photographers or advertizing photogs going hoodless very often. Of course, there's the issue of portability and time constraints. News happens on its own schedule, whereas an advertising shoot generally is planned and scheduled by the parties involved. the news photographer hurries to the news - no time to dress the lens. Advertising photogs have fewer time constraints. And they strive for perfect output.

Actually, that is true about newspaper output. Some wedding photogs think the same too (no kidding - last one I saw, 16-35, 20D, and no butt-ugly EW83E either..)

When I have time to pack and rig hoods, they are all right, but I am typically on the move a lot, so I like the hoods to stay out of my way. As CDS said, they are a pain, but I still continue to use them (EW83E excepted). My pattern has changed to "mostly use" rather than "never use" as it was in the past, helped in part by the fact that more of my lenses are coming with hoods. They are also good when shooting through glass.

Tom W wrote in post #2134265
But it's got a big hole in it.

Sorry - had to be said.....

Double bag it. Use a ziplock. or didn't Op/Tech make those hood hats?

Tom W wrote in post #2134192
These folks all like their hoods:

I can only see one there!

angryhampster wrote in post #2134185
That's a good point. I'm going to India this winter and visiting an orphanage that my parents support. I know the kids are great, but I wonder if the elders will think oddly of me waving around $1500 worth of gear.

Enjoy India, it's an amazing place!

Quick newbie question, is it possible to use a filter and a hood together? (In terms of threads)

DanAus1983 wrote in post #2135537
Quick newbie question, is it possible to use a filter and a hood together? (In terms of threads)

Yes. Proper dedicated hoods designed for the lens usually thread onto their dedicated mounts just behind the front of the lens and do not interfere with the filters. I use this combo all the time.

TeeJay wrote in post #2131302
The day you drop or bang your lens onto a hard surface (like concrete, a brick wall, or even someone else's 350D with a 70-200 lens mounted on it!!) is the day you'd wish you had never sold your lens hood!

I dropped my 350D with my 10-20 attached... it had a lens hood on.
What happened?
Well the CPL attached popped off and the metal ring inside popped out. The Hood was broken, and internally with the lens, the entire front barrel was destroyed cosmetically and the focus was gone.

curiousgeorge wrote in post #2135531
I can only see one there!

Yes, notice the man in the bottom left with his fingers going through the "front element"

Why risk anything?

curiousgeorge wrote in post #2135531
I can only see one there!

There are 7 cameras plainly visible in the image, 6 of the lenses have hoods, one does not.

When my camera strap broke on my camera, it was connected to my 70-200. The body took a lot of the damage, and then my hood, protecting my lens.

And then if you run around with two bodies or run around in general, you tend to bang into things, unless you solely focus on keeping the camera from banging. Hoods make it useful for that.

They also help keep out flare which gives you a better picture.

But do whatever makes you feel best.

Mind you, hoods can be like wearing a hard hat sometimes - If it was not fitted you may not have banged the end of the lens if it wasn't for the 3 inch extension on the end
I used to bang my head on scaffolding when wearing a hard hat years ago, It's easy to forget the extra length sometimes