Lens Hood ..

I have no idea where this thread is supposed to be but sorry if it's in the wrong spot. I was reading over how the lens hood is necessary in photography so I'd just like to know which brands you guys/gals would recommend like how B+W is one of the top rated for filters. I'm still new to photography but I'd like to get a heads up on pros and cons. The only thing I see it doing is just blocking out unwanted flare and protecting the lens body somewhat..

I see a ton of brand name hoods but not even sure where to start. There's also a flower looking kind?

Get the hood that your lens maker makes for your lens. The "petal" hoods are only for lenses whee the front (that the hood attaches to) doesn't rotate as you zoom or focus. Any lens where the front rotates needs a regular circular hood.

thanks for the info Jon, but just to clarify; petal hoods are for the prime lenses and the zoom ones take the regular circular hood right?

Nope. Petal hoods can be used on either prime or zoom lenses if and as long as the front of the lens doesn't rotate as you either focus or zoom. The Canon 24-70 L and 70-200 2.8 L lenses, for instance, all have petal hoods. The 50 f/1.8, 85 f/1.8 and 35 f/2, among others, are prime lenses which do not use petal hoods. However any lens hood is designed for a specific lens or angle of view. You can't use the same lens hood on the 24-70 and the 100-400 even though they take the same filter sizes.

Oh, so for instance I can use a petal hood on the 18-55mm as long as it stays on AF and I don't adjust the zoom on it correct? I feel stupid for asking. lol

No. The front of the 18-55 rotates both when you focus and when you zoom. Canon's hood for the 18-55 is not a petal hood. That should tell you something. Whether you focus manually or use auto-focus the lens mechanisms have to go through the same motions. The only difference is in MF you twist an outside ring while in AF the camera moves an inside motor. They both, in that lens, turn the front of the lens assembly, so a petal hood would cause unseemly vignetting as you focused either way.

oh..I should look up each hood before asking questions..I guess what it comes down too is this; if my lens doesn't use the petal hood don't force it..

Vixen89 wrote in post #10900405
oh..I should look up each hood before asking questions..I guess what it comes down too is this; if my lens doesn't use the petal hood don't force it..

Correct. Look at the lens maker's information and buy the proper hood for each lens.

Thank you again ya guys; I'm off to go read about the lighting stands and stuff now..this stuff is addicting. >>