The Lens Hood

The Lens Hood: A Shady Tool

"People who don't use the tools given to them only injure themselves." - Debra Wilson

     There are several camera and lens accessories available that aren't used by beginners simply because they think they don't need them. They say "Oh, well I'm not a professional, so... I don't need that." I would think it'd be the other way around: the pros are so good that they don't need the accessories! Well this article is going to teach you what lens hoods do, why you should have them on ALL your lenses, and it includes some hopefully helpful tips. Let's get started! 

Photo By Jailbird (Own work)

     First off, you should know that the main purpose of a lens hood is to block the sun or other bright light source from entering into lens directly. Yes, you do want light to enter the lens, that's how we get our pictures! However, the light entering the lens that is responsible for making images is reflected light. It's been reflected off our subject first.  Direct light from the Sun, a studio strobe, or a street light for example, will create a strong glare in the image at worst or just cause an overall haze at best. Sometimes, this can be a useful effect to give the photo some artistic edge, but it can be easily overdone and ruin the image if not executed properly. More on that in a future article!

     Another reason to put that lens hood on is one that I think is even more important than blocking out stray light beams... A lens hood protects your lens. It's another line of defense for that sensitive front element. Imagine if you were wearing a baseball cap and walked straight into a brick wall. The bill of your baseball cap would hit the wall, but your face wouldn't because the bill sticks out further. A lens hood provides the same type of protection for your lens. If your out in the field and your hurrying to get the right shot and your camera swings and hits a flagpole, your $10 lens hood might break, but your $2,500 lens won't. I personally have broken 3 lens hoods by dropping the lens, dropping the camera, and turning quickly and smacking it against a wall. In all 3 scenarios, the lens wasn't damaged at all because the hood protected it. Don't tell me you've never dropped something expensive; and if even if you haven't, you will. You should have your lens hoods on ALL the time, even indoors! 

     There are different types of lens hoods (hard plastic or collapsible rubber for example) as well as different styles, each of which is designed for a particular lens. This is an accessory that must be paired with the lens it is to be used on. The reason is that the shape of the hood is determined by the focal length and other optical properties of the lens it will be used on. While one hood may actually fit on a lens it wasn't designed for, you may end up with undesirable effects as a result. For example, a lens hood that was designed for a 100mm lens may fit just fine on your new 24mm lens. The problem you will inevitably experience will be that your images will have a black border around them. Why? Because as the focal length of a lens decreases, the field of view increases. So your wide angle lens will be "seeing" the inside of your lens hood... The lens hood that was designed for a lens with a longer focal length and a narrower field of view. This is why some lens hoods are very long and cylindrical, while others are very short. Some might have a straight edge on the front, and others will have what's called a "tulip" shape. Technically, the tulip shaped hoods can be more efficient (based on how the light enters into the lens and hits the sensor), but the standard cylinder style hoods work just fine for most applications. There's a great website called toothwalker.org that really explains this in more detail; you can read all about the technical aspects of lens hoods and several other amazing photography subjects! 

Photo By Geni (Own work)

     Like I've said concerning most other accessories (but not all), there are name brand versions, and there are generic versions. I would recommend that for this,  just buy the generic version. You may not get the fancy felt lined inside rim on a generic lens hood, but if it bothers you that much, go to the craft store and buy some felt and glue. You'll still spend less than buying a name brand hood. Some great generic options are available at B&H.com and also Lenshoods.com. If you REALLY want to save money, you can just print your own lens hood at home! This option is definitely worth a try; I had a blast with it and printed all kinds of hoods for my lenses! Check it out here!

     If you need to carry your lens hood in the camera bag, but don't have any extra space to dedicate, you can attach the lens hood backwards over the lens. This should work with most lens compartments, and it ensures that you never leave home without it. Also, don't forget that you can customize your lens hoods just like you can with your lens caps! A stripe of bold colored paint or a Sponge Bob Square Pants sticker perhaps? Here's an idea: print out a small sticker with your name and email address and place it on the under side of the hood. If you ever loose it, the "finder" wont be as likely to be a "keeper"...assuming they have a conscience!

     The final reason to use a lens hood: they just look cool and it will make people think that you know what your doing! I'm kidding...sort of. Here's some links for ya:

• http://www.toothwalker.org
• http://www.bhphotovideo.com
• http://www.lenshoods.net
• http://www.lenshoods.com

Please, if you have any questions, comments, or corrections, just write them in the comment box below! And, I would LOOOOOVE it if you share my articles using the little icon thingies below!! :) Thanks!