Lens Hood...

[naleenasmom]

Hi! I am new here, just found the forum. I have a Canon Rebel XT and was wondering if it was a good idea to get a lens hood? What is the purpose of it and are their different hoods for different lenses. I have a kit lens 18-55, a 75-300 and a 50mm lens.

[Frog]

They keep extraneous light from hitting the front of your lens and help eliminate flare.
They also help protect your lens.
I'm surprised if lens hoods did not come with your lenses.
The flower petal lenses are generally the preferred shape.
Besides they make it look like you know what you're doing.

[fx101]

They keep extraneous light from hitting the front of your lens and help eliminate flare.
They also help protect your lens.
I'm surprised if lens hoods did not come with your lenses.
The flower petal lenses are generally the preferred shape.
Besides they make it look like you know what you're doing.

Yup, some lenses are so unusable without them (wide angles) they are meant to be mounted whenever the lens is used not just on ocassion. My Sigma 15-30, a wide angle with a ridiculously bulbous front element, has a built in flower petal metal lens hood because without it flare would be 100% inevitable.

And I completely agree that they make you look professional. I remember yesterday I had some family over and I came out with my D200 with WT-3 transmitter, SB800 external flash, and giant Sigma 15-30 with lens hood. To top it off I had my GPS logger connected to it when I was in the garden. I got a lot of respect as you can imagine .

[dumpy]

And I completely agree that they make you look professional. I remember yesterday I had some family over and I came out with my D200 with WT-3 transmitter, SB800 external flash, and giant Sigma 15-30 with lens hood. To top it off I had my GPS logger connected to it when I was in the garden. I got a lot of respect as you can imagine .

I'd say with that combo, no hood was needed to look pro

[retroactiv]

I second your opinion dumpy.... Just don't drop it fx101

[fx101]

I second your opinion dumpy.... Just don't drop it fx101

Well everything combined was quite heavy but I needed all of it except for the GPS logger--my cousin asked about how it worked on the D200 so I just left it connected for show. That reminds me... the other day I saw a photojournalist at a park drop his Eos 1D MK III and beautiful 300mm glass :cryin:. The hood stopped the glass (it had no protective filter on it) from hitting the concrete and since the canon 300 is made like a tank it only came out with a tiny surface scratch on the paintjob. Trust me, in my case the hood wasn't to look professional. The center of the bulbous element extends an inch and a half out from the barrel. Without the built in hood it would be really easy to scratch and get lens flare.