Lens hood

[gryphonslair99]

alot of times i have to take mine off to shoot because a fill flash with clcose objects ( mostly what i take pictures of) will hit the lense hood and leave a nice rounded shadow on the bottom of all pictures.

I'm guessing that you are using the on-board flash? I never use it. I always use and external flash in the shoe or on a bracket and have never had that problem.

[Dylan8i]

I'm guessing that you are using the on-board flash? I never use it. I always use and external flash in the shoe or on a bracket and have never had that problem.

well yeah, but i don't have external flash yet, and it isn't really required for macro shots anyhows.... plus would still be blocked when lense is extended all the way with subject at closest focusing distance. but its so easy to just un screw the lense hood it doesn;t matter

[another view]

Using a built-in flash is a good reason for taking off a lens hood - problem is that the lens hood will usually block the light from the flash. Since the light is coming from the same direction that the lens is pointed, it won't cause lens flare (as backlighting would). Some lenses and lens hoods are more of a problem with this, just based on the physical size of the lens. Unless I have a good reason not to use a hood, I use one.

[gryphonslair99]

Here is an interesting thread from another forum on a DIY ring flash using the built in flash.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...cro+ring+flash

I usually don't use a hood for macro either. But I already had a pair of 580EX flash units (Yeah I'm obviously a Canon shooter) and came across a twin armed macro flash bracket at a crazy low price in a local camera store.