lens hoods

[tayl0124]

Okay, I am thinking about getting a/some lens hoods. how important is it to get one specifically for a certain lens?? also what about zoom lenses?? By specifically I mean one matched for that exact lens. rather than a lens size.

[mjs1973]

If you can, get one designed for your specific lens. The reason is that if the hood is too small, you will get vignetting. This will be very noticeable on a wide angle lens. If the hood is too large, it may not do the job it's intended to do. Many zoom lenses also have hoods designed specifically for them.

[freygr]

I agree 100% with mjs1973, the correct hood made for the lens your are using makes all the difference in the world, on sunny days is when you will need it with out question. The correct hood reduces flare and adds contrast.

[A.M.D.A.]

I second what the others have said. Don't use any third-party hood, unless it is clearly designated as compatible with your lens/es. The wrong hood will likely cause more problems than it will fix.

The correct one does indeed help with flare control/contrast enhancement. Even though my SIGMA's 70-300mm hood is big and bulky, I leave it attached about 99% of the time outdoors. When not in use it can be simply reversed, thus saving space.

Also, some lenses have built-in hoods, examples are the MINOLTA 50mm F1.7, PENTAX-A* 300mm F4, PENTAX DA 15mm F4. The hoods on these lenses are slid out, and retracted back in. Very convenient!

[tayl0124]

So what you are saying is that I should get one that for example is designed exactly for my EF 50mm 1:1.8. not just one designed for a 50mm??

[A.M.D.A.]

So what you are saying is that I should get one that for example is designed exactly for my EF 50mm 1:1.8. not just one designed for a 50mm??

Right. Some 50mm lenses are F1.2, F1.4, F1.8, F2, etc.. Filter sizes and overall size also differ.

[tayl0124]

okay, so if my lens says on it ef 50mm 1:1.8 than is should need a e-62# lens hood???

[Franglais]

So what you are saying is that I should get one that for example is designed exactly for my EF 50mm 1:1.8. not just one designed for a 50mm??

To be most efficient the lens hood must be adapted to the view you get through the lens, so that it excludes bright light sources just outside the frame but doesn't intrude into the frame.

The EF 50mm f1.8 is designed to cover a full-frame (24x36mm) sensor/film and you're using it on a Rebel which has a much smaller sensor. The view you get through the 50mm is the equivalent of an 80mm in full-frame terms, so the most efficient lens hood (on a Rebel) would be one designed for an 80mm. If one existed..

Keep it simple. Do like everyone says and get a lens hood that's designed for the lens.

[freygr]

okay, so if my lens says on it ef 50mm 1:1.8 than is should need a e-62# lens hood???

Any lens hood designed for a 50mm lens which also has the correct thread will work as good as the OEM hood. Now if your using a non-DX lens on a APS sized DSLR then you can use a lens hood which is design for the equivalent focal length of the lens (field of view) for optional results, but that hood WILL NOT work on a film or full frame sensor camera.

[another view]

The correct hood reduces flare and adds contrast.

This is almost splitting hairs, but hoods don't add contrast; they reduce how much contrast you might lose if you didn't use one. I don't bring this up for the sake of arguement, but as an explaination for why you'd want to use one.

The best hood for any lens is one that's just at the very edge of starting to vignette, without doing it. This can be different for different aperture lenses of the same focal length from the same manufacturer - that's why there are so many of them available. Built-ins are nice, but a close second to me is the bayonet type that reverse to store on the lens.