Why Should You Use Lens Hood?

[LisaNewton]

When I first saw the lens hood, which was included in my Nikon camera kit, to be frank, I had absolutely no idea what it was let alone what it was supposed to do. After reading an article on Digital Photography School, it soon became apparent how important a lens hood is for direct sunlight shots, which many of my photos are. So at that point not only did I became familiar with its purpose, but more importantly, I realized how using it properly will dramatically enhance a photograph’s picture.

As time progressed, I started using the lens hood more often. I wasn’t exactly sure if it was improving my photos, but I kept it attached to my 55-200mm Nikon lens.

Well, today, I was in for a rude awaking as to the significance of using the lens hood.

As part of my job, I was chasing down another story for my online lifestyle magazine, Travelin’ Local. After reading a recent story about a new hiking trail opening at the Hollywood Reservoir, I grabbed my camera and off I went; never having been there, I wasn’t sure what I’d find.

Because of the wide shot, I began my shoot using an 18-55mm lens. Here’s one of the first shots I took:



Data on this shot:

Exposure: 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture: f/20.0
Focal Length: 46.2 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV

This is the shot I took a few minutes later with my 55-200mm lens with the lens hood attached:



Data on this shot:

Exposure: 0.008 sec (1/125)
Aperture: f/18.0
Focal Length: 75.5 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV

I made no post processing changes in these photos. It’s now obvious to me that using the lens hood can make a good picture better, and a bad picture worse.

Here are two more examples taken on the same day within minutes of each other:



Without the lens hood



With the lens hood

In the never ending battle of gadgets, although I’m not sure a lens hood falls into the category of “gadgets”, some feedback would be appreciated----as a beginning photographer, is it just the lens hood that created the difference in these different images or am I just whistling Dixie?

As the more experienced and seasoned photographers, I hope you can assist me in understand what’s going on. Is it the lens hood or the very small difference in exposure time? Or did the addition of the lens hood cause the difference in exposure time?

I'm sorry but this is just.... wrong.

This has nothing to do with the hood and everything to do with the lens.

Try this test again with the same lens and come back.

Sorry, this just isn't good information about hoods and/or why to use them.

I use a hood every chance I get and would never use my lenses without them. Canon/Nikon didn't spend Gadzillions of dollars designing a lens hood if it didn't serve a purpose.

[coplan]

I have to somewhat agree with Maxharvard. Though I expect you're not using a different lens, just different focal lengths. The issue is really that the longer your focal length gets, the narrower your angle of view. How it affects a shot in full sunlight is that you're significantly cutting the light getting through the lens.

Another aspect at work here is where you're metering. Take your first two photos for example. I suspect you're shooting in aperture priority or shutter priority mode, or maybe even auto? The first at 46mm is possibly metering off of the sky or the horizon, which will naturally make the camera want to compensate by a faster shutter, resulting in a darker image. The second might be metered off the hilll, making the camera compensate by a slower shutter and a brighter shot.

So what's the lens hood really for? Glare. Especially if you have a wide-angle lens, it's purpose is to cut the amount of sunlight shooting ACROSS the lens - light that throws things off kilter. It's a noticable flare in the final shot, and I don't see it in any of these photos. It is true that it will cut some of the light getting into the lens, but not very much - especially in full sunlight, the shutter speed will easily compensate.

So what to do when shooting in a lot of full sun? Get a Circular Polarizer filter. If you need to slow down the shutter more than that - like if you want to shoot moving water so it blurs - get a neutral density filter. You should also learn to at least use the Exposure Compensaton (Exposure Bias) feature because you can't trust the meter 100% in full sun. I don't have my color corrected monitor (laptop is out for repair), but it would appear as though the first shot is under-exposed while the second is slightly over-exposed.

I know that was long winded and probably more than you asked for...but I assume you're used to my ramblings by now. ;P

[LisaNewton]

Originally Posted by maxharvard

I'm sorry but this is just.... wrong.

This has nothing to do with the hood and everything to do with the lens.

Try this test again with the same lens and come back.

Sorry, this just isn't good information about hoods and/or why to use them.

I use a hood every chance I get and would never use my lenses without them. Canon/Nikon didn't spend Gadzillions of dollars designing a lens hood if it didn't serve a purpose.

Thanks for the suggestion. I will try this with the same lens, with and without the hood.

[LisaNewton]

Originally Posted by coplan

I have to somewhat agree with Maxharvard. Though I expect you're not using a different lens, just different focal lengths. The issue is really that the longer your focal length gets, the narrower your angle of view. How it affects a shot in full sunlight is that you're significantly cutting the light getting through the lens.

Another aspect at work here is where you're metering. Take your first two photos for example. I suspect you're shooting in aperture priority or shutter priority mode, or maybe even auto? The first at 46mm is possibly metering off of the sky or the horizon, which will naturally make the camera want to compensate by a faster shutter, resulting in a darker image. The second might be metered off the hilll, making the camera compensate by a slower shutter and a brighter shot.

So what's the lens hood really for? Glare. Especially if you have a wide-angle lens, it's purpose is to cut the amount of sunlight shooting ACROSS the lens - light that throws things off kilter. It's a noticable flare in the final shot, and I don't see it in any of these photos. It is true that it will cut some of the light getting into the lens, but not very much - especially in full sunlight, the shutter speed will easily compensate.

So what to do when shooting in a lot of full sun? Get a Circular Polarizer filter. If you need to slow down the shutter more than that - like if you want to shoot moving water so it blurs - get a neutral density filter. You should also learn to at least use the Exposure Compensaton (Exposure Bias) feature because you can't trust the meter 100% in full sun. I don't have my color corrected monitor (laptop is out for repair), but it would appear as though the first shot is under-exposed while the second is slightly over-exposed.

I know that was long winded and probably more than you asked for...but I assume you're used to my ramblings by now. ;P

Thank you for your thoughts, Travis. Your assessment of the first two shots may be correct. However, after reviewing my data, in the case of the second two shots, the focal length was the same, 55mm, with each lens. Plus, using the Nikon ViewNX, I was able to see where the shot was focused, and yes, I was using Aperture Priority. I'm not sure how I would copy this data here, but the focus area in both photos is directly in the center.

So, could it still be the hood in the case of the same focal length and same focus even with two different lenses?

Once again, two different lenses and coplan is right, your camera may have metered two different things.

You really need to scrap this test entirely and do everything manually from now on.

Hoods are meant for glare, not metering.

[LisaNewton]

Originally Posted by maxharvard

Once again, two different lenses and coplan is right, your camera may have metered two different things.

You really need to scrap this test entirely and do everything manually from now on.

Hoods are meant for glare, not metering.

The semi-auto setting is a little protection for myself. I rarely have time to just practice shooting, thus, I don't use manual too often. When I go to a place to shoot, I need the shots to come out well, or I don't have a blog post. I will try harder to make time to practice in manual.

No more tests for me.

[coplan]

Well...the hood would certainly affect the way the amount of light that gets to the lens. But in the absence of glare, all it's really doing is cutting the light. As maxharvard points out, it's for glare, not for metering. In other words, the lens hood isn't a way to control the exposure. If one image is brighter than the other, all you're really talking about is exposure. Most landscape photographers prefer full manual. If that's a little scary for you, learn EV compensation...and learn your metering modes. Shooting a landscape like that, you'll want to use center-weighted (dot and donut icon on the Nikon) or evaluative (filled box including dot, donut and corners on the Nikon). But never fully trust your meter.

My advice, you should keep your hood on most of the time anyhow. It doesn't hurt the shot, but it will block flare when necessary. If nothing else, it also protects your lens.

[zephod]

Originally Posted by LisaNewton

The semi-auto setting is a little protection for myself. I rarely have time to just practice shooting, thus, I don't use manual too often. When I go to a place to shoot, I need the shots to come out well, or I don't have a blog post. I will try harder to make time to practice in manual.

No more tests for me.

I said this just a short while ago and now realize how wrong I was and how much I was short changing myself. I certainly use aperture priority at times but primarily I use manual now. All I did was take a weekend, set my iso to 100 or 200, and shot everything on M. I mean everything. I learned how to get my shot on the fly and slowly but surely I got much more comfortable with manual and now I decide what my camera shoots instead of the little electronic brain.

This doesn't mean you can't use autofocus and it doesn't mean you shouldn't use the other tools your camera offers. It does mean that you aren't shorting anyone but yourself by not clicking that selector just one more notch.

As for the hood issue. I can shoot something down on the wharf standing in the shadows and then move the focus to another area a few inches in any direction and have a completely different exposure without touching any settings whatsoever. To truly compare the lens hood you'd want to put the camera on a tripod, expose the shoot then remove the hood without touching anything else and shoot that. I have to say I agree with the others, the shots don't really compare and metering changes by the mm.

Doug

[OjaiAnna]

I have really enjoyed this thread because I just received my new 55 - 200mm lense and it came with a lens hood. I looked at it and asked myself what do I do with this? I came immediatedly to this forum and did a search for Lens Hood ... and got my answer on this thread.

Except I do have one question / clarification? I have been shooting some pictures at the beach during early afternoon hours, with the sun glaring of the ocean and sand. I assume that the Lens Hood would be perfect in that situation to prevent glare on my photos? Let me know what you think. Thanks.