Lens hood

[TiffanyK]

When should I be using the lens hood that came with the 55-200 lens? What exactly is it for?

I also just want to say thanks to all of you experienced photographers who let us beginners ask questions and learn from you. You guys are the best

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Use it whenever you use that lens. The hood does two major things for you. The first is that it protects your lens in case you bump it up against something or drop it. The second is that it helps block stray light from hitting your lens. If you have a bright light (like the sun) that is not in your picture but is shining on your lens, it can wash our the picture (make all of your dark areas much lighter than they should be). The lens hood helps protect against that.

I use my hoods almost every time I use my camera. When they aren't in use, I flip them backwards and screw them onto the lens that way. It's an easy way to keep track of the hood and not use any more storage space than necessary.

So when don't I use a hood? Sometimes when I'm pressing the lens directly against a window, I take off the hood. I sometimes remove it when I want to get really, really close to something. A good example is when I'm shooting through a screen. I'll put the camera as close to the screen as possible so that it will be so completely out of focus that it isn't visible at all. I've also taken off my lens hood when I wanted to be very inconspicuous because lens hoods tend to draw attention.

 

[DVC Jen]

I agree - always use that lens hood. Mine are a bit scratched up but my lenses are not.

The only time I don't use it was when I was using the oncamera flash - it would make a dark vignette around the bottom of my photo. That was because it was the ON camera flash - when I used a different flash it was fine.

I would much rather use the lens hood to protect my lens than put another peice of glass (a skylight or UV filter) between the subject and my camera.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

The only time I don't use it was when I was using the oncamera flash - it would make a dark vignette around the bottom of my photo. That was because it was the ON camera flash - when I used a different flash it was fine.

The best way to deal with that is to never use the built in flash.

 

[DVC Jen]

The best way to deal with that is to never use the built in flash.

Doh - NOW ya tell me!

I don't anymore. LOL

 

[TiffanyK]

Thanks to both of you for answering my question. I took that lens with the hood to my son's basketball game today and tried it out. It was an indoor game and I was having trouble getting good shots, I think because there just wasn't enough light.

I'll have to try it outside and see how it goes.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Doh - NOW ya tell me!

I don't anymore. LOL

You certainly don't with that new 5DM2!