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Lens hood?
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:15 pm
by Hugh Middleton
I am seriously cosidering buying the canon EF 100mm f2.8 USM macro lens.
There seems to be some debate about the usefulness of a lens hood for this. Some seem to suggest that most macro photographers dont use one.
I would be interested in your views especially as the hood isnt cheap.
Many thanks
Hugh
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:24 pm
by MikeOxon
I hardly ever use a hood for macro. On my Tamron 90mm, the front element is deeply recessed anyway - not sure of the layout of the Canon. Also, a hood makes the 'front end' much larger and more likely to scare away butterflies, etc. On the other hand, I usually use a hood for landscape and telephoto work.
Mike
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:29 pm
by Wurzel
I use a hood with my Nikon to stop sticks/grasses etc brushing against the lens. It also acts as a marker to stop me getting too close to the subject!
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 9:37 am
by LauraS56
Rather than buy the expensive hood, why not get one of those folding rubber ones that attach to the filter thread? Pull it forwards when you want to use it, fold it back when you don't.
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:21 pm
by Jack Harrison
Block the sun with your other hand. More easily controlled than a fixed lens hood.
Jack
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 4:24 pm
by MikeOxon
Jack Harrison wrote:Block the sun with your other hand.
Or recruit an assistant for this job (e.g. long-suffering partner) - it can be tricky to determine the correct position for your own hand!
Mike
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 4:37 pm
by Jack Harrison
Mike:
it can be tricky to determine the correct position for your own hand!
Not really. You hold in approx the right place, move until it JUST appears at the edge of the frame and then move hand back slightly. Easy-peasy.
I accept that with a ten kilogram DSLR, holding camera with one hand might not be an option
Digress. Heard a lovely story from an Englishman who had been on holiday in France some years ago. He tried his schoolboy French and asked - well tried to ask - for a kilogram of sausages. Unfortunately, his French was somewhat lacking. He asked for a kilometre of sausages
Jack
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:04 pm
by Gruditch
That lens is around £350.00, the lens hood you can pick up for just £25, I would get it, and use it. Yes you are unlikely to get lens flare while doing macro work, but sods law the time you do get flare, it will be on a great shot. Plus its better than looking an idiot trying to block the sun with your hand.
Regards Gruditch
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:26 pm
by Hugh Middleton
Thanks all. I have hoods on all my lens except 50 mm which is deeply recessed and have the rubber one on my zoom. Use them not just for flare but for protection as I don't like skylights/filters.
I started this thread as a remark on a thread I was searching said most macro photographers didn't use them. Seemed strange so thanks all for the clarification and suggestions - though must ay Jack, with my arthritic hands, one handed photography is impossible
thanks again
Hugh
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 6:00 pm
by Jack Harrison
Plus its better than looking an idiot trying to block the sun with your hand.
There seems to be a fad nowadays for those big
rose-petal-thingies stuck on the front of cameras, even in dull overcast weather. Now if that doesn’t look idiotic, then I don’t know what does.
Well actually I do know where a rose would look even more ridiculous, but it’s not appropriate to discuss on this forum.
Jack
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 7:31 pm
by Gruditch
Oooh I think I got a nibble
Regards Gruditch
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 5:50 am
by Debbie
When somebody I know purchased the Canon EF 100 macro with IS, it came with the hood.
Debbie
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 7:02 am
by Jack Harrison
Lens hood is usually included in a camera purchase.
A conventional lens hood has to designed cope with camera lens at its widest angle. My method of using a hand does mean that I can still shade the lens (from flare) when in telephoto mode and pointing very much closer to the sun: that wouldn't be the case with the general-purpose lens hood.
One point not mentioned so far is that a lens hood does provide a degree of lens protection from accidental knocks.
Jack
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 9:15 am
by Rogerdodge
Jack wrote-
One point not mentioned so far is that a lens hood does provide a degree of lens protection from accidental knocks.
Actually it was Jack-
Wurzel-
I use a hood with my Nikon to stop sticks/grasses etc brushing against the lens.
Hugh Middleton-
Use them not just for flare but for protection
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 11:44 am
by MikeOxon
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 7:43 am
by Hugh Middleton
Jack Harrison wrote:Lens hood is usually included in a camera purchase.
Jack
It isn't included with the 'cheaper' canon lenses. Got a decent deal from my local shop yesterday and also an invite to a free macro afternoon tomorrow.
Hugh
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 8:05 am
by Jack Harrison
A lens hood could have another advantage - during the 2012 monsoon. I have just checked my rain gauge. 34 mms in the past four or five hours. (Exact start time uncertain - I'm guessing from the rain radar images) The rainfall is quite phenomenal. It would have to be a mighty large lens hood in these conditions.
Jack
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 11:25 am
by Debbie
Hugh Middleton wrote:
It isn't included with the 'cheaper' canon lenses. Got a decent deal from my local shop yesterday and also an invite to a free macro afternoon tomorrow.
Hugh
Glad you got your lens and look forward to any snippeds from your macro afternoon.
Debbie
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 11:28 am
by Debbie
Jack Harrison wrote:A lens hood could have another advantage - during the 2012 monsoon. I have just checked my rain gauge. 34 mms in the past four or five hours. (Exact start time uncertain - I'm guessing from the rain radar images) The rainfall is quite phenomenal. It would have to be a mighty large lens hood in these conditions.
Jack
Brollies Galore do an interesting selection of butterfly umbrellas (and before some bright spark says it - for us not the butterflies
)
Debbie
Re: Lens hood?
Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 12:06 pm
by Jack Harrison
Update on my rain. Total of 51 mms between 0300 and 1300 of which some 45 mms fell during the peak three hour period. Wow, wow, wow!
Jack