A camera lens hood is a cylindrical piece of plastic, rubber, or metal which fixes over your lens to prevent light from shining straight into it. The hood can screw onto the front of the lens or many hoods are linked to the lens and may slide out like a sleeve.
Initially when I first got my DSLR camera I had no clue what a lens hood was. I bought my camera used from a friend. It had two lenses. One of the lenses had a hood. I do not ever used the lens hood in the beginning. Yes, I had a film SLR camera when I was younger and I should've known what a camera lens hood was, but I never used one hood then either. One day I made a decision to use the hood to see if it made a difference and it did. Now I use my camera lens hood most often.
Hoods can come in a range of shapes and lengths. They are normally cylindrical, but they may also be square. The edge of the hood can be straight or flowered. Flowering of the edge should aid prevent vignetting when the hood is on properly. Hoods are made for each type of lens. Ensure you use the hood which was designed to be used with your lens. If you use a different hood you could get problems, like vignetting.
Digital Photography Fundamentals - Enhance Your Photographs
Lens hoods reduce the shapes and streaks of color which bright light may cause in your photograph known as lens flare. But that is not the only thing a hood can do.
Using a lens can also help make the colors in your photos look richer. It helps stop you from getting blown out pictures.
If you want to use flare as a creative effect in your picture you won't use a hood, of course.
Digital Photography Basic principles - Save Your Lens
Because the hood stands apart from the front of the lens the way it does it can aid protect your lens from damage. That's not the purpose of a hood, but it may act as extra protection to prevent things coming in contact with the glass at the front of the lens.
It may also protect your lens from getting dust or water on the front element.
Digital Photography Fundamentals - Potential Problems with Lens Hoods
Sometimes hoods can cause troubles with your pictures. If your hood is too large it might block your camera's built-in flash. If that's happening you'll see that your photograph is darker at the bottom.
Sometimes you might notice vignetting when you use a particular lens hood. This all depends upon the lens your using and the size of the hood. Lenses with a wider field of view can not use longer hoods. If you use a hood designed for the specific lens your using, you would not have this issue.
About the Author:
FREE Book: Uncovers Professional, "Insider" Tips And Tricks For Taking Awesome Digital Photos With Your Digital Camera... (Even If You're A Complete Newbie To Photography!) Click here to access "How To Take Pics Like The Pros" We coach digital photography and suggest you get started with the free report, and then Watch this Youtube video channel "Free Digital Photo Tips"
