Some thoughts on Lens Caps and Hoods. (Page 2): Keep hood on in taking position 24/7 and CAP the hood when not using ...and NO protective filters ....

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

JD750 wrote:

I was on a tour yesterday at the Mt Wilson Observa... (show quote)

Keep hood on in taking position 24/7 and CAP the hood when not using ...and NO protective filters ....

A.J.R. Loc: Devon, UK

dynaquest1 wrote:

I no longer use UV filters (finally saw the light) for protection and rarely even use a hood unless I know the sun is going to be a problem. Cap off while shooting...back on when done. Carry a small microfiber cloth to wipe the lens each time the cap comes off.

I use a Clear (B+W Nano) filter on all lenses and it doesn’t affect the quality of the image. Lens hoods might not be essential all the time but they are certainly needed in a lot of lighting conditions, so hardly worth taking them off. I would never touch the lens with any kind of cloth unless it is obvious that it is needed, which is rarely. Even on the filter I would only use a blower brush. With a lens hood on and a cap (see my reply above) on when not actually shooting there is very little need for cleaning.

Dan Mc Loc: NM

What's a "lens cap"????? ;-)

phlash46 Loc: Westchester County, New York

lowkick Loc: Connecticut

I only put my lens cap on when the camera goes into the case, or I'm putting it down for a while. I always have a lens hood on for protection. In addition, as unfashionable as they may be, I almost always wear cargo pants or cargo shorts so I have enough pockets to carry an extra battery, an extra memory card, a small to medium Rocket blower, a micro-fiber cloth and a couple of foil packets of Zeiss lens cleaning wipes so they are easily accessible when needed. When I'm out shooting, I check the lens frequently for dust or smudges and have the materials ready to clean the lens, if necessary. But the camera is always ready to shoot and I can always remove dust spots in post, if necessary. I don't want to miss a sudden opportunity because I have to remove and pocket a lens cap before I can shoot. Besides which, it it's just one more thing to do and takes some of the joy out of the spontaneity of photography.

Leitz Loc: Solms

JD750 wrote:

I was on a tour yesterday at the Mt Wilson Observa... (show quote)

Sounds like they were concentrating on photography rather than fretting over what someone else was doing.

dynaquest1 Loc: Austin, Texas

A.J.R. wrote:

I would never touch the lens with any kind of cloth unless it is obvious that it is needed, which is rarely. Even on the filter I would only use a blower brush. With a lens hood on and a cap (see my reply above) on when not actually shooting there is very little need for cleaning.

Lens glass on quality lenses is relatively indestructible and wiping (mostly dust) the lens with a clean lens cloth will not leave even microscopic scratches. I always wipe the lens before a shoot. Discovering the "hardness" of lens glass a few years ago also led me to ditch "protective" filters.

Hoods are a pain in the butt to keep on the lens IMO, get in the way and, unless you are a clutz, are not needed constantly on the lens.

jonfrei

1. Remove camera from bag.
2. Remove lens cap & put back in bag.
3. Reverse hood.
4. Turn camera on.
...
... take pictures ... sometimes lots of pictures! ... maybe turn camera off to change cards or batteries
...
n-3. Turn camera off.
n-2. Reverse hood.
n-1. Remove cap from bag & affix to lens.
n. Replace camera in bag.

If I am where I think I *might* want to shoot, the cap is off, the hood is fixed, and the camera is on..!

Eric Bornstein Loc: Toronto Canada

I leave the camera at home and only take the lens cap and hood with me! Ha!
However, I do turn my camera off. A habit to be changed today as I am going out to shoot in a few hours.

TJBNovember Loc: Long Island, New York

JD750 wrote:

I was on a tour yesterday at the Mt Wilson Observa... (show quote)

Kind of depends on the situation. If I know I'm moving from one location to another for photos the cap goes on. If I'm out and about looking for shots of opportunity it would be foolish to have the cap on. I would also say weather conditions might be a determining factor to keep a clear lens. If it were dusty, misty or raining I would be more inclined to be putting it on and off.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

I take the lens cap off and leave it off untill the camera goes back into the bag, I allwys use the lens hood on and reverse it when it goes into the bag. If you do the replace ritual your'e not ready for the next opportunity. I always remember this advice--Luck happens when opportunity meets preparation.

A.J.R. Loc: Devon, UK

dynaquest1 wrote:

Lens glass on quality lenses is relatively indestructible and wiping (mostly dust) the lens with a clean lens cloth will not leave even microscopic scratches. I always wipe the lens before a shoot. Discovering the "hardness" of lens glass a few years ago also led me to ditch "protective" filters.

Hoods are a pain in the butt to keep on the lens IMO, get in the way and, unless you are a clutz, are not needed constantly on the lens.

Ideally the light rays from your subject should be the only ones hitting the sensor. The front element of a lens without a lens hood usually has no protection from light rays, especially from the sky. If you do some tests you will find that under a lot of lighting conditions a slight degrading of the image will occur, and under certain circumstances the degradation can ruin the image.

Admittedly lens coatings nowadays are harder but even the hardest coating will eventually have slight damage if constantly cleaned, no matter how soft the cloth. Most of the time a blower (such as a Giottos) will get rid of any the dust. The only reason for cleaning with a cloth is to remove say a finger print, which if using a lens hood is an unlikely occurrence.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

JD750 wrote:

I was on a tour yesterday at the Mt Wilson Observa... (show quote)

therwol Loc: USA

JD750 wrote:

I was on a tour yesterday at the Mt Wilson Observa... (show quote)

Does it really matter? It's personal preference. Anyone who puts a lens cap on after each shot is going to learn quickly that it may cause them to miss shots. If they don't care, that's their problem.... and preference.

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

JD750 wrote:

I was on a tour yesterday at the Mt Wilson Observa... (show quote)

I agree with you except for your suggestion to use a UV filter. You should never use a filter unless there is a creative objective. Lens protection is not a creative objective. There are two reasons for this. First, every piece of glass reduces the contrast of your image because of internal and external reflection (reflections between the filter and the front element of the lens and reflections from stray light hitting the front of the filter). Second, if there is an impact to the front of the lens that shatters the filter, the "flying" glass can damage the coating on the front lens element. The lens hood almost always provides good protection for your lens while it prevents flare.