dukepresley

I always use a lens hood; last summer my wife & I were in Paris with our adult daughters; I took a faceplant after tripping over a sidewalk hazard. I had my phone in one hand and my D750 / 24-70 f/2.8 in the other. My nose was busted, my face scratched and my lens hood was cracked, but the camera/lens suffered not even a scratch. "Wouldn't leave home without it!"

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I replied earlier about virtually always using a hood to protect lens from oblique light and from physical bumps.... about the only time I don't use one is when it interferes with taking the shot, such as when taking a macro shot with the front of the lens very close to the subject.

Several other responses bring up not using one when using a flash, which I forgot about.

Yes, I agree... There are times when a hood might block a flash, causing a shadow in the lower portion of the image. Usually this happens with large diameter hoods such as wide angle lenses use and is particularly worse with built-in flash. Accessory flash typically sit higher up and might not be a problem. Or an accessory flash can be put on a bracket off to one side and even higher up, pretty much eliminating the problem. Another instance where the hood might cast a shadow from flash is with close-ups.

But there are also instances when a hood is even more necessary and serves other purposes when using a flash. If you are shooting through window a rubber hood pressed right up against the glass will reduce reflections that can spoil an image... especially if you are also using flash. An example of this is when shooting in aquarium, where light levels can be quite low. Use the rubber hood trick to be able to shoot right through the glass (or plexi) between your an the subject. Rubber hoods are available in configurations for wide, normal and telephoto lenses. Some or even adjustable for different focal lengths. A rubber hood will improve your shots through glass immensely, whether using flash or not. (But also check to see if flash is permitted... some aquariums restrict its use.)

So that's one time when a hood is practically essential to flash photography. It's not a hard and fast rule by any means, that a hood can't be used when using flash. I would only remove the hood if it would actually cause a shadow in part of the image, obstructing the flash... and that only happens in certain circumstanced.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Alan wrote- "Yes, I agree... There are times when a hood might block a flash, causing a shadow in the lower portion of the image. Usually this happens with large diameter hoods such as wide angle lenses use and is particularly worse with built-in flash. Accessory flash typically sit higher up and might not be a problem. Or an accessory flash can be put on a bracket off to one side and even higher up, pretty much eliminating the problem. Another instance where the hood might cast a shadow from flash is with close-ups".

I seldom use an on-camera lamp head or speed light mounted directly on the accessory or hot shoe. The flash is elevated at least 12 inches over the lens, on a bracket, and connected to the camera via a cable. I have used this configuration with physically large ultra-wide-angle lenses with an appropriate lens shade at all distances and never experienced interference from the shade or shadows cast by the lens or the lens hood. The use of a shade is especially important when using multiple off camera flash techniques where the one or or more of the lights may be at an angle in excess of 90 degrees to the camera/subject axis. Any light source coming in at an OBTUSE angle requiters a lens shade all the more!

If the photographer is going to use an exceptionally large lens, a large shade, tele-extenders, extension tubes, or any long protuberance from the camera the light set up has to be planned in advance to accommodate the rig. Usually a built-in pop up flash is not the tool of choice for those specialized jobs.

Sinewsworn Loc: Port Orchard, WA

vg Loc: Kansas City area

Always!!!!!!!

josquin1 Loc: Massachusetts

Ken Rockwell says he never uses one whatever that may mean. I think he just uses filters.

Amaize

I’m clearly one of the outliers here. Lens hoods can be a problem for the situations I often shoot in. One would be on safari, in an
open top Land Cruiser. Most often it’s long telephoto lenses, and the hood can just get in the way of moving in a cramped space. We are talking quickly shifting from side to side, front to back, standing on seats then down on knees to shoot thru windows. The lenses are long enough as it is, let alone the hood — same in some sports venues. Plus the hood gets in the way of quickly changing lenses. Finger prints on the UV filter maybe has been the biggest downside. I do pull out the hood when we may get rain. When I travel, I carry extensive equipment — but travel just with a backpack — equipment, clothes, everything. It’s the easiest way to travel in Africa/Europe/Latin Am. Every inch of space in my bag is critical.

My other situation of shooting is wandering the streets in cities. I frequently shoot from the hip with a 50-85mm lens. Many places where I travel, as soon as you pull a camera to your face people react. I remember one situation of dock workers in Tanzania. As soon as the camera came up, most of the guys were trying to model, while some were yelling “no pictures.” Add a lens hood just draws more attention. Using the flip screen and keeping camera at my waist, people hardly seem to notice or pay attention at all. Same can be the case for street music videos — passers by pay more attention to you than the music.

taxslave

Who uses the built in flash?

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

MANY folks do! For example, they are wonderful for triggering remote flash and they can be helpful in many other situations. Their down side is they are not very powerful and they add an area where water can enter, but don't write them off. Best of luck.

nekon Loc: Carterton, New Zealand

If you cut hole, using a dremel type drill in your lenshood you can use a finger to adjust your cpl

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

A polarizer does affect the photo.
I sometimes used one in the age of film to photograph silver train cars
{I haven't needed it since then, because I have always used the "curves" tool to get a better demarcation between the sky and the car}.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

I always thought of them as an amateur's tool, used to mark beginning of a NASCAR race by fans photographing back of the head of the guy in front of them.

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

You can also purchase lens hoods that screw onto your polarizer, allowing you to easily spin it to the desired degree of polarization.

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

Many people do. Mostly for close-up fill flash or triggering other remote flashes.

Imagemine Loc: St. Louis USA

me most of the time still sometimes it's not necessary but always have it on the lens at least screwed on backwards , but it has some degree of protection