A digital camera is itself an advanced technology that several photographers used to capture artistic pictures. While purchasing a camera, you often receive a lens hood and that is of much importance. Professional photography needs experience and also the knowledge of the tools that are used in the camera.
Many beginner photographers might think about the use of a lens hood and why it is necessary to put a lens hood on the camera lens. Well if you are new to photography and want to learn more about the lens hood and when to use it, you are on the right track.
Read out this complete blog for a better understanding and knowledge regarding the camera lens hood.
What is Lens Hood?
Lens hood comes in mostly two shapes, cylindrical and petal and the main reason you use the lens hood is to avoid any stray light.
While taking photos in daylight to avoid sunlight you need a lens hood that reflects your image quality with the addition of extra light.
The lens hood stops the flare of light to the camera lens and focuses on the object.
Why Lens Hood?
It is absolutely easy to answer this question, a lens hood has the quality to block the external light or a strong light source. When you do not use the lens hood the picture quality is disturbed or it might appear blurry and not up to the mark. There are two shaped lens hoods, Cylindrical and petal-shaped lens hoods. Both have distinct features during photoshoots.
The petal-shaped lens hood is mostly used for the camera with a wider angle, and the lens hood has cut corners for specific reasons.
As while zooming the object, if the lens hood corners are not cut you might actually see the lens hood in a black spot around your picture and that is not the requirement.
Likewise, a cylindrical lens is without any cut corners and is used for the short-range camera lens.
These are mandatory for fixed focal range lenses and also for telephoto lenses, also cylindrical lens hoods are round shaped as the camera does not need any zoom.
The lenses are stable at a certain focal length; the lens hood can be made to the exact point where it’s invisible.
Also, a cylindrical lens hood is used in a telephoto lens for wildlife photography.
Must Read : Can your laptop camera spy on you
What Lens Hood Do I Need?
The cylindrical or petal-shaped lens hood is made according to the requirement, and for that, it is a true statement that they are not for the same cameras.
Let’s understand this concept with an example, for instance, you have Canon 24–105 zoom and 16–35 zoom lenses.
You are required to buy the lens hood according to your camera lens diameter or circumference. Likewise, the circumference of both these cameras is 77mm and the other uses 88mm respectively. In addition to this also you should take care of the wider angle of the lens and need to adopt a petal-shaped lens hood.
The wider the angle needs more cut-outs for your camera to capture images without black spots made by the lens hood.
Why Should You Use Lens Hood?
- Removal Of Unwanted Light – the main benefit of this is to keep intense light out of the pictures by restricting sources of light that cause glare or lens flare.
- Both petal and cylindrical-shaped lens hoods provide protection to stop stray light from entering the camera lens.
- With a lens hood, the conditions are more favorable to capture your desired photos.
- Protection From Damage – While in shooting mode you have placed your camera on a tripod or mini stand, a little jerk might cause the camera to fall, and a lens hood will save your lens from damage.
- It provides additional protection over your lens as a lens hood can be purchased but lenses are too expensive to buy again and again.
- Keeping Lens Clear – while photo shooting in harsh conditions or in rainy seasons a lens hood also provides protection against precipitation getting in the camera lens.
- It will give a clear photo if the lens hood is on the camera lens.
Photography is not a simple task but you spend maximum years in training and developing the skills to click the accurate photo.
Likewise, when you are buying the camera make sure to remember one thing to avoid retailers’ faulty statements about the universal lens hood.
It’s not like that every lens has its own diameter or circumference and a particular lens hood is specifically designed for that camera.
In A Nutshell
While purchasing a camera for the first time you might not be sure what tools are designed for which particular specifications.
If you clearly see the lens of the camera it’s obvious that to cover the light or to block the heavy light source there is some tool made for it.
The lens hood is an important tool for capturing high-quality photos and also provides protection from damage. It also provides protection in the rainy season.
In the end, before buying anything a little information is much needed that ultimately satisfies your buying of accurate product and tools required for that particular product (Camera).
I hope you enjoyed this brief information about the purpose of the lens hood and thanks for reading the blog.
All the best for buying the right camera and lens hood.
