What is a lens hood?

In its various guises, the lens hood was developed to prevent flare or glare in your photos. This not makes a lens hood suitable for blocking unwanted sun rays, as well as other sources of light, from lamps, for example. In addition, a lens hood also protects the lens should your camera take a knock. A lens hood is a standard photographic accessory, for indoor or outdoor use.

Various models

There is a huge diversity of lens hoods to choose from. Roughly speaking, these can be subdivided into two groups: models with a circular hood and those with notches. Round lens hoods are designed to connect up to the shape of a particular lens. However, the image that falls onto the sensor is rectangular, so with this lens hood type not all the light is kept out of the picture. A more effective version is one with notches. The alternating formats mean light is kept fully out of the picture, thus minimising the likelihood of flare or dull colours. The lens hood simply clicks onto the lens via a twist system, and offers more than adequate protection. Lens hoods are designed with a particular lens type in mind, so make sure the lens hood you want fits your camera. This is stated under the lens hood product info, by either camera compatibility or filter size in mm. Whether you have a wide-angle or telephoto lens camera, there will always be a lens hood to match it.