Lens Hood

[Nikkie]

Just some advice It was suggested to me that in one of my shoots a lens hood would have been good so I went to our local camera shop with this in mind they are only very small and mostly develop film but they do have some other things like tripods any way the man in the shop showed me these rubber ones that you can just have on your lens and when need them they just fold out to make the hood not sure if this is the way to go or should I get the hard plastic type just not sure about the rubber one's

[Scotty72]

Never used one.

But, so long as they:

- grip the barrel ok
- don't interfere with any of the controls or functions (esp focus ring)
- dont cause vignetting

it should be ok?

[Lance B]

The beauty of the hard plastic type is that they can protect the lens a bit in a fall and are less likely to distort thus causing vignetting. I would try to get an original lens hood for the lens you have as it is designed to work correctly on that lens for vignetting purposes.

[peterb666]

Most of my lenses have lens hoods and I use them when I can. The provide protection from stray light and fingers. As Lance noted, they can protect your lens from damage too. I had a Sigma 150-500 fall foward and the fall was cushioned by the lens hood which got a git of gravel rash. No damage to the lens itself but it would have been a different story without the hood and the lens's very large and exposed front element.

The only time I don't use a lens hood (other than 1 small UWA lens that doesn't have one) is when I have a Cokin holder on the lens.

[Nikkie]

the only lens I have right now Is the kit lens it did not come with a lens hood but If I got one for the kit lens if I can that would be the best way to I think the hard plastic ones seem to be a better option as the love of money is one thing but the love of my camera is a whole new story thanks to everybody I ll see if i can get one :th3:

[Scotty72]

Most of my lenses have lens hoods and I use them when I can. The provide protection from stray light and fingers. As Lance noted, they can protect your lens from damage too. I had a Sigma 150-500 fall foward and the fall was cushioned by the lens hood which got a git of gravel rash. No damage to the lens itself but it would have been a different story without the hood and the lens's very large and exposed front element.

The only time I don't use a lens hood (other than 1 small UWA lens that doesn't have one) is when I have a Cokin holder on the lens.

What he said :) - Lance too. Soft rubber wont ofter a lot of proctection.

[I @ M]

Nikkie, the lens hood you need for the 18-55 is a HB-45 and it is a "snap on" mounting and not a twist locking hood.
Your lens is one of the very few that don't come standard with a hood in the Nikon line up.:(

I don't know why but it doesn't even appear in the parts list on Nikon's Australian web site. :confused013

If you were to go looking for one you would expect to pay $25 + and that is a lot of money for a fairly simple piece of plastic.

I would be tempted to try out a generic one from good old fleabay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Lens-Hood-NIKON-AF-S-DX-18-55mm-f-3-5-5-6G-VR-HB-45-/250780481040?pt=AU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories&hash=item3a63ae7610) for under $10.00 delivered. :rolleyes:

[Nikkie]

thank you very much Andrew for this information and you went out of your way for me I do appropriate it very much :)

[GJC]

I agree, go for the hard ones, preferrably made for the lens. Also, what I do a lot, even if I have a lens hood on the lens, if I notice sun on the lens, is to use my hand, or hat, to shade the front of the lens. The trick is just to keep your hat out of the photo :)