Hood substitute

[CatherineA]

I bought an ND filter and step-up rings so that the filter could be used on all of my lenses. The problem is that I can’t use a step-up ring and the hood of the lens. There doesn’t seem to be any such thing as a universal hood but I am trying to find a make-shift solution that would act as a universal hood. I have tried the Flex shade but don’t find it satisfactory for this purpose.

I could use my hat to block some of the light but I wonder if there is some way I could get the same blocking quality as my hoods provide - something that goes around the lens. So, I wondered whether anyone used something other than their hoods to block unwanted light.

Thank you

[Manfred M]

Catherine - lot of lenses come with hoods and not all hoods are particularly effective, especially wide angle lenses.

A hood is really only required when the light source (usually the sun) reflects off the surface of the lens or filter. When I have a flare issue, usually shading the lens with my hand is all it takes.

[royent]

You can get a screw in hood which would fit on your ND filter, not as good as the proper hood but possibly better than nothing

[CatherineA]

A hood is really only required when the light source (usually the sun) reflects off the surface of the lens or filter. When I have a flare issue, usually shading the lens with my hand is all it takes.

Thank you Manfred. For an obvious flare then my hat or hand or this flex lens shade will do the trick. I was thinking of the stray light that degrades images that do not amount to an obvious flare. Perhaps I am wrong but when I have taken photos with and without a hood in the place and at the same time - usually because I suddenly noticed that I didn’t have my hood on put it on to re-take the photo - I found that the ones taken with the hood were better. I should go back and check that out though.

[CatherineA]

You can get a screw in hood which would fit on your ND filter, not as good as the proper hood but possibly better than nothing

Thank you Roy, I hadn’t heard of those!

[DanK]

In daytime photography, there is usually only a single light source that can cause flare, so a hand or hat should work well.

Manfred noted that hoods for wide angle lenses are often quite ineffective. This is even more true for wide angle zooms, and it is true of all zooms at the short end because the hood has to be short enough not to vignette at the short end.

[William W]

Carry a big Black Umbrella in your camera bag - one of those extending types. Light-weight, best with a straight handle, not the hook handle. I can hold mine in my Right hand: or using a Straight Flash Bracket it can be connected to the camera's base. You'll need to make a screw connection in the handle of the umbrella.

WW

[Donald]

Carry a big Black Umbrella in your camera bag -

Yep, I'd agree that that's the answer. You get some funny looks from people who don't understand the trials and tribulations faced by the photographer, but is the answer to the problem.

[Paul Rutter]

About a year ago I bought a "Tulip Flower Hood" that consists of a screw in ring that attaches to the thread on the front of the lens or filter, and the solid plastic hood itself which clips onto the ring - and can then be rotated or removed and attached reversed very easily. Also bundled in was a collapsible rubber hood (that also attaches via a screw in thread) that states it can be used for a range of lenses from telephoto to wide-angle. I haven't used the collapsible hood much as it was the other hood I was after. The whole thing (including a lens cap and micro-fibre cleaning cloth) cost me £8.99 via Amazon UK. It was for a Nikkor lens / filter with a 52mm thread but I imagine other sizes are available.

[xpatUSA]

About a year ago I bought a "Tulip Flower Hood" that consists of a screw in ring that attaches to the thread on the front of the lens or filter, and the solid plastic hood itself which clips onto the ring - and can then be rotated or removed and attached reversed very easily.

I have similar mounted on a Sigma fixed 30mm focal length APS-C compact:

[CatherineA]

About a year ago I bought a "Tulip Flower Hood" that consists of a screw in ring that attaches to the thread on the front of the lens or filter, and the solid plastic hood itself which clips onto the ring - and can then be rotated or removed and attached reversed very easily. Also bundled in was a collapsible rubber hood (that also attaches via a screw in thread) that states it can be used for a range of lenses from telephoto to wide-angle. I haven't used the collapsible hood much as it was the other hood I was after. The whole thing (including a lens cap and micro-fibre cleaning cloth) cost me £8.99 via Amazon UK. It was for a Nikkor lens / filter with a 52mm thread but I imagine other sizes are available.

Thanks Paul! I haven't found it yet on Amazon.ca but I will think of other keywords to try.

[CatherineA]

I have similar mounted on a Sigma fixed 30mm focal length APS-C compact:

Thanks Ted! I guess some days that would do the trick and other days, when the sun isn't blocked by that hood, a hat or hand or a black umbrella would do what I need.

[DanK]

Thanks Ted! I guess some days that would do the trick and other days, when the sun isn't blocked by that hood, a hat or hand or a black umbrella would do what I need.

Simpler yet, simply buy a regular lens hood that is the appropriate size for the filter. Any camera store will have a variety, some hard plastic, and some collapsible. Just make sure that it is not too long or too narrow for whatever focal length you are using.

BTW, there is a simple geometric reason for the flower shape of some lens hoods. The sensor is a rectangle. The largest angle of light that can reach the sensor is longest in the corners, shortest at the top and bottom, and in between on the sides.

[rpcrowe]

Catherine...

This seems like a solution - better than holding an umbrella.

https://www.amazon.com/Probrella-Por...ot_top?ie=UTF8

It's no longer available on eBay or amazon.com but I sent you a PM...

[xpatUSA]

Simpler yet, simply buy a regular lens hood that is the appropriate size for the filter.

I'm puzzled ... all my lens hoods except the one I pictured have bayonet fittings for the lens body - not it's filter.

So what is a "regular lens hood"? If it is one that screws into a female thread, that has already been mentioned.

[DanK]

I'm puzzled ... all my lens hoods except the one I pictured have bayonet fittings for the lens body - not it's filter.

So what is a "regular lens hood"? If it is one that screws into a female thread, that has already been mentioned.

What I meant by a regular lens hood is a single piece, as opposed to the multi-part device Paul mentioned. I was responding to Catherine's comment that she hadn't been able to locate the thing Paul mentioned. I should have mentioned that I was referring to one that screws into the filter, hence "the appropriate size for the filter.:

[xpatUSA]

What I meant by a regular lens hood is a single piece, as opposed to the multi-part device Paul mentioned. I was responding to Catherine's comment that she hadn't been able to locate the thing Paul mentioned. I should have mentioned that I was referring to one that screws into the filter, hence "the appropriate size for the filter.:

Ah, now it is clear. Just like the one I showed in post #10. Thanks.

[Paul Rutter]

Catherine,

This may not help but here's a link to the UK site for the items I mentioned:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071XYJ4SW

The solid hood clips onto the ring that in turn screws into the filter. It's firmly attached but readily removed. So if you don't want the hood, or you are storing the camera in a camera bag where the hood makes it too long, the hood can be clipped on reversed.

[xpatUSA]

Thanks Ted! I guess some days that would do the trick and other days, when the sun isn't blocked by that hood, a hat or hand or a black umbrella would do what I need.

And that locking ring allows the petals to be turned to an orientation appropriate to the direction of the source of the flare - thereby delaying the hat/hand/umbrella moment.