lens hood for 50mm prime?

[stevet1]

Would you mount a lens hood on a 50mm prime?

Are there advantages?

Steve Thomas

[deebatman316]

I use a hood on all of my lenses especially when shooting in sunny conditions. I don't use a hood if using flash because the lens hood may cast a shadow in the picture.

[normadel]

There are advantages in using the proper hood on any lens. Two of them are reduction/elimination  of flare caused by stray light rays (like the sun off to the side), and protection for the front of the lens.

Why are you asking about a 50mm prime specifically?

[Waddizzle]

I find the argument that lens hoods provide protection against impacts totally falls apart with wide angle lenses.  

[stevet1]

normadel,

You wrote, "Why are you asking about a 50mm prime specifically?"

I figured the 50mm would be used for more close-up work than longer-reach telephotos, and wondered if there was less need for blocking light rays coming in from the side, as you mentioned.

I got a lens hood for my 18-135, and I can't explain it and don't know why, but my photographic confidence seemed to shoot up exponentially. That extra two inches or so at the end of the barrel seems to be helping me focus more on what I'm doing and looking at. I don't know why, but it seems to narrow things down.

I went ahead and ordered a hood for my 50mm anyway to see if I can replicate that same experience and feeling.

Steve Thomas

[normadel]

"but it seems to narrow things down". . . .

That's odd. The CORRECT hood for a lens will not narrow things down at all. Putting a hood designed for a longer lens on a wider lens would definitely narrow your view down.down.

You seem to be impressing yourself just by putting on a hood, with no basis in fact.

If you are desirous of doing a lot of closeup work, you'd be better served by a macro lens. A macro lens (there are choices of focal length) will focus from infinity down to a foot or less and give 1:1 (life-size) images.