After purchasing my K-x I realized that the included 18-55mm lens did not come with a lens hood. Since this was my first real lens that I owned I did some research online to see if a hood was really necessary and how it actually helps you. There is a lot of debate about this topic, but this is what I found…The primary use of a lens hood is to prevent light hitting the front of your lens. When light hits the side of your lens your photographs may show high lens flare or washed out colors (less contrast). This alone should be reason to get a hood. With a lens hood your pictures will have more contrast and less flare in most cases. (plus it looks totally professional!)
Another use of the hood that I heard online is for protection. If you carry your camera on your shoulder like most do, you run the risk of bumping the lens into doors, walls, etc. With a lens hood on, the front element of the lens is protected from accidentally brushing up against something simply because it is more difficult to reach.
When I take a photograph I want to capture the highest quality image that I possibly can. Thats why I purchased a digital SLR and am getting into photography, so anything that helps is welcomed. Thats why I always shoot with a lens hood.
If your Pentax K-x did not come with a 52mm lens hood I suggest purchasing one. They always seem to be sold out, but every couple weeks B & H will get them in stock for order through their website or purchase in store. Check out the availability here.
The Pentax 52mm lens hood (PH-RBA)
But remember, this is just equipment talk. A good photographer can capture intriguing images regardless of their equipment (but equipment surely helps!).
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Could you post some pics (maybe in flickr group if not here) comparing pics with and without the hood?
Cheers.
Yes, I will try and get some samples posted to the site soon.
Hi Michael,
I have just bought a Pentax K-x, which I am very pleased with, I also realised that I should have a lens hood which I bought over the net and which came without instruction or packaging other than plain. Can you tell me what the removable section at the bottom of the lens hood is for?
thanks.
Kev
Congrats on the K-x Kev!
The removable section of your lens hood is so that you can adjust a circular polarizer if you have one attached to your lens. A polarizer reduces reflections and can also darken skies. Check out this wikipedia page about photo filters for some more info.
Attended a Tamron seminar recently and asked if I really needed a lens hood for my K-x. The presenter said that a hood is especially important because the light coming in through a round lens is hitting a square sensor. The lens hoods’ shape helps to “square” the light hitting the sensor while helping to eliminate abberation and flaring. Presenter was a experienced well known photographer and had no “dog in the race” re selling lens hoods since the seminar was for lenses. – makes sense to me but I’m a newbie to the K-x.
Interestingly he also said that filters on digital cameras except for UV/lens protectors were superfluous because of photoshop and the like. – T
That too is what I have found through experience and online research. The lens hood does reduce the amount of light bouncing through your lens at odd angles making flare. Also I agree with the point about filters. For film cameras,yes. They are needed. For digital cameras, I can add many different post effects in Lightroom, Photoshop, or Aperture.