Why I need a lens hood

I've been reading up on photography and lens.

I'm thinking about getting a portrait lens, or a prime lens. AF 50mm f1.8 D mainly, as it's supposed to be a 'cheap and good' lens.

But I'm sort of taking my time, although I do very much want to get one for Baby's 1st birthday.

I'm waiting for my 3rd sister to have the time to go down to one of the shops with me to try it out.

I'm starting to feel more comfortable with the mention of 'shutter speed' and 'aperture', although I haven't grasped them very well yet. But I'm not so jittery and all-confused the moment I hear them being mentioned now, since I'm a number-phobic. I'll see if there's a term specially for this phobia. I'm sure there is.

I'm trying to know what 'bokeh' is, although it's still highly abstract to me.

And today, I learnt that I need a lens hood on. I got one that comes together with my camera, but I haven't fixed it on yet as I thought that's for a pro and not an idiot-amateur like me.

Basically, the lens hood have these functions:

1) Prevent light from hitting the front lens element from the sides - reducing contrast and creating flare.

Pictures taken with a lens hood installed will generally have richer colors, deeper saturation.

2) Protect the lens.

The damage prevented can range from a finger-printed front element (a minor inconvenience) to a broken lens (possibly a major expense - and lost pictures). Lens hoods are generally strong and stick out from the lens some distance. Accidental touches and scratches to the front element are reduced simply because the glass is difficult to reach.

Lens hoods on longer focal length lenses offer some front lens element protection from rain and dust. The hood helps to keep the front element clean and dry.


So in order to understand what 'flare' means, which is a term that comes up very frequently in ClubSnap forums, I had to google for it and read up on it as well.

Photography really makes one read.

Perhaps that's one of the reasons the threaders in ClubSnap are so well-stocked in their vocabulary.