Who uses a hood?

kipkeston

kipkeston

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Who uses a hood with their ZM, which ZM do you use it on and why?

I'm thinking about getting a hood for my 35, but I can't seem to justify it.
 
Whenever possible I use a hood with all lenses (currently using just two ZM -- 50/1.5 and 18/4), not just for flare protection but also as mechanical protection against rain, dust, fingerprints, blows... The ZM bayonet hoods also make filter changing easier than with anything except Leica's retractable hoods.

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks said:
Whenever possible I use a hood with all lenses (currently using just two ZM -- 50/1.5 and 18/4), not just for flare protection but also as mechanical protection against rain, dust, fingerprints, blows... The ZM bayonet hoods also make filter changing easier than with anything except Leica's retractable hoods.

Cheers,

R.
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+1 on the mechanical protection.
 
I used my vc LH-5 hood made for the nokton 40mm on my new Biogon c 35mm 2.8, so I can use the Zeiss cap on it. The zeiss and the vc hood for 35mm and 40mm look the same but the vc is cheaper.
 
My lens shade (hood) is always on my lens.

for good protection of stray light and my mistake (fingerprints, drops of lens)

double protections.
 
The question should be: who doesn't use a hood...
I always have hoods on all my lenses, and I put filters on, only if strictly necessary, this way the lenses are protected and the best optical performance is obtainable from the lens. Just read any serious lens maker's take on this argument.
 
I always have a hood and a UV MRC filter on all my lens, but never a lens cap. That way I am ready to go with (in my mind) the ultimate protection. Call me crazy but in over 30 years, I have ruined a couple of hoods and cracked a filter or two but never the lens itself. Nuff said.
 
i do not use the hood on the 35mm ZM only if i require a more (most) compact package.
please keep in mind, that though ZM lens are least prone to flare, it still may occurr, and it may be most unwelcome.

the mechanical protection is the other good reason to use it. hoods saved my lenses several times!

cheers
sebastian
 
I use lens hoods on all my lenses and at all times, even inside our home. It offers protection and allows a better hold on the lens. Only in my lens tests I do not use lens hoods on purpose. It is also not easy to find the right lens hood for 25-30 lenses. My favorites are vintage lens hoods. They are unique in shape and construction. I don't use the plastic ones.
 
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I agree with the above. For a modern lens like the ZM Biogon, flare isn't a huge issue but using a hood will improve optical performance in many lighting conditions. The main reason I use one, however, is to protect the front element from fingerprints, bumps, etc.
 
I would also add that I find a lens with a lens hood looking much cooler than the lens without a lens hood. The lens hoods a real "sexiness" factor for lenses. It is an elegance look that I mean.
 
I have one but have never used it.

It makes the camera too large, like an SLR.

What's the point of buying into a 'stealth' camera and then making it more obvious?

And I don't plan on dropping it or smearing fingerprints on the lens so I consider myself safe enough.

Sometimes I get some flare.
 
I usually don't do stealth photography, so the extra size does not affect my decision. When I took photos in Syria, I did not use a lens hood.
 
ClaremontPhoto said:
And I don't plan on dropping it or smearing fingerprints on the lens so I consider myself safe enough..
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Dear Jon,

No-one plans on dropping their lenses, and it doesn't happen often: to my wife and myself, maybe half a dozen times in over 60 person-years of serious/professional photography (40+ years for me, 20+ years for her).

But when it does...

Fingerprints are likewise rare, but not unknown.

Rain and dust are common.

For my money, unobtrusiveness (I don't like the term 'stealth', because that's not what I'm doing) is a matter of the photographer rather than using a hood or not.

Finally, my 35/1.4 Summilux pre-aspheric is smaller with its hood than some modern lenses without.

Cheers,

R.
 
I usually use hoods for protection and sometimes UV filters when I want a lower profile to the camera. Protecting the front lens element is most important to me.

As to flare, I have a tendency to displace lenses that I repeatedly see allow the flare monster to bite me. The ZM 35/2 is great with regard to both flare and image quality.
 
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