[Leica] avoiding hood vignetting

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

On 10/15/05 4:32 PM, "Don Dory" <don.dory@gmail.com> typed:

> Bill,
> No, but I have successfully used hoods designed for 105-135mm lenses on 
> 50mm
> lenses with no vignetting. I suspect that the manufacturers are pretty
> conservative when it comes to hoods: I suspect they think that we will 
> stack
> filters four deep and then mount a hood. Back when Zeiss and Kyocera were
> cooperating you could get a sense of just how big a hood you could use as
> the hoods that Zeiss recommended for their lenses were simply huge.
>  My recommendation would be to do what I have done, purchase some old hoods
> in a variety of sizes out of junk drawers at camera stores and try them. 
> Two
> frames of the open sky will tell you. Shoot one at infinity and one at
> closest focus and look at the negatives/slides/digital file. If you have a
> Dremel then even a hood that slightly vignettes can be cut away at the
> corners until it does not.
>  0.02
>  Don
> don.dory@gmail.com
> 
>  On 10/15/05, Bill Smith <wrs111445@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Does anyone know the optimum length/ depth of metal, straight-walled 49
>> and 55mm dia. hoods for 20, 24, 28, 35, 50, 85, 150, 200 mm lenses with a
>> filter and step-up ring to get the max. flare protection, but no 
>> vignetting?
>> Is there a chart somewhere on the web?
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> Bill
>> 
>> 
For optimum flair protection. I'd not use the step up.

Problem with what sounds like a good idea which is getting real big filters
and hoods to fit all your smaller glass as well is often when you are using
both items you have to switch hoods and or filters from lens to lens as you
switch back and forth. You cant just switch back and forth.
I actually have filters doubled up. I have more than one yellow green 39mm
filter first comes to mind.. And more than one of the same filters in many
other sizes as well. 52 and 55 especially.
Me I love it with they made a dedicated hood and it's for the format as
well. A 24x36 ratio rectangle for 35mm instead of a circle. Although those
rose petal shaped hoods are nice nowadays. Leica seems to put as much
thought into their hoods as other companies put into their lenses. I'd use
the hood of choice. I plan and getting hoods for some of my Leica lenses
with built in hoods which I think are a big compromise. Protecting your
front element much less on the long run.
I've gotten some gorgeous B+W hoods from B&H confusingly enough for when I'm
shooting APS format on digital cameras. Delightfully expensive. I like that
sometimes. Especially a normal hood for my 28 1.4 Nikor wide and fast glass
which becomes a 42mm normal when digitized. Lenses for wides I think do a
lot less flare reduction it would seem obvious as they only stick out a
quarter inch. To me they're great for protection more than flare reduction.
And the Leica wide hoods just look way cool. Man From U.N.C.L.E. But a
normal lens can have some substantial flare reducing black velveteen metal
in front of it and you do see a difference in your images. And improve your
own image which is of course much more important.


Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland Oregon
http://rabinergroup.com/