Clip-on lens hoods

[Markus Albertz]

Good day!

Does anyone know a place that sells clip-on lens hoods? I have 3 lenses for my 8x10 camera and thus far just used a flexible support with clamps to position something (e.g., a filter package) against the sun. This is not particularly convenient and so I am on the look for rubber hoods. The lenses are:

(1) Kodak Ektar 250mm wide field
(2) Wollensak 13-20-25"
(3) Kowa 210mm

(1) and (2) have filter threads, (3) does not. I don't mind clip-on hoods for all 3 lenses.

Thanks very much in advance!

Best, Markus

 

[resummerfield]

Considering camera movements, I don’t think a lens hood attached to the lens would work. Your flexible support and clamps is probably the best solution. Or try a bellows type hood which attaches to the front standard and can be adjusted.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I think the 250mm WF Ektar is Series 9. Theoretically, that should be around 86mm, but I have an 86mm wideangle hood that doesn't fit it, and I have a 4" gel holder with a S9 screwmount that does. The gel holder didn't come with the lens, but it has a similar look and finish to Kodak products of the period, so it may have been made for it.

 

[Claire Senft]

You may want to use rubber or other hoods for flare protection and a behind the lens filter holder. I would suggest checking with Calumet or B&H.

 

[Pinholemaster]

See if your brand or style camera has a compendium lens shade available. Much simpler solution and works with all your glass.

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

Considering camera movements, I don’t think a lens hood attached to the lens would work. Your flexible support and clamps is probably the best solution. Or try a bellows type hood which attaches to the front standard and can be adjusted.

Why not? I use screw-in hoods every day...

 

[Markus Albertz]

Thanks everyone for your comments so far. I don't see either why I should not be able to use movments with a screw-on or clip-on hood. The advantage of a fixed hood over a compendium hood or a flexible support is that it simply takes less time to set up and you don't have to pay attention to vignetting. But apparently, there is nothing in the stores and so I have to poke around on ebay and such.

Best, Markus

 

[resummerfield]

It’s possible I didn’t understand the question, or just don’t understand optics in general. And since nobody seemed to pick-up on my reasoning for not using a lens hood fixed to the lens, let me explain.….

I always thought a lens hood was designed to remove extraneous light not needed to form the image, and thus reduce excess light/flare inside the camera. And any lens hood that does not remove extraneous light is not effective. So a lens hood fixed to a lens will reduce the image circle of the lens. That’s fine for a camera with no movements, but not for a view camera, where the lens axis is not always centered on the film.

Let’s say I have a 155mm Grandagon on my 8x10, and I raise the lensboard about 40mm, the theoretical limit of the lens circle. If I had a lens hood fixed to the lens, I would have vignetting at the bottom of the gg/film, but still have extraneous light above the gg.

But if I use a compendium hood and adjust it correctly, I should be able to remove extraneous light from above the gg, yet not vignette the image at the bottom of the gg.

I’m interested in any comments, as this is a great learning forum.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

A compendium hood is generally a better hood, because you can adjust it along with the movements of the camera, but not every camera has this as an option, and Markus doesn't mention which camera we're talking about. There are compendiums that attach to the lens, but then we're back to the original problem of finding one compatible with the various threading schemes of an assortment of older lenses.

Sometimes with a very wide lens, like a 110mm on 8x10" a compendium hood is likely to vignette anyway (depending on the specifics of the hood, the camera, and the movements applied to any particular shot), and there might be no really good option other than flagging the lens with a black card. This is true even with the 250mm WF Ektar on my 8x10" Sinar P (maybe in some cases it would work with the 4x5" bag bellows as a hood), which is only a moderately wide lens.

I use both, depending on what I'm doing.

 

[Markus Albertz]

Sorry, I neglected to mention that we are talking about a Wehman 8x10 field camera. I thought this was irrelevant, because if I had one of the more widely used cameras, I would have known about proprietary compendium hoods. Anyway, Bruce Wehman, the maker of these cameras has detailed technical information posted on his website:

http://www.wehmancamera.com/

In fact, I have a Wista compendium lens hood for my 4x5 field camera that I might be able to modify and attach to the Wehman. I had thought about this before but then dismissed it because I would still prefer a set of simple, rubber slip- or screw-on hoods.

BTW, I can highly recommend the Wehman 8x10 for its ease in handling, rigidity, compactness, weight, and price. There is one on ebay right now, just look under '8x10 and larger'.

Best,

Markus

 

[John Koehrer]

I'm not sure about the proposition that raising a fixed lens hood with the lens would cause vignetting. It shouldn't cut down on image circle unless, possibly the lens was tilted giving an oval projected image.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Depends on the lens hood, format, and the lens. Usually a fixed lens hood causes some vignetting, and if you apply enough camera movements, you'll see it. A compendium does too, but if it's flexible enough, you can get it out of the way.

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

I'm not sure about the proposition that raising a fixed lens hood with the lens would cause vignetting. It shouldn't cut down on image circle unless, possibly the lens was tilted giving an oval projected image.

Agree. The subtended image solid angle remains the same. If the hood doesn't interfere with image covering with zeroed movements, it shouldn't interfere when movements are applied as well.

Agree on doubts with tilt, that should be evaluated visually. However, I guess that to see any effect, one should tilt to such an angle that has no practical purpose in normal photography.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Agree. The subtended image solid angle remains the same. If the hood doesn't interfere with image covering with zeroed movements, it shouldn't interfere when movements are applied as well.

Well, try it. If you've got a groundglass with clipped corners, see if you can see the lens hood as you apply movements. Whether the hood interferes depends on the lens, the hood, and the format.

Most hoods will reduce the subtended image solid angle, again depending on the hood and on the lens. If you use a wideangle hood that is sufficiently wide for the lens you might not reduce the angle of view, but then it's not as useful a lens hood for when you don't need the whole image circle. With no movements, for instance, you might be better off with a normal or long lens hood, and with more movements you will need a wider lens hood. A compendium hood lets you make such adjustments without having to change the lens hood.

 

[avandesande]

I think that compendiums are too bulky and unecessary with modern multicoated lenses. I never get any flare unless sunlight is directly hitting the optics. A simple lens shade (or a hat) seems to do fine.
Dead Link Removed

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

Whether the hood interferes depends on the lens, the hood, and the format.

David, who did say that a random hood works fine with a random lens? The hood choice must be performed with rationality even in 35mm photography. And of course, when movements are zeroed, one has set himself in the proverbial "best case scenario".

If I said anything which is geometrically wrong, please correct me; I'm the jackass of the situation most of the times after all. Otherwise, I still can see no reason why well choosen screw-in or clip-on hoods can't be used succesfully with movements applied.

You can buy a hundred of hoods of various angles and lengths and sizes and diameters, with the price of a single compendium. Most of them can be recycled from previous 35mm setup, provided they fit. That's, basically, why I don't own a compendium, and I'll hardly own one in the future.

 

[mmcclellan]

One of the easiest ways to handle this is just to use the dark slide to cast a shadow across the lens when you are ready to make the exposure. Just be sure to hold it back far enough that it does not get in the picture!