Why lens hood important ? and when ?

[SJD]

I just bought Nikkor 70-300mm IF ED VR ... super happy

just wondering, why do i have to use the hood that came with it and in what circumstances will that be useful ?

 

[BackdoorArts]

Congrats on the new lens.

The hood's primary function is to reduce glare and lens flare when shooting in direct sunlight. It is designed to eliminate it in almost every case outside of shooting into directly into the sun. It also serves as a barrier to protect the front lens element when moving around with the camera. I only take mine off when it will interfere with flash or when shooting indoors in situations where it makes the lens more conspicuous, or when I need to get the front element close to, say, a window or screen.

 

[nickt]

If your eyes are squinting down from the sun or you need to put you sunglasses on, you should also be using your lens hood.

 

[Marcel]

Even if you have the sun behind you, any white object close to the border but outside of your image can affect the sharpness and resolution of your picture. In some conditions it does not much, but as Jake mentioned it's a good lens protection in case someone bangs into you or some hard object suddenly comes in contact with the lens.

The only time I don't like using it is with a polarizer since it's hard to get in there to rotate the filter to get the desired effect.

 

[STM]

There are two very reasons; one it prevents flare and two, it helps to protect the front element from damage. Honestly, I would use it all the time, regardless.

 

[carguy]

I use only the OEM hoods personally. They size, shape and fit are correct for the lens.