Lens Hood DIY Suggestions

[seabee1999]

So when I was out with the guys a few weekends back in Lone Pine, the thought of having a lens hood crossed my mind a few times. Over the past few days, I have been looking up some archived threads on here about lens hoods and what I could do. I wouldn't mind a compendium hood for the CC-4xx series I have but I can't seem to find one at the moment. So screw on hoods came up but I was also thinking of light modifying barndoors for studio strobes would work pretty good as well. I am leaning more towards the later right now. My hope is to do this on the cheap. My questions would be though, should I look for a set of barndoors to attach to the rim of the lens or attach to the front frame of the front standard? Also, does anyone have a good suggestion for which barndoors to get. Mod's, if this isn't the right place to ask, please move the thread to the right sub forum.

Thanks for your time.

R/
Dave

[vinny]

see these threads on making lens shades: http://www.largeformatphotography.in...161#post276161
http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ade-for-7-x-17


or if you don't want full coverage:http://www.amazon.com/Dinkum-Systems.../dp/B009KQFVYA

[LabRat]

Or option #3 is that the shade does not have to be attached to lens or camera... (Even more area to catch wind created vibration)

In product studios, using flags or cutters is a common practice to prevent stray light from hitting the lens... By using a small stand near the front of lens, one can easily have barndoors, or other light cutters on that stand very near, but not touching camera... (or a golf umbrella)

One photog I worked for took a old 500 sheet, 8X10 photo paper box and lined it with black velvet for his location shade... There was an oversized hole in the top of the box for the lens opening with black velvet around that too... There was an adjustable block to hold it and tilt it on the light stand, and he cut away the corner seams (so the box could fold flat) and glued velcro strips there so the sides were adjustable... The box did not have to be directly touching the camera, as it had a shaded oversized hole for the lens area... An added benefit was the adjustable spacing for the lens that allowed CC gels to be held on a little rod in front of the lens, (for instance, shooting nighttime interiors with mixed light sources where the camera could stay open, and different lights could be turned on and off for their exposures. and filters could be changed without shaking or touching camera... (Open end of box could be flagged with velvet covered foam-core sheet and not fog film if you were quick during light switching...)

Worked well!!!!

I still carry in my car a small folder of various sized pieces of black mounting board, foam core, cinefoil, and some pony clamps, clothespins, tape, and a couple of REALLY el-cheapo light stands (Hey, I found them on the street, OK!?!!!) that I use for lens shading, but mostly for night photography to get rid of some pesky, out of frame light aiming at my lens... (I will often attach a flag to some chain link fence, or a low tree branch, but I have to remember to fetch them before I leave site!!!)

The DIY possibilities are endless...

Oh, and make sure the stand is downwind from the camera if outside... (You know why...)

Steve K

[Jim Jones]

Cut a hole in the bottom of a rectangular box that will just clear the threads of a filter. Use a clear filter or a filter from which the glass has been removed to retain the box on the lens. If that hole is slightly off-center, the box can be rotated to accommodate front movements. Tin boxes from second-hand stores work fine for this. Collapsible boxes can be fabricated from mat board.

[Liquid Artist]

I just hold the darkslide so it just stops the sun from shining off the lens.

I also occasionally drape my dark cloth over and just past the lens.
However my dark cloth is 2 pieces of blackout cloth sewn together, making it really quite stiff compared to some.

[sun of sand]

I tried flags on various extensions
Didn't like em
Hand holding dark slide works but only on upper portion
I like winter photography so it seems those types situations not the most perfect solution

I thought of barn doors too
Someone on here devised a way to make one using a hair scrunchy but can't remember his name quite
Starts with r? Had a z in it?

I found a few barn Door sets and epoxief a filter thread and lined the doors to cut even more glare

One bigger set was found as a light gel filter thing all preassemblef and snap in type pos system
That was for my 90 4.5
I also used that filter idea and glued Velcro so could use 4x4 filters within the "matte box"

On long lenses I use long tubes slightly shorter than optimal lined with velvet

[sun of sand]

Robert zeichner
As linked to above

[seabee1999]

Thank you all for the suggestions and links. I'll be looking at them all and see what I can come up with.

[Liquid Artist]

If I was going to do the Barn Door approach I would make it so I could rotate it kinda like a Cokin filter system.
Otherwise the light will always come at a weird angle right through the sides.

[Eric Woodbury]

I'm using one of these now, but heavily modified.

http://www.flexlensshade.com/

I took off the strap and drill a 1/4" hole throw the end. I bolted a shoe (like a flash shoe thingy) to it and attach to the camera via the shoe. It's working ok. Something such as this would be equivalent.

http://www.amazon.com/Dinkum-Systems...3026564&sr=1-1

And I have an old filter holder / barn door combo. No longer available. Holds 3" gels, but it is a tight fit for some of my larger diameter lenses.