DIY homemade lens hood

[cinemasteve87]

Since I'm kind of on a low budget right now, I was too lazy to purchase a regular lens hood for my wide-angle lens. I could only find the type of lens hood that screws on in front of the wide-angle lens; however, I did not like the idea of that concept.

So I decided to make my own! Went to Kragen (auto parts store) and picked up one of those funnels that are used to change the oil from cars.

Me and a friend cut out the outlines and edges of the funnel so it wouldn't be too big and in the way of the view of the lens.

Since wide-angle lens do not have a thread in front, I wanted to make a lens hood that could just easily slide in and fit like a glove. So I traced out the outline of my wide-angle lens on a piece of cardboard. Cut out the outline and placed it between the bottom and semi-middle of the lens hood. Taped where the position of the piece of cardboard was all the way up and around. (The piece of cardboard enables the lens hood to slip on and stay on the wide-angle lens.)

Not the most attractive lens hood in the world, but it's $3 dollars (USD) and it works like a charm.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a212/gimpystevie/Lenshood1.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a212/gimpystevie/Lenshood2.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a212/gimpystevie/Lenshood3.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a212/gimpystevie/Lenshood4.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a212/gimpystevie/Lenshood5.jpg

[itsmejlaws]

it looks like darth vader's helmet, hah nice job

[Ivan Fuentes]

hi!!

can't it be a bit more well... matte? current black paint looks kinda glossy, but then again, maybe it's just the camera's flash

[cinemasteve87]

hi!!

can't it be a bit more well... matte? current black paint looks kinda glossy, but then again, maybe it's just the camera's flash

I can make it look however I want it to look :hv20-smilie03:

[Ivan Fuentes]

I can make it look however I want it to look :hv20-smilie03:

oh nono, i wasn't talking about looks. it's just, you know, it would be much better to have a matte lens hood, so you can assure it will actually absorb incoming light... if it's too glossy, it might reflect unwanted light into your lenses, anytime now. but as i said, it might be the camera's flash

[cinemasteve87]

Oh I see where you're getting at now. Sorry for the misunderstanding. Yes, I have considered that factor with the reflecting light off the plastic, however, as you also stated before, it is indeed the camera's flash. The texture and color of the plastic is a lot darker when viewed in person. But thanks for the heads up, I almost forgot about how easily it could attract unwanted light into my lens. I have already tested it out in the sunlight, and it works just fine.

[nzo]

That is one ugly son of a lenshood :hv20-smilie03: !!

Good on you for your resourcefulness. If it works, what the hell.

[TimeKoder13]

gives me some ideas about my toilet plunger...

[bluegrass]

I've made a pretty functional "doghouse" bass out of a toilet plunger, mop handle and a galvanized washtub. I don't see why you couldn't cut off a part of a toilet plunger to use as a lens hood. Being made of rubber, you should be able to be make it fit nice and snug. It would also serve to make the camera a bit more professional looking. Consider the size - very impressive. I would use the black though, the orange would be a dead give away.

[ztrain727]

lol.^^ Nice idea. I think I might try to make one out of cardboard or something.

[nzo]

Ideas:

1 litre square plastic icecream containers. Come in black plastic. Can be cut to shape.

Square plastic 500ml yoghurt containers

[VideJo]

. . out of a toilet plunger. . .
Have you ever taken a look in the bin at the department store, where those rubber plunger are? Have you ever seen one, that still had its original shape and was not deformed?
I have not. And thus I expect if I would find one that was still in good shape, it would deform as soon as it is in the camera bag.

[Skatervideoguy]

Hi folks,

Here's another simple, cheap and functional Lens Hood that does not block the Cam's front sensors.

Use just the right length & width piece of a Black Mouse Pad, some super glue, and presto - an easy fit Lens Hood that stores easily - and simply slides on, and off.

Harold

[rrfilm]

i just signed up at this forum (a huge resource btw, thanks to everyone, i have so much to learn)...I just started looking for DIY lens hood, and saw this, and had to say that i was ROFLMAO at itsmejlaws comments re: Darth Vader's helmet!! haha, that was really funny.

I guess if you're on a tight budget and don't care for looks, above is ok. But for me, it has to look presentable, so i'll keep looking...

thanks for the laughs itsmejlaws!! :)

[kko]

for my old camera i used part of a vitamin bottle and it looked legit and worked great too

[clarkey]

Here is a great DIY Matte Box. It might be a little more work, but it looks pro and cost less than $50.

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=140312