Product Description

One of the most important accessories for each lens you own. A lens hood provides multiple functions: it shades the lens from stray light, improving your contrast and image quality; in inclement weather, it can assist in keeping moisture or wind-blown debris off the lens; and it protects the front barrel from the inevitable impacts against walls, door frames, and other real-life obstacles.

Product Details

• Brand: Canon
• Model: 9447A001
• Dimensions: 3.00" h x 3.90" w x 3.90" l, .25 pounds

Features

• Designed to prevent unwanted stray light from entering the lens
• Ensures no problems with vignetting or motor functions
• Added benefit of extra protection from accidental impact
• Compatible with 70-300mm f4.5 to f5.6 DO-IS and EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM USM lenses

Amazon.com Product Description
Lens hoods are primarily designed to prevent unwanted stray light from entering by extending and shading the end of the lens, ensuring no problems with vignetting or motor functions. Additionally, since the end of the lens is extended, you also get the added benefit of some extra protection from accidental impact. Lens hoods match the specific focal length of the lens it was designed for.

This lens hood fits the following Canon lenses:

• EF 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 DO IS USM
• EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM

Customer Reviews

Here's the hood missing from your lens box...
4 stars because it's $40 for a piece of plastic that should have been included with both of its intended lenses.

Shame on your cheap ways, Canon!

Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Reduces flare and ghosting when shooting in bright light.
- Helps protect your lens from dirt and scratches.
- Somewhat protects the lens in case of a fall. Better to break the hood than the front element.
- Makes you look more like you know what you are doing and helps keep others from carelessly walking in front of you.

Cons:
- Will increase lens movement in windy situations, kind of like a sail on a boat.
- Takes up more room in your bag, even when reversed they still add to the diameter of the lens.
- People take more notice of you, will help to blow your cover if you are trying to keep a low profile.

Useful
Overpriced? Sure.

Useful? Of course, and in several ways. On a recent vacanza a Italia, the hood proved its worth not only as an excellent flare mitigator, but protected the front elements from damage (and I generally consider my gear babied) made possible by careless other tourists. Of course, the hood was a necessity during lengthy evening/night exposures, as well, in heavily traveled areas (Spanish Steps) because of the large doses of light provided streetlamps.

A slotted hood might ultimately provide better flare oblation across the entire zoom range, but this hood does its job.

For those who wonder, the hood works with both the DO and non-DO 70-300mm lenses.

For the record, I won't drop the star rating because of an excessive price. Protect your kit - and your exposure plane: use a hood.