Lens hoods are great devices – basically, they allow you to shoot more directly into the sun (i.e at a more acute angle compared to the sunrays) without getting the dreaded solar flares.

Unfortunately, lens hoods can be silly expensive. But, as you all know when I make a statement like that, there is a cheaper way of doing things – in fact, a much cheaper way!

Lenshoods.co.uk is the solution – the site contains PDF templates that can be printed and cut out to make lens hoods for a variety of 35mm and digital SLR camera lenses, with a large series of templates available for all the major camera manufacturers and lenses.

If you print them out on thick black paper, and cut them out carefully, the lens hoods work as well as the official ones – at next to no cost! Fantastic.

Why bother? Well… The site explains it best itself:

Even modest lens hoods are pretty expensive. For example, a replacement lens hood for the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L will set you back £45.99. Even the most basic lens such as the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II will cost you £17.99 if you want to add a lens hood.

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