Lens hoods are an effective means of reducing extraneous light from degrading image quality. Dedicated to the Coolpix 5700 /8700
1 A must-have accessory, and it's cheap
This lens hood designed specificaly for the Coolpix 5700 is a must-have accessory. It does more than just protecting the lens, which it certainly does, esp. for those busy moments when you might bump the front of the camera on something solid. (Don't forget Murphy's Law.)
But the lens hood can also improve your picture quality. As with SLR lenses, the hood prevents light from entering the camera lens from the sides and enhances the sharpness and contrast of the picture. This is especially true outdoors when the light is diffused (scattered). Just use this all the time (see exception below) and your pictures out of the 5700 will be at their best (all other factors being equal, of course).
The only times you should *NOT* use the hood is when you use the built-in flash on the 5700, esp. indoors when the flash is used as the main lighting source. The hood will block the flash and cast an ugly shadow on your nearby subject. Even outdoors when you use the built-in flash for fill-in light, you should remove the hood first to avoid uneven exposure.
Get the hood today to improve your pictures and protect your camera.
2 A must have for your 5700 and 8700
I've owned the Nikon HR-E5700 lens hood for almost as long as I've owned my Nikon 5700. The lens hood screws on quickly and can be removed just as quickly. Not only does the hood shade the lens from outside glare but its firm rubberized nature also protects the lens from accidental side-to-side dings and accidents.
There really shouldn't be a time when you need to use the lens hood and the speed light (flash) at the same time but if you did then the flash is going to be obscured by the lip of the hood leaving a darker shadow on the bottom of the image.
If it weren't for the popup speed light I would leave the lens hood on permanently since it adds to the general bulk of the camera and makes the 5700 (and the 8700) 'feel' a bit more substantial a bit more like a prosumer digital camera.
3 Do not use with pop-up flash
Do not use for in-door, when pop-up flash is activated.
A shadow will appear on the bottom of the picture.
4 Good for outdoor use.
I've been using a the Coolpix 5700 for 8 mos., shooting outdoors. The hood is usefull on sunny days, or days with slight drizzle--basically helps to protect the lens. Otherwise, it's not necessary.
