Lens Hood? Olympus?

Question

I've got a new olympus camera (my first 'fancy' one ever) and we got two lens hoods with it. one say Lens hood LH-61C and and the other says Lens hood LH-61D.

I have a faint idea (blocking out the sun so it doesn't hit the lens) but what exactly are they for and what kind of photography are they for?

Answer 1

Lens hoods can be used in all photography and accomplish two tasks.  Foremost, they block unwanted light from entering the lens -- light that would not be in the regular field of view of the picture.  Blocking this light reduces "lens flare" and can help provide you with better color saturation for your pictures (less color washout effect).  While that's most beneficial in bright light situations they can also help in low-light where there are other bright sources (imagine a cell phone open during a movie).

Second, they help protect the lens from damage.  It's harder to hit the surface of the lens, and it can help keep off dust and moisture.

The 61C is for your 14-42 lens and should be flower petal shaped.  The 61D is for your 40-150 lens and should be cone shaped.

Answer 2

It seriously is for blocking out "lens flare".  You won't need them unless you start seeing lens flare in your shot before you take picture.  If you don't know what it looks like, it's like little streaks and ligh bubbles coming out from the tip side of your frame.  They are mostly used for outside on a sunny day, but sometimes you will even need them inside too if you're getting lens flare from oveahead lighting situations.

An alternative to the lens hood, is holding your camera with one hand and your hand over the end of your lens to block the sun or light out.