In article <517rh6$5np@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, fredgrr@aol.com says...

>I am an extremely amateur photographer with a question. I have read (in a
>book about photography) that it is a good idea to have a hood on your
>lens. Apparently it will reduce glare from the sun while taking outdoor
>shots. I own a Minolta 450si and would be interested if anyone knows about
>this. Also, where can you buy them and do you need a different one for
>each lens.

Most (but not all....) lenses can benefit from using a properly
fitted lens hood (though your hand may be more effective in blocking
the sun if it is just out of the picture area, unless the shade is
deep and rectangular). Beware that using even the specific screw-in
shade designed for your lens combined with a thick-rimmed (or multiple)
filter may cause "vignette" (dark picture corners). And, yes, you would
almost certainly need a different one for each lens, to avoid vignette.
Hope This Helps