Does a Nikon 50mm 1.4 Lens need a hood?

I have a canon and have a hood but my friend has a Nikon and we can't seem to find the right one to fit her lens. Didn't know if we needed a hood for the lens either.

A hood is always a good idea, but not vital - Nikon will almost certainly have a list of stockists on their website.

A simple web search found two lens hoods suitable for your friend's Nikon 50mm f1.4 lens:

HB-47 Bayonet Lens Hood for AF-S 50mm f1.4

HR-2 Rubber Lens Hood (52mm Screw-In) for 50mm f1.4

I'd sugest the HR-2 since it makes using a Circular Polarizer much easier.

" Need " would depend on the shooting situation. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.