Protecting Your Camera: Tips For Lens-Less Storage And Travel

Protecting your camera lens is essential to keeping your camera safe and ensuring the quality of your photographs. While it may be tempting to remove your lens cap to capture a quick shot, this leaves your camera vulnerable to scratches, dust, and other damage. Here are some tips to protect your camera when it's not in use.

How to Protect a Camera Without a Lens

Use a UV filter to protect against scratches and dust

Using a UV filter is a great way to protect your camera lens from scratches and dust. While it won't do much to protect your lens from falls, a UV filter will keep your lens safe from scratches and dust.

UV filters are also useful for blocking UV light, which can cause a blue haze in your photos. This is especially common if you're shooting somewhere with a lot of UV light, like on a sunny day or at high altitudes. Modern films and digital sensors aren't sensitive to UV light, so you don't need a UV filter to prevent haze. However, it can still be useful in certain situations.

When choosing a UV filter, it's important to consider the quality. Cheap UV filters from no-name brands can affect the quality of your images. Stick to high-quality filters from brands like Hoya, B+W, Zeiss, Canon, and Nikon to avoid any issues.

In addition to using a UV filter, there are a few other ways to protect your camera lens:

• Keep a lens hood on your lens to protect your filter and reduce flare.
• Use a lens cap to protect your lens when not in use.
• Keep front and rear caps on the lens when it's in your bag to prevent dust and scratches.
• Wrap a plastic bag around your lens when shooting in places with water, mud, dirt, or sand.

Keep your camera attached to your body at all times

Keeping your camera attached to your body at all times is a great way to protect it from accidental damage. Here are some tips to help you keep your camera secure and safe from harm:

• Use a camera strap: A camera strap is an effective way to keep your camera attached to your body. When taking your camera out of your bag, immediately put the strap on. This simple step will prevent your camera from falling directly to the ground if you accidentally drop it.
• Choose a comfortable strap: The neck strap that often comes with your camera may not be the most comfortable or adjustable option. Consider investing in a different type of strap, such as a shoulder strap or a camera clip system, to ensure the camera stays securely attached to your body without causing discomfort.
• Be mindful of your surroundings: Avoid hanging your camera in front of your body, as it can get in the way when you're trying to do other things. Also, be aware of your surroundings to prevent the camera from knocking into walls or other obstacles.
• Use a dedicated camera bag: When not in use, keep your camera in a dedicated camera bag or a bag with a dedicated camera compartment. This will provide extra protection and help prevent scratches or dust from reaching your camera.
• Be cautious when changing lenses: Changing lenses can be risky, as it increases the chances of dropping the camera or lens. Whenever possible, change lenses while placing your gear on a table or on the ground. Always use lens caps and avoid changing lenses in dusty or rainy conditions.
• Protect your lens: Keep a UV filter on your lens to protect it from scratches and dust. Some lenses also require a filter to be weather-sealed. Additionally, use lens caps when the camera is not in use to provide an extra layer of protection.

By following these tips, you can effectively protect your camera by keeping it attached to your body and taking precautions to minimise the risk of damage.

Keep your gear in the right bag

Keeping your camera gear in the right bag is essential for protecting your equipment. Here are some tips for choosing and using the right bag to keep your camera safe:

Choose the Right Type of Bag

Select a bag specifically designed for cameras, with adjustable padded dividers to keep your gear separate and protected. These bags are typically made from soft materials to cushion your equipment, but be aware that soft materials can attract dust and lint. If you need to carry your camera in a regular bag, consider a padded camera cube insert to provide protection and organisation for your gear.

Keep Your Camera in the Bag When Not in Use

Your camera bag should be your camera's home when it's not in use. This will prevent accidental damage from knocks or bumps and reduce the risk of scratches and dust. Keep the bag off the ground and out of harm's way.

Be Careful When Handling Lenses

Always keep your lenses covered with front and rear lens caps when they're not in use, especially when they're in your bag. This will protect them from scratches and dust. When changing lenses, do so over a table or the ground to minimise the risk of dropping them.

Use a UV Filter

A UV filter can provide extra protection for your lenses, safeguarding against scratches and dust. It can also be useful if your lens is not weather-sealed, as some lenses require a filter to be attached for full weather sealing.

Protect Your Camera Body

Keep the camera body covered with a lens or a lens cap when not in use to prevent scratches and damage. Be mindful of the orientation of the camera body in your bag, as some sources suggest storing it with the lens facing down to prevent dust and particles from falling into the camera body.

Other Considerations

• Keep spare memory cards and batteries in your camera bag to avoid running out of storage or power during a shoot.
• Include a lens cloth to keep your lenses clean and free of smudges and moisture.
• Pack a portable power bank to charge your devices, and a small tripod for additional shooting capabilities.

Be very careful changing lenses

Changing lenses is one of the most important times to be vigilant about protecting your camera. It is when your camera is most vulnerable to damage, so it is important to be careful and attentive during this process.

Firstly, if you are outdoors, be mindful of the conditions. If it is raining, or there is lots of dust in the air, it is best to refrain from changing your lens. If you absolutely must, do it under your coat or in your bag, as quickly and carefully as possible. If you are somewhere windy, turn your back to the wind to minimise the chance of dust or debris entering your camera.

If you are changing lenses indoors, or in less hostile outdoor conditions, there are still precautions to take. Place all your gear on a table, and if you are outside, crouch down and use the ground as a table. Never place any lens element directly on the surface—put the lens caps on first.

When removing the lens from your camera, keep the camera close to your chest with the lens pointing outward, and lean over your new lens. This will protect the camera from direct sunlight, precipitation, and some dust. Remove the old lens and place it cap-down next to the new one, then attach the new lens, being careful to apply as little force as possible.

With a little practice, you can get very fast at this. The key is to be mindful of your surroundings, and to keep the camera lensless for as little time as possible.

Keep lens caps on

Keeping lens caps on is one of the most important rules of photography. It is a simple yet effective way of protecting your camera lens from scratches, dust, and other environmental factors.

Lens caps seal your camera and act as a barrier between the lens and the outside world. They are especially useful when you are not using your camera and are storing it in a bag. Camera bags are often made of soft materials that attract dust and lint. Without a lens cap, these particles can stick to the glass and eventually find their way to the sensor, causing potential damage. Moreover, if you accidentally drop your bag, the lens cap will take the shock and protect the lens from any scratches or cracks.

Lens caps are also essential when you are out and about, taking pictures. They can protect your lens from accidental bumps against walls or other hard surfaces. For example, if you are walking through the narrow streets of a Mediterranean village, it is easy to come too close to a wall and scratch your lens. Similarly, if you are taking pictures by the sea, sand, dirt, or salt can enter your lens and cause damage. In such situations, a lens cap will act as a protective barrier.

Additionally, lens caps can help prevent damage to your shutter or sensor. In strong sunlight, a lens without a cap can act like a magnifying glass, concentrating the sun's rays and burning a hole in the shutter or sensor. This can be extremely costly to repair.

Some photographers find lens caps inconvenient, especially when they need to change lenses quickly. However, this can be mitigated by using a lens cap leash, which keeps the cap attached to the camera, or by storing the lens cap in a pocket or bag compartment.

In conclusion, keeping lens caps on is a simple and effective way to protect your camera lens from various types of damage. It is a crucial step in maintaining the longevity and optimal performance of your photography equipment.

Frequently asked questions