Five Ways to Protect Your DSLR Camera



As you already know photo gear costs hundreds and sometimes thousands dollars, especially high-end lens. If you decided to shell out and make such an expensive purchase, it is a good idea to protect your investment for at least these two reasons:

  1. Your photo equipment will last you longer

  2. Less value will be lost when you need to sell it in the future

I will give you an overview of what you can do to protect your camera, lens, strobes, etc. The video above demostrates a free DIY solution to protect your camera from rain and snow using simple plastic bags.

First of all let us review camera bags.
There are many manufacturers and hundreds of models starting from very small to weel based cases. Think Tank Photo Bags [www.thinktankphoto.com] may be worth your consideration for their ultimate quality and durability. It is not uncommon for a photographer to change bags as he or she expands the variety of photo gear. The bag you are buying today may not be enough for your needs in a couple of years.

Lens protection
For lens more expensive than $100 it is highly advisable to use a protective UV filter. It is so easy to scratch your lens' front glass and if it cost you $1,500 it may be a disaster. A cheap UV filter from Canon or Nikon (or any other producer) will save you from damaging your lens glass. In the worst case you will just replace a $20 filter. Since it is transparent to visible light and filters out higher ultraviolet wavelengths, the UV filter is useful in a sunny weather condition. There is a dispute of whether or not to use it [see http://photo.net/equipment/filters/] but by all means it will act as protection to your expensive lens. And do not forget that lens loose much less value over time compare to camera bodies, so when you sell your lens its condition will highly affect its price. Check Hoya and B+W for UV filters.

Next comes camera screen protection
These small LCD screens are easy to scratch. Therefore a film or plastic cover can save you from damaging it. They are priced from $2 to $10. Check various options here: www.thefind.com/electronics/info-camera-screen-protector-protective-lcd

Memory cards cases
Cards are very sensitive and if are not careful enough with them, contacts may get dirty which will result in a faulty card. Using a simple case or even a small plastic bag will solve the problem. Check here for ideas: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Memory-Card-Carry-Cases-Accessories/ci/3688/N/4289945363

Finally camera armor or skin
If you plan using your camera in wet or rainy or dusty condition, try the DIY solution in the video above or buy a special armor case or so called camera skin that seals your camera. This does not mean you will be able to drop your DSLR into water but it will give some extra protection from short exposure to negative environment conditions. Check these options: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Digital-Camera-Skins/ci/12670/N/4294538488

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