[TER-OR]

I'm not sure what you mean by lens plates, do you mean the front caps and rear caps? and could you tell me more about WR lenses being particularly less effective upon uncleanness?

---------- Post added 06-29-16 at 04:06 PM ----------


Agreed.

I should say lens mounts. A clean seal is a good seal. A dirty gasket is a leaky gasket. Like any tool - keep it clean and maintained and it will last a long time. Whenever you open those doors you have the potential to introduce foreign matter. It's good to be in the habit of keeping everything clean.

[Mark Freburg]

Don't worry too much about dirt and damage. Be careful but not paranoid.

3. I rarely clean my lenses. I use a rocket blower at the end of the day to remove dust from lenses. On the rare occasions when I get water spots, I use a lenspen to erase the spots.

I have just become interested in a Lenspen after decades of photography. It sounds like less hassle than lens cloths and cleaning fluids and such. I looked online and found the kit in the following photo. I don't see the point of the kit, when you can also get just a single pen. Would like some advice on Lenspens. Thanks!

---------- Post added 07-09-16 at 08:18 AM ----------

Sometimes people put a clear filter on the front of the lens simply to protect it (personally I don't). Also you can buy plastic screen protectors for the LCD screen on the back for most camera models. As for scratches, I try to be careful but I also don't really care. (emphasis mine) The camera is a tool. A little bit of scuffing is inevitable.

Why not take care of an expensive tool so it can take care of you? I know lots of people who use this tool analogy, and most of their equipment looks rough. Not, for example, anything I'd look at twice in the used department of a photo shop. I suppose this comes down to personal taste, and some of it is logical. A scratched up LCD may be slightly inconvenient but won't affect one's photos. A scratched lens on the other hand can directly result in lower quality pictures. I think everyone should follow their own lead on these things, but if someone is clearly interested in being careful with their equipment I wouldn't tell them it just doesn't matter.