Originally posted by Blackwolfe I do have one more question for now. Someone, I think Alamo and maybe someone else, suggested a lens pen for cleaning lens. It seems to me that the lens pens might be a little harsh and might be somewhat abrasive or marring to the lens, especially after being used a few times. Am I missing something?
Nahh. The pen itself is very soft. The ones I have have a brush on one end and the really soft tip on the other. I will usually brush or blow off the debris (if any) first then use the other end as needed. I am careful not to get something like a grain of sand stuck under there. On that note you're not buffing out the lens like you would a car. Just very gently remove debris, lint, or in some cases water spots. The pen basically has a specialized tip designed to gently basically brush off the lens and is designed so you can get all the edges too.
Now for the important parts as I see them. There are many books out there that are very focused on gear. Yes it's very important to learn how a sensor works or many other 'technical' things but for every one of those you see, read, or watch, you should should read or watch one that goes into photographic technique or principles. I have a stack of books by Michael Freeman that are sheer gold. I refer to them all the time.
My main point is to not get too hung up on technical stuff when the real goal here is artistic. There is also no shame at all in giving it your best go and then posting a pic up here for critique. Might not always be positive feedback, but 99% of the time the critiques here will be very constructive and hence instructive as well.