Pot-pourri of camera tips

COVER EXPOSED ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS

Some cameras have external electrical connections that can corrode or collect dust or gunk if left uncovered.

If you have a manual camera with an exposed motor drive terminal, for instance, or an AF (autofocus) camera with a PC sync (personal computer synchronization) terminal, or perhaps a flash synch socket or another electrical connector that is exposed, it's a good idea to protect it when not in use.

Connectors and sockets on some cameras normally have little plastic covers that often unscrew or pop out, and become easily lost. The solution: place a strip of vinyl or fabric electrical tape over the connection. Use tape that is close in color to your camera, and no one will notice. You will be happy you did when you need to use the connector and find it clean.

DO YOU REALLY NEED A LENS CAP?

The answer is yes and no. What if you just throw it away? Would you be better off? Well, some people say you can always spot an amateur by the way he or she is always fumbling with the lens cap and missing shots while they are capturing them. A number of pros toss their lens caps away and never need them.

So, how do you protect your lens if you have no cap for it?

Buy a Skylight 1A filter or a UV (ultraviolet) filter and fit it to your lens, then leave it on instead of a lens cap. It will protect your lens from abrasion just as well as a lenscap, and even better from dust. If it gets scratched, you can replace it a lot less expensively than a scratched lens, and it may even improve your pictures.

There is an argument made by some photographers against keeping a UV filter attached to your lens. See Should you leave a UV filter on your lens?" for details.