Help... I lost my lens cap!!!

[Jen D]

I might be a total dork but I completely misplaced my lens cap for my 24-70 lens. I have torn my house apart looking for it. I dont' feel safe taking it anywhere without the cap.

Does anybody know where I can just buy the cap? I tried to google it and found some weird sizes but I wasn't sure what would fit that lens.

Any help canon girls

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

I'm thinking it's this one:

http://www.adorama.com/CALCE77.html

Also . . . just a suggestion . . . buy a 77mm UV filter for your lens. They're fairly inexpensive, and they keep me from worrying about scratching the expensive glass. Then, if you lose your cap, you won't fear scratching it up.

[Jen D]

Thanks so much Cassie

Is this the UV Filter I would need for that lens... if so I will just buy them together!

http://www.adorama.com/CA77UV.html

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

Yep, that looks like the one. They make some for specifically digital SLR lenses, but they cost more, and I don't think there's much difference. I'm sure that's it. That's about how much mine cost. I have one for each of my lenses.

[grandma lynnie]

I lost a lens cap and bought one at a local camera store because I wanted to replace it right away. No shipping either!

[Jen D]

Okay... yep I am a dork. Found the lens... in the camera bag where it should be!

But, thank you for the tip about the filter... this lens cost me so much money. Whatever I can do do protect it I will!!!

There was a reason for my post after all. Thanks for coming to my rescue

[cstaff]

Jen... I lost then found mine too... Mikes in Boulder has a good selection in case this happens again

[Aino]

I just lost mine too.... I blame the dog though. And I just found a place that sells them cheap.

[Amikasmom]

I was always taking and leaving mine off, cause its seem like you pick up the camera to take a pic, and gosh its still on there and you've missed the pic!! So I'd leave it all over the house and hubby would give me trouble saying I'm scratching the glass......Needless to say I bought a lense hood for it, and now I feel safe leaving the cap off, and hubby has relaxed alittle too!

[Jen D]

I do have a lense hood but I just purchased the UV filter Cassie suggested just in case =)

[Aino]

A lens hood is a good idea too. And the UV filter is a must.

[mugsbigsis]

I'm a filter user, too. I use them permanently. I have lost so many caps it's pathetic. I replace mine at Best Buy.

[LisaD]

I'll have to go get a uv filter. and check out the hoods.
You all are always a plethera of information.

[sam ellis]

Ok so here's the thing. You spend $1000s on your lenses and then you go and put a $50 piece of glass on the front .

i always used them until I was on a workshop I attended in NYC. It was with a very famous sports illustrated photographer. He knew what he was talking about. My argument with him was yeah RIGHT easy for you to say - all your equipment is sponsored so if it breaks you get a new one.
He asked me this : how many times have you replaced a UV filter cos it is scratched or broken, I said {sheepishly} never. He said "argument over."

I have not used a uv filter since. But I do always put the cap on as soon as I stop using the camera.

What would your answer be ?

[SuzanneB]

I just lost my lens cover too. I know it's in this house somewhere, I just can't seem to find it. I'm guessing I'll hear it rattling in the laundry as I usually put it in the back pocket of my jeans.

Stupid question I'm sure: what exactly is a lens hood?

Sam, what is the argument against using a UV filter? Are we losing sharpness with the filter? I have one for both of my lenses and never really thought about it.

[dugarner]

I've never heard of anyone saying not to put a filter on your lens---and I do know people who would have had cracked glass had they not had a filter on! It's extra protection. I had a UV filter on my Fuji for three years, never knew it was there, didn't notice a difference in my pictures, but I never had a smear, fingerprint, or a piece of dust on my lens---ever---for the life of the camera! But if there's a sound engineering/photographic reason not to use one, I'd take that advice! (I haven't bought one for my dSLR yet.)

As for a lens hood, they help cut down on types of lens flare---most of the time I use mine, sometimes I do need to take it off, but it's also extra protection. If you knock your camera and it tips over, it will bounce off your lens hood. (You know those lampshade-looking things dogs and cats wear after surgery? It's kind of like that, on a much smaller scale. So when your cat jumps off the couch and lands on his face wearing one, his "lens hood" bounces off the floor before his face does. It's very entertaining, actually.) The longer the lens, the bigger the hood. The hood for my 18-55 barely noticeable, just a ring around the lens a little wider than the lens itself.

[anke]

I would like to know the reason against using the filter also. Every time you think you know something, somebody tells you something different. I didn't notice a difference in my pictures, but what do I know?

[dugarner]

Originally Posted by anke

I would like to know the reason against using the filter also. Every time you think you know something, somebody tells you something different. I didn't notice a difference in my pictures, but what do I know?

Anke, I never noticed a difference with the filter on, either---maybe my sensor wasn't sensitive enough, or it affects digital differently than film---but what my dad always told me was to use it to protect the lens. I mean, why not? An extra layer of protection over the lens seems to make sense, but I am always up for learning something new! Actually, I had two layered on my Fuji, a UV and a polarizing filter. Neither affected my images. Wikipedia has a great article---if you look up "photographic filter" on wikipedia, it talks about pros and cons.

Sarah

[LauraBean]

Filters, especially cheap ones, tend to introduce lens flare. UV filters just for protection are really controversial in the photography world, with strong opinions on both sides, but my guess is that most people with really good lenses do not use them. Hoods provide much better protection without the drawbacks.

[sam ellis]

The reasons for not using the UV filter :

The glass is inferior. It can never be the quality of the lense and the quality of the glass is what photographic lenses is all about.

Its that simple.

[digigrandma]

I'm a little late to this thread, but, just thought I'd add that National Camera where I bought my camera gave me a lens cap free when I walked in after losing the cap that came with the camera.

That's why I have a Canon lens cap on my Sony A100 camera.

[donitab]

The first time I used my DSLR after years of using a camera with a lens cap attached with a cord, I was at a Cross Country Track Meet, running across the field to get the picture took of the lens cap & just dropped it on the ground - thought it was attached with a cord - had to run back and get it - thank goodness I noticed are I would NEVER have found it! And, I still got a picture of my daughter running - barely!

[bluelemur01]

I'm with Sam on the filter thing! I do have clear UV filters for my lenses, but if I use them, it's only for protection, and not while I'm actually shooting pics. I just suck up the annoyance of taking the lenscap off and on and off and on. If you do use the filter while actually shooting, make sure it's pristine and doesn't have smudges, dust, etc. I have some great cleaning brushes & clothes that I use to make sure my lenses are clean.

Most lenses these days have coatings & UV protection actually built INTO the lens itself, so you don't technically *need* it from an extra filter (at least for shooting at normal non-mountain, non-aerial conditions.) For ME, at least, I find that having the UV lens on there means more dirt & smudges to clean, so I don't use it.

If I had to shoot with water splashing, though, or dust flying, I would probably reconsider...in those situations, I'm sure the UV filter would be a Godsend!

[maryannwise]

well, i dont think my camera has had a lense cap for months... i never use one because i lose it... and i have on a filter... to me, i know i am using L glass when i shoot, and it might be clearer/sharper without the filter, but i still shoot with a filter.
call me lazy... i hate lensecaps.

[hguenthe]

I know filters are controversial and as I am a hobby photographer and not professional in any sense, I figure that as long as I am capturing photos which give me the results I want and give me the sense of safety I need to put my mind at ease and shoot what and how I want, I am good with that.

I have never used a UV filter because I use a circular polarizer most and my belief (hopefully correct) is that a circular polarizer covers as being a uv filter as well and that dslrs aren't affected by uv the same as old slrs.

I like a circular polarizer because I tend to take my most photos when at the ocean and I like what it can do to cut down on the glare of the water and give me deeper, richer colors and I want a filter for extra protection as I will tend to need to clean it more there and don't want to risk scratching the lens as there is a higher probability of doing so in a sandy and salt water environment. Also works great for taking shots through glass as you can twist it until you find the sweet spot to eliminate the glass glare.

The other filters I have played with and really enjoy in the right circumstances are the graduated neutral density and neutral density filters. I got the GND to work with landscape photos to get more ground detail without getting a blown out sky. The neutral density one I got for playing with trying to get those soft, flowing waterfall shots that I see and love in magazines.

Something that I have found very handy for my lens cap is that you can pick up little tethers for them that attach to your camera strap and then sticky to your lens cap so when you take it off, it hangs there and you don't have to worry about where to put it or dropping it. They cost about $1 for the cheapest version and you can find fancier if want more like a clip on it so you can clip it to your strap instead of it dangling.