Lense care and durabily question?

[bootm]

How careful do you have to be with your lenses? For example, I have a 75-300 IS and bought a tamrac lense case to hold it. Well, it didn't fit for me and I took it back to B&H and the guy practically laughed at me when I told him I had both the front and rear caps on it. Well that's why it wouldn't fit and he said I didn't need to have either when the lense is in the case. I guess I'm overly protective and don't want anything to get scratched, but I was wondering how others care for their lenses and if I fell off a cliff being so careful.

[drisley]

I would definately have the caps on, even when in the case. They are there for a reason.
In addition, they help keep out dust.
One of the best tips to protect your lens... always use a lens hood.
;)

[RJSorensen]

I hate dust . . . keep your caps on.

[aam1234]

That guy in B&H is nuts for suggesting that :evil:

Personally, even when I'm walking around trying to find something to shoot I put the front cap on (if there is no hood). You never know what might hit the from element, it could be an insect, a branch...etc.

[nosquare2003]

If I have time, I will always put the caps on.

If I need to change lenses quickly, I have no choice but to leave the caps off. Anyway, I always attach the lens hoods.

[Tom W]

I hate dust . . . keep your caps on.

Agreed - caps are for dust! Keep them on.

[Jon]

I keep the caps on my lenses unless circumstances compel me to remove them (rear cap to mount it to the camera, front cap to take a picture). OTOH, I don't keep them in dedicated cases, just allocated compartments in the Domke (and some may be 2-3 lenses deep).

[drisley]

I've read many times in this forum about a salesperson laughing at a customer for doing something that is perfectly correct, and then suggesting to the customer something that is totally ridiculous. What's with camera sales people (although I've heard similar stories about most electronic sales people)

[dhbailey]

It's easier to make the customer feel like a fool and walk away than to go through the exchange process. And if that sales person works for a great place like B&H they don't worry about losing you as a customer.

The sad part is nobody calls the salesman to task on the spot, calling him a fool for suggesting that the caps which the manufacturer feels are important enough to pay the money to manufacture and include with the lenses aren't necessary.

We're all much too polite to do that, and I think that a lot of sales clerks know that. The other aspect is that we have to be very careful and not assume that just because anybody works in a camera store (or electronics store or computer store or any kind of store) that they know anything at all about what they are selling.

If I had a dollar for every wrong answer I've overheard in CompUSA from a salesman talking to a customer who obviously didn't know anything to start with, I'd be a wealthy man.

I do hope you stuck to your guns and demanded an exchange for a larger lens case, or returned the one you had and got your money back.