# Lens cap solution?



## Redreflex (May 5, 2011)

I have always found it somewhat annoying how easy it is to lose the lens caps on DSLR lenses. Why has Canon never come up with a way of ensuring the lens cap stays permanently attached to the lens? 

What do you guys use, if anything, to overcome this little nuisance? I know Amazon has some cheap "lens cap keeper" solutions, but have never tried them.


----------



## dstppy (May 5, 2011)

Redreflex said:


> I have always found it somewhat annoying how easy it is to lose the lens caps on DSLR lenses. Why has Canon never come up with a way of ensuring the lens cap stays permanently attached to the lens?
> 
> What do you guys use, if anything, to overcome this little nuisance? I know Amazon has some cheap "lens cap keeper" solutions, but have never tried them.



I had a "lens leash" on my SX10 IS and missed it on my DSLR. The problem is that most of these are too short to get around the base of longer lenses, and it's sort of awkward.

You could switch to an aftermarket lens that has a clip inside to attach to the strap, but I'm not sure that would really hold up to wear-and-tear over time. (I can't remember a brand at this point, but I had one years back)

My only other thought was a photographer's vest or your bag :/ Not ideal.


----------



## endigo (May 5, 2011)

Redreflex said:


> What do you guys use, if anything, to overcome this little nuisance?


I make a point to put the lens cap in my left front pocket. No other place, especially not a shirt pocket, only the left front pants pocket. I haven't lost one since I have started making a point of doing this.


----------



## Redreflex (May 5, 2011)

dstppy said:


> I had a "lens leash" on my SX10 IS and missed it on my DSLR. The problem is that most of these are too short to get around the base of longer lenses, and it's sort of awkward.



I just don't understand why they can't do it for DSLRs



endigo said:


> Redreflex said:
> 
> 
> > What do you guys use, if anything, to overcome this little nuisance?
> ...



Still means a loose piece of lens accessory floating around - always prone to misplacements. And also means I don't infrequently forget to put the lens cap back on!

I really don't understand the rationale behind not having an in-built solution.


----------



## bvukich (May 5, 2011)

Redreflex said:


> I really don't understand the rationale behind not having an in-built solution.



Simplicity. Why turn a $3 lens cap into a $50 over-engineered lens cap management solution.

Leashes may be fine for some, but I find them annoying to me and distracting to subjects (although possibly a bonus if you shoot lots of cats and dogs). Plus the leash costs more than a new cap.

Endigo has the same solution as I, always put it in the same place. I've never lost one.


----------



## neuroanatomist (May 5, 2011)

Redreflex said:


> Why has Canon never come up with a way of ensuring the lens cap stays permanently attached to the lens?
> 
> I really don't understand the rationale behind not having an in-built solution.



How would you like it attached? Some Krazy Glue on the threads should keep it there permanently... :

Seriously, though - I hate the idea of a 'cap keeper'. The relatively small lens cap for a P&S or camcorder dangling on a string is annoying enough - a 77mm or 82mm cap is too big to dangle, not to mention the fact that with an ultrawide lens, a dangling cap would have a good chance of being part of the picture.

What would *you* suggest for a design?

Like others, I put the cap in the same place every time. I have 'lost' one 77mm cap, but not because I misplaced it, rather because I dropped it (camera in one hand, toddler in the other), and it rolled between the planks of a boardwalk with no access to the space underneath.


----------



## Leisersan (May 5, 2011)

Say what you will about nikon. Their lens caps seem to grab the lens and hold on better then canon's. That being said, the cap is not going to make a convert out of me  I agree with the other posters, always put the cap in the same place, for me its a back left pocket, though i rarely sit when on a shoot day, and youll never lose it.


----------



## Redreflex (May 5, 2011)

neuroanatomist said:


> Redreflex said:
> 
> 
> > Why has Canon never come up with a way of ensuring the lens cap stays permanently attached to the lens?
> ...



Being the product design engineer that I am (not)...

I don't know to be honest. But seriously, you don't find this annoying at all? If you're shooting with 1 lens all day, I can put up with it. If you're switching lenses several times over a relatively short period of time, I mean, how many times do you need to put the lens cap on and off - is it in your left front pocket, or right rear... or camera bag... I know I'm labouring the point... and you've got to ensure you're always wear clothing with a pocket of sorts in the same place???

For example, with camcorders, and point and shoot cameras, there is a lens cover of sorts in the form of a shutter (electronic or manual) at the front of the lens. I know that's a little more complex with lens filters... but surely a multi billion dollar company can find a solution that's also remotely aesthetically pleasing.

Am I missing the point here? Maybe having to worry about lens caps is really the privilege of being a DSLR owner...


----------



## Redreflex (May 5, 2011)

bvukich said:


> Redreflex said:
> 
> 
> > I really don't understand the rationale behind not having an in-built solution.
> ...



So a $100 point and shoot can have an inbuilt lens cap, but an L lens that costs at least 10 times that amount can't?


----------



## endigo (May 5, 2011)

neuroanatomist said:


> What would *you* suggest for a design?



I'll stick with my front left pocket idea. But if I designed one, it would be an origami design that would fold out from a lens cap to a lens hood by giving it a quarter twist.


----------



## IWLP (May 5, 2011)

Redreflex said:


> So a $100 point and shoot can have an inbuilt lens cap, but an L lens that costs at least 10 times that amount can't?



Into where would it retract if it were the kind of iris- or shutter-like retractable lens cover as seen on those cameras? The origami solution sounds interesting, but it sounds like an unnecessary point of potential mechanical failure and expense, compared to a plastic cap and a plastic hood.

I don't always use the same pocket, but I put my lens cap in a pants pocket. The only time I've had issues is when I try to get smart and don't put it directly into a pants pocket. Admittedly, I've planted a few caps, but for $7, I can buy a few extras. YMMV.


----------



## ronderick (May 5, 2011)

Well, there are products offering lens cap solution, like these:

http://www.jjcphotography.com.au/catelist.aspx?cid=73&sid=604&bid=193

Of course, you can just DIY something similar, but having a lens cap dangling from the lens
can be irritating at times.

Personally, I prefer the shirt pocket solution... :


----------



## neuroanatomist (May 5, 2011)

Redreflex said:


> So a $100 point and shoot can have an inbuilt lens cap, but an L lens that costs at least 10 times that amount can't?



It's a size thing. The 82mm lens cap for my 16-35 II and TS-E 24mm is almost as big as my entire S95 P&S camera. Also, on most P&S cameras and camcorders, the front element is significantly smaller than the front of the lens, so there's a place to engineer the automatic cover. Not so for most dSLR lenses.



Redreflex said:


> But seriously, you don't find this annoying at all? If you're shooting with 1 lens all day, I can put up with it. If you're switching lenses several times over a relatively short period of time, I mean, how many times do you need to put the lens cap on and off - is it in your left front pocket, or right rear... or camera bag... I know I'm labouring the point... and you've got to ensure you're always wear clothing with a pocket of sorts in the same place???



Honestly, I don't find it to be an issue. I do change lenses several times on an outing, but mostly the cap never leaves my pocket, because a lot of my lenses share a common 77mm filter, so when I change lenses both the rear and front caps get transferred from lens to lens. When I'm actively shooting, or walking/hiking around with the camera, I don't cap the lens (the hood and a UV filter provide protection).


----------



## contrastny (May 5, 2011)

Leisersan said:


> Say what you will about nikon. Their lens caps seem to grab the lens and hold on better then canon's. That being said, the cap is not going to make a convert out of me  I agree with the other posters, always put the cap in the same place, for me its a back left pocket, though i rarely sit when on a shoot day, and youll never lose it.



Bower makes the same exact lens cap as Nikon, without any logo on the front. I have this cap on a few of my lenses. It's a lot easier to take on and off, especially with a lens hood on, it also grabs better than the canon cap.


----------



## HughHowey (May 5, 2011)

Every pair of pants I own has an integrated lens cap retainment solution built right in. Works perfect. Never lost one, never wondered where they went, never had to go far to retrieve it. Don't see how this system could be improved.

As for Canon's caps, I replaced all mine with Sigma caps, which have the center-grip thing like Nikon, but feel even better to my fingers. They were cheap, and they make it easy to remove caps with the lens hood on. Works in a pinch, I suppose you could say. 8)


----------



## awinphoto (May 5, 2011)

HughHowey said:


> Every pair of pants I own has an integrated lens cap retainment solution built right in. Works perfect. Never lost one, never wondered where they went, never had to go far to retrieve it. Don't see how this system could be improved.
> 
> As for Canon's caps, I replaced all mine with Sigma caps, which have the center-grip thing like Nikon, but feel even better to my fingers. They were cheap, and they make it easy to remove caps with the lens hood on. Works in a pinch, I suppose you could say. 8)



Hahaha +1 I replaced my caps with ebay ones with a center pinch. They even have embossed the Canon Logo on it, doubt it was Canon approved but works better and stronger than canons caps. You cant even accidentally knock it off... It's sturdy. Jacket/pants/shorts whatever, almost all have pockets... I always found it annoying when I get a spur of the minute shot and i've got this dangling cap swinging around below of the camera... Kinda distracting. I want to focus 100% on the shot, not a dangling cap thats tapping my hand or mono pod or whatever.


----------



## distant.star (May 5, 2011)

Hey, hey, hey....that was my solution! If you never take it off, it never gets lost! Krazy Glue fixes any problem.

Another idea is you could make the cap out of glass -- shoot right through it. But that's already been thought of too, I guess!

Seriously, I'm surprised that so many of us do exactly the same thing. As soon as a cap comes off, it goes in my shirt pocket, right next to the business (such as it is) cards. Since I'm not in the business anymore, I just call it a "who the hell are you?" card. Then when they see my title is "Senior Ranger," they're so confused I can easily make my getaway. Street photography can be a cagey business, such as it is.


For me, this is a non-problem looking for an unneeded solution. But then, I also realize there were many people who thought swimming across streams was a refreshing break until the bridge builders came along.





neuroanatomist said:


> How would you like it attached? Some Krazy Glue on the threads should keep it there permanently... :
> 
> 
> Like others, I put the cap in the same place every time. I have 'lost' one 77mm cap, but not because I misplaced it, rather because I dropped it (camera in one hand, toddler in the other), and it rolled between the planks of a boardwalk with no access to the space underneath.


----------



## bvukich (May 5, 2011)

Redreflex said:


> bvukich said:
> 
> 
> > Redreflex said:
> ...



Correct.

As soon as they make an L lens that can fully retract into a DSLR body, it will probably have an integrated cap. Until then, absolutely not. And I tend to use absolute terms sparingly, so there is no doubt in my mind whatsoever.


----------



## bvukich (May 5, 2011)

To everyone else...

Redreflex is getting defensive because his simple question is getting met with snarky comments. So please try to keep things courteous, constructive, and on-topic.


----------



## J. McCabe (May 5, 2011)

I used keep caps until one day I put my camera on top of a cliff to shoot a panorama. The wind caused the cap to behave like a pendulum, causing the camera to shake.

Ever since, I just put the cap in my front pocket, and never lost one. This could be backed up by a few replacement caps from ebay, which are cheap.


----------



## Redreflex (May 5, 2011)

bvukich said:


> To everyone else...
> 
> Redreflex is getting defensive because his simple question is getting met with snarky comments. So please try to keep things courteous, constructive, and on-topic.



Very considerate bvukich... Although in fact, I'm quite enjoying the banter, so keep it coming! One of the many reasons I like this site and the forum community. Never thought a question about lens caps can throw up so many opinions (albeit mostly one sided!)

Now, all I need to is buy some pants with pockets...



distant.star said:


> For me, this is a non-problem looking for an unneeded solution. But then, I also realize there were many people who thought swimming across streams was a refreshing break until the bridge builders came along.



I honestly do think it's a nuisance. My dad bought his first DSLR last month, and pointed out the same thing to me, which I had forgotten about since I'm used to it. Maybe all seasoned DSLR users are so used to it they don't see it as a problem any longer.

Hmm... maybe an alternative solution is to have a lens cap holder attached to the camera shoulder strap rather than to the DSLR body itself. That would get over the problem of looking for a pocket in my pants when I'm shooting whilst wearing shorts (or whatever else that's pocketless) at home. Actually, I quite like that idea... not keen on "wind causing the cap to behave like a pendulum". 

Does that BlackRapid strap thing recommended by some of you 1-2 weeks ago on another thread have a lens cap holder in addition to (I think) an SD card holder?


----------



## distant.star (May 5, 2011)

I'll bet you could find them on ebay.




Redreflex said:


> Now, all I need to is buy some pants with pockets...


----------



## awinphoto (May 5, 2011)

I'm fairly sure walmart has a sale on pants and shorts with pockets... They'll hook you up.


----------



## HughHowey (May 5, 2011)

distant.star said:


> I'll bet you could find them on ebay.



Haha! I love this thread. Especially since Redreflex is being such an awesome sport about it all.


----------



## neuroanatomist (May 5, 2011)

Redreflex said:


> Does that BlackRapid strap thing recommended by some of you 1-2 weeks ago on another thread have a lens cap holder in addition to (I think) an SD card holder?



Actually, I started typing something like that into my earlier reply, then had to head off to a meeting so I just deleted that part. They don't have dedicated lens cap holders, as such. The strap I use (RS-4) is thin, so the pocket could probably not even hold a 58mm cap. But the RS-5 strap has a pocket for a smartphone, so it would probably be large enough to hold a lens cap.

Maybe instead of pants with pockets, you could get a velcro bodysuit (David Letterman, anyone, or am I dating myself?). Then, glue the complementary velcro onto the front of all of your lens caps, and you'd never have to worry about losing them, just stick them to your body. In fact, that might make a great camera carrying system. I'm off to file a patent...


----------



## endigo (May 5, 2011)

neuroanatomist said:


> Maybe instead of pants with pockets, you could get a velcro bodysuit (David Letterman, anyone, or am I dating myself?). Then, glue the complementary velcro onto the front of all of your lens caps, and you'd never have to worry about losing them, just stick them to your body. In fact, that might make a great camera carrying system. I'm off to file a patent...


Get in line, I am at the patent office for my origami lens cap idea.


----------



## dstppy (May 5, 2011)

Wow. A few helpful and nice suggestions and a bunch of . . . responses that found themselves so funny they had to twit about it 

I thought of it just now:
Filter holder. Anything with a filter pocket will do as well.


----------



## HughHowey (May 6, 2011)

dstppy said:


> Wow. A few helpful and nice suggestions and a bunch of . . . responses that found themselves so funny they had to twit about it
> 
> I thought of it just now:
> Filter holder. Anything with a filter pocket will do as well.



Off-topic, sorry, but how do you like your 70-300?


----------



## dstppy (May 6, 2011)

HughHowey said:


> Off-topic, sorry, but how do you like your 70-300?



Kind of snobbishly, not very much 

The speed and sharpness of it isn't as good as my other lenses. For being IS, I wasn't largely enthused how it looks when hand-held, but I haven't taken more than 50 photos with it.

My son's starting T-Ball this week, so I'll have more to go on.

The SX10 IS was remarkable for ultra-zoom handheld . . . I was just surprised that the 70-300 wasn't really up to the same spec :/


----------



## ronderick (May 6, 2011)

Coming to think of it.... why not just follow the steps of those elderly photographers
and wear those mesh vests?

There's enough pockets in those babies to carry lens caps, blowers, batteries, and even
a lens or two. ;D


----------



## Redreflex (May 6, 2011)

Mesh vests? I'd rather have the velcro body suit


----------



## Edwin Herdman (May 6, 2011)

Fun story: When I got my 50mm f/1.4, I shot with it all the time. Then I discovered that the cap from an old Sony F707/F717 digital camera is exactly the same - but has a bonus pinch-style cap and a short little leash on it. So I swapped caps with the F707 lying around. Well, one day I lost the Sony cap - it's around here somewhere, I'm sure - but the Canon cap is still sitting on the F707.

So, what do I do for the 50mm f/1.4? It's protected by the third party lens hood (a cheap but nice Adorama one) and I keep it in the camera bag when not in use.


----------



## dstppy (May 6, 2011)

Edwin Herdman said:


> Fun story: When I got my 50mm f/1.4, I shot with it all the time. Then I discovered that the cap from an old Sony F707/F717 digital camera is exactly the same - but has a bonus pinch-style cap and a short little leash on it. So I swapped caps with the F707 lying around. Well, one day I lost the Sony cap - it's around here somewhere, I'm sure - but the Canon cap is still sitting on the F707.
> 
> So, what do I do for the 50mm f/1.4? It's protected by the third party lens hood (a cheap but nice Adorama one) and I keep it in the camera bag when not in use.



Clearly you're not married.

I get an arse-chewing if I leave a capped (both sides) lens on the top of the dresser ???


----------



## awinphoto (May 6, 2011)

dstppy said:


> Edwin Herdman said:
> 
> 
> > Fun story: When I got my 50mm f/1.4, I shot with it all the time. Then I discovered that the cap from an old Sony F707/F717 digital camera is exactly the same - but has a bonus pinch-style cap and a short little leash on it. So I swapped caps with the F707 lying around. Well, one day I lost the Sony cap - it's around here somewhere, I'm sure - but the Canon cap is still sitting on the F707.
> ...


----------



## telephonic (May 7, 2011)

Why, I leave all my (front) lens caps back home. ;D

Well, it's mainly because I'm just started, I started off with a nifty-fifty some times back. The front element is deeply recessed I found no use of neither cap nor protective filter.

My second lens, a 200/2.8, comes with a neat lens pouch. The pouch itself will NEVER protect your lens from falling etc. But the thick leathering (or sort of it) on the bottom side is enough to protect the lens against scratches and brushes, as long as you put the lens correctly in it. Well, let's say I'm dreaming of heavy, big, white, monsters of Canon's supertele lineup.

Now where did I put all my lens caps is another story... :


----------



## Redreflex (May 7, 2011)

telephonic said:


> Now where did I put all my lens caps is another story... :



My point exactly!


----------



## dnhjr (May 15, 2011)

Redreflex said:


> I have always found it somewhat annoying how easy it is to lose the lens caps on DSLR lenses. Why has Canon never come up with a way of ensuring the lens cap stays permanently attached to the lens?
> 
> What do you guys use, if anything, to overcome this little nuisance? I know Amazon has some cheap "lens cap keeper" solutions, but have never tried them.



Canon caps really suck. I've never liked them. I use Nikon or Tamron caps as they are the best.


----------



## Edwin Herdman (May 23, 2011)

Some Sigma and Sony caps are decent too - the F707 cap (I've mentioned this before) had the Nikon-like pinch-cap design along with a little string. Didn't care for the string so much but it could be useful.

The TS-E 17mm cap is pretty decent as well, though it can grind some grit along the outside of the lens barrel. Just a cosmetic result. The string on that one is wide enough to put around most wrists, though that would be awkward. Of course, the design is no good for any lens that has a hood, since it wraps and balloons outward around the protruding front element and to the sides.


----------



## ronderick (May 23, 2011)

Edwin Herdman said:


> The TS-E 17mm cap is pretty decent as well, though it can grind some grit along the outside of the lens barrel. Just a cosmetic result. The string on that one is wide enough to put around most wrists, though that would be awkward. Of course, the design is no good for any lens that has a hood, since it wraps and balloons outward around the protruding front element and to the sides.



I think the string on the cap of the TS-E 17mm is a great idea, because the only time I use that lens is for landscape, so it's useful for hanging the cap on the tripod nobs. So whenever I move, I just grab the cap and put it back on the lens before I move to my next location.


----------



## zerotiu (May 23, 2011)

I always keep my pants left pocket empty for my lens cap. Dangling lens cap can scratch lens and body especially the big one 77 size etc :. I'm at Asia, so using a vest here will make me sweat a lot.

*oh, and the velcro idea is...interesting. I like that .


----------



## Edwin Herdman (May 24, 2011)

ronderick said:


> Edwin Herdman said:
> 
> 
> > The TS-E 17mm cap is pretty decent as well, though it can grind some grit along the outside of the lens barrel. Just a cosmetic result. The string on that one is wide enough to put around most wrists, though that would be awkward. Of course, the design is no good for any lens that has a hood, since it wraps and balloons outward around the protruding front element and to the sides.
> ...


Come to think of it, I've done that once or twice. Thanks for the reminder!


dstppy said:


> Clearly you're not married.
> 
> I get an arse-chewing if I leave a capped (both sides) lens on the top of the dresser ???


Whoa, getting personal there. I'm not exactly living in filth here, if that was your takeaway  I'll allow this much: If the only kinds of women around were _that_ bossy, I'd resolve to stay single.


----------



## motorhead (May 24, 2011)

I bought a pack of centre pinch lens caps complete with the Canon logo and while I hasten to say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the product at all, which is exactly as advertised, the security of the cap when on the lens seems lower than the normal Canon design.

I've carried on using the centre pinch caps because they were excellent value. If I loose one, or more, its not a catastrophy and I can keep the original cap in good condition with half an eye to possible resale potential in the future.

I've carefully examined the centre pinch caps and cannot see why they should be less secure unless its simply that the proper Canon caps have a greater area of the cap in sprung contact with the screw thread on the lens?


----------



## dr croubie (Jun 2, 2011)

My mum's 50 year old asahi pentax spotmatic had a nice solution, tiny hole drilled through the lens cap, length of wire to a loop, held onto the body where the leather case had a screw attaching to the tripod mount.
Why did we go backwards from there?

personally, i just hold my lenscap between my right little-finger and the underneath of my 7d (no grip), middle- and ring-finger on the front, index-finger on the shutter, never lost a cap yet...


----------



## liberace (Jun 7, 2011)

Try this. Not in production yet, but seems like a good solution. Thought of this thread the moment I saw it.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/293194835/camera-lens-cap-holder


----------



## Viggo (Jun 7, 2011)

I drop mine in the bag when I change lenses. How hard is that?  I always use hoods on my lenses, so I very often do not use any lens cap. 

I seem to be the only person on the planet who like the Canon-caps much better than the other pinch-in-the-middel versions. Those often popped out of my grip and bounced off the front element. but the Canon caps I simply take on and off edge first, much easier to grip the whole cap side by side, than a small awkard grip in the middle....


----------



## Rocky (Jun 7, 2011)

liberace said:


> Try this. Not in production yet, but seems like a good solution. Thought of this thread the moment I saw it.
> 
> http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/293194835/camera-lens-cap-holder


I can foresee three potential problem with this product
1. You need multiple cap holder to be attached to the camera strap if you are using multiple lenses with differeent cap size.
2. With multple holder attached to the strap, the camera strap may be akward to be used.
3. With the lens cap dangling on the strap, It will have more chance to come loose without the photographer even knowing it.


----------



## Rocky (Jun 7, 2011)

Viggo said:


> I seem to be the only person on the planet who like the Canon-caps much better than the other pinch-in-the-middel versions. Those often popped out of my grip and bounced off the front element. but the Canon caps I simply take on and off edge first, much easier to grip the whole cap side by side, than a small awkard grip in the middle....



I totally agree with you. When it bounce of the front element, it may scratch the lens. Also depends on the lens design, the center grip cap may have a chance to scratch the front element of the lens, especially the wide angle lenses( The mechanism of the center grip can lamost be flush with the bottom of the cap)


----------



## robbiemccarthy (Jun 14, 2011)

I know this topic has probably been beaten to death, but I don't think I've seen this online yet:

I keep a cheap (like 2$ eBay brand) UV filter on the front of all my lenses while in my bag, and I don't use lens caps. That way I'm always ready for a shot, even if it means shooting with a mediocre filter. Better than nothing, quicker than a lens capâ€¦ When shooting something that I care about, I'll usually replace the cheap filter with a name brand filter. (mostly to please the professionals I know who INSIST on high dollar filters. I'm still undecided on thatâ€¦) I've also dropped my nifty fifty on concrete from a few feet and shattered a filter with no visible loss in IQ. When I have a second, I swap my "lens cap" filters for a CP/ND/whatever and keep the cheapie in my filter case. Problem solved.


----------



## motorhead (Jun 14, 2011)

For me the issue is not edge pressing versus centre pinching, but one of security when on. As a Nikon man for most of my life, I know they are more secure. As I have already said in a previous post here I bought some very nice centre pinch caps but they are actually worse at staying on than the original Canon caps.

So I assume the problem is more about basic design, with the Nikon caps simply having a larger area on grip on the lens? If so, it would seem to be an easy fix for Canon.


----------

