# Lens Cover Retainers



## bohaiboy (Mar 24, 2014)

I have Canon lens covers, but I am always losing them. I have tried the kind with a lanyard attached to the body of the lens, but over time they always fail and will not adhere any longer to the lens cover. Any suggestions out there?


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## ScubaX (Mar 24, 2014)

I retain them in my pocket or toss them into the bag where the lens came from. I keep a couple extras, but knock on wood, have yet to lose one. I tried the lanyard ones too and really did not like them. Some advocate no lens caps at all.


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## JPAZ (Mar 25, 2014)

Got my wife a generic lens cap on Ebay (was less than $4) for her NEX-7 that comes with a lanyard permanently attached to the cap and ran the string through one of the lugs on the camera. She was continually loosing lens caps and the glue-on/stick-on ones came loose. This works for her because she has NEVER changed her lens despite having some alternates. 

For me, I'll put the cap in my pocket or in the camera bag and just leave the hood attached to "protect" the lens while I am out and about. I do use a filter over the front element (lots of threads on the pros and cons of this, here). I have lost caps a few times, but not lately. It is not an issue if the front element is the same size when I change lenses (say the 24-105 swap for the 70-200 f/4) but more of an issue if the front elements are different sizes and I need a cap for each.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Mar 25, 2014)

I have a good supply of the cheap 98 cent lens caps from ebay. I like them because they are center pinch, and they are throw-away items.


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## AcutancePhotography (Mar 27, 2014)

I stick it in my pocket too. I do use those lanyards to attach my lens hood to the lens. That way when I am carrying the camera in my sling strap and by chance the lenshood slips off, I will have a better chance of not losing it.


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## mackguyver (Mar 27, 2014)

I've only lost one cap, miraculously, and usually put them in my pocket or camera bag. I've considered getting one or two of these, but haven't yet: 

FotoTech Camera Buckle Lens Cap Holder


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## ScubaX (Apr 3, 2014)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I have a good supply of the cheap 98 cent lens caps from ebay. I like them because they are center pinch, and they are throw-away items.



I have those too, but stopped using them after I cut my finger on the Canon badge that was falling apart. The second 'n' that has the missing part was last seen with a drop of my blood on it tossed into the trash.


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## TexasBadger (Apr 4, 2014)

I use screw-in metal lens caps from Adorama. Never have to worry about losing a lens cap or having it come off in my bag.


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## RustyTheGeek (Apr 13, 2014)

I wrestled with this issue years ago. Cap? No Cap? Tethered Cap? Ball Cap? Bottle Cap?

Consider a tethered cap hanging from a camera or lens. Sorry, but that looks really silly and... it will hit you, your lens or your camera when the wind blows. I think I have a few pictures from years ago with lens cap blurs in the picture. Nix that.

So what to do? Well, first, I toss the worthless (but expensive) Canon cap in the box it came in (for lens resale later) that you can't get a grip on anyway and usually just gets dropped a lot never to be seen again.

Then...
- I buy the less expensive but fairly well made Tamron cap.
- I use a silver sharpie and put my initials and the cap size inside the cap.
- I cut some black gaffer tape to cover up the Tamron name on the cap so it's just black and I look uber-cool and mysterious but not too cheap.
- I might get an extra cap(s) and toss them in the bag because even though I don't use them much, you can never have too many caps, right?
- I seldom use a cap at all but I have the caps in the bag if I ever need them because I like to carry a bunch of stuff that I never use. Most real photographers do this. You know who you are!

Seriously, the only time I use caps is when the lens is being stored in the bag while I'm carrying/banging it around or when I use the lens to hit a mugger over the head. Besides, I always have a high quality filter and lens hood on the lens and I rarely have any problems. If I need to clean the filter face, so be it. I usually don't eat fried chicken and then wipe my fingers on my lens. (But fresh veggies aren't that greasy.)

Rusty


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