Tuesday 23 February 2016

Protecting my new camera

The idea behind buying the Fuji X100T was that it would be a camera to last me for many, many years.  I wanted a camera that made me want to take it out and shoot, that was light and portable but didn't sacrifice quality.  I know that in a few months time, there will most likely be a new version out, but that is always the case with technology, so I decided to opt out of the problem many photographers find themselves in, which is G.A.S.  Gear Acquisition Syndrome is all about being sucked into the marketing of huge corporations and buying their lenses, latest models etc.  Fuji is no different in that sense, they have to make money, but, I hope, that the X100T is a camera that will last me for many years to come, and may even be a camera I can pass onto my children in time.  So, I plan to ignore all of the hype around new technology, appreciate and understand the camera I have and enjoy taking pictures!


My new camera is an investment, so I need to protect it.  I guess there are 3 main things I need to worry about which are scratching the rear LCD screen, damaging the lens and protecting it against accidental damage, theft etc.

There are loads of screen protectors out there but they are not all equal!  I did quite a bit of research, but eventually decided on the Expert Shield as these have a lifetime guarantee and all the reviews seem very positive.  At the end of the day, it's a screen protector, what more can you say!

To protect the lens, I had already bought the genuine Fuji LH-X100 & AR-X100 set from Bristol Cameras as they had it at a great price and after my initial issues fitting it (see previous post!) I had to decide whether I wanted to use a 49mm lens cap or a clear/UV filter.  I opted for the filter in the end as most the lens caps looked pretty ugly and its another thing to lose!  The question of which filter is a personal one there are so many choices, personally I wanted a decent quality filter and I opted for the Formatt-Hitech 49mm Firecrest SuperSlim Stackable Ultraviolet 370nm Filter because it is was slim, good quality and good value.  Now I don't have to put a lens cap on and can just leave the lens hood attached so my camera still looks good!

Finally, I looked at insurance.  Sadly we all know there are unscrupulous people out there and that accidents can happen.  I have used Photoguard before, they have a low excess, good cover and the premiums were low too (about £3.50 a month).  It just gives me the peace of mind that if anything happens, I'm protected and it's far cheaper than buying a new camera!  Everyone's insurance needs are different, so if you are looking at insurance make sure you check out the policy to ensure it meets your requirements!

1 comment:

  1. Here is an alternative lens hood. I use this and love it. Much more compact and protective of my lens. I owe some pic of my rig. lol.
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/koehntopp/11101244393/

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/fotois/5525959824/in/photostream/

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/thefrozenmemory/5953997764/in/dateposted/

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