Never lose a lens cap again

As a professional photographer I know the importance of keeping the glass surface of my lenses pristine when I’m not using them. By the same token I know that when I’m shooting I can’t have anything get in the way of the creative task of creative photographs. For that reason, lens caps have always been a necessary evil, I use them when transporting my gear and remove them during the entire process of a photo shoot.

So the dilemma is how to cope with the lenses on the so-called bridge cameras – those that fall somewhere in-between my pro gear and a simple point-and-shoot pocket camera that has a built-in automatic lens cover.  Better grade in-between cameras invariable have removable lens caps and frankly it is a pain to have to remove it and find a place to put it when spending a casual day with family and friends at an amusement park or event.

The automatic lens covers serve their purpose on low-price cameras but they are probably the weakest and most vulnerable item on the whole camera. They are delicate and not dust or moisture resistant. And because they are built in to the lens, if the cover gets damaged (and it can easily be damaged) it is usually not repairable … the entire camera becomes a paperweight.

A while ago I discovered an automatic lens cover for a very nice Olympus camera I’ve had for several years as my “fun” family camera. Recently I bought a slightly more capable Sony camera that uses the new collapsible “pancake” PZ 16-50mm kit lens. I like the camera, I like the lens but I do not like having to deal with the snap-on lens cap.  I ran across this cool gadget from JJC of Taiwan and I fell in love with it. It is one of my favorite gadgets of this year.

It’s a brilliantly simple design … it simply screws on to the front of the lens (using the threaded filter mount) and two little levers on the back of it actuate when the camera is turned on and off. That action opens and closes the lens cover. True, it does not have the same protection as a real lens cap (which I keep for when I am in hostile dusty or moist areas) but it is beautifully convenient.

 

The company is the prime manufacturer and sells this mainly through Amazon, where some resellers have private-branded it. The price is under $20 and worth every penny. It is very well made and durable and after it is installed it doesn’t add any more to the overall size and weight of the camera than a snap-on lens cap.

 

By the way, the company also makes similar lens caps for other "better" cameras. Check them out at their website

There is a video link below that shows it in action and some hints on how to install it properly.

Available at: Amazon  

Close up and how-to install video

 

 



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IcareR handmade leather cases for iPhone and iPad

Expensive quality at a budget price

As a blog editor I have a closet full of phone and tablet cases, so many than I can only test the ones that have the most unique and useful features. For my personal iPhone I finally ended up with a beautiful leather case from Sena. True it is a bit overpriced for what it is, but their cases are not copycats of anyone else’s cases.

Unfortunately, when I was looking for a similar case for my iPad Air 2, Sena fell short. They seem to believe that adding more straps, flaps and fasteners is a good thing. I happen not to agree.

For any case I choose for my devices it has to be:

1.  Well made, beautiful to look at and long lasting

2.  Relatively protective of my expensive device

3.  Add the absolute minimal weight and bulk to my device. I paid a lot of money for a device to be as slim and lightweight as possible, I don’t want a case that weighs 4 times more than the device

4.  Priced within the ballpark of being reasonable. I have bought (and tested) a few cases in the $200 range. That is not reasonable for a $700 phone or tablet.

 

 

Recently I ran across a company named IcareR who specializes in handmade vintage looking leather cases for phones and tablets. I looked at their product line and immediately thought that they must be using the word “leather” very loosely … a high percentage of the ads I see on Amazon say leather when it is really some sort of leather-looking plastic.  No, IcareR’s cases are real leather. They feel like it, they smell like it, and they fit like it. And I believe them when they say they are handmade. When I take a close look it is easy to spot tiny imperfections that only come from not being stamped out by the millions on a machine.

I posted a video below of my iPad Air 2 case with more close-up photos.  The manufacturer isn’t easy to find, when you do an Amazon search they are still listed near the bottom. That’s not a reflection on their quality, only that they are new to the game.  And I would bet a lot of people pass them over  because they don’t think they can get a quality product for such a low price. Well, they can. Now that I see how nice these cases are look for a hands-on test of the iPhone 6s case ... I think I just found a new favorite, at a more reasonable price.

For me, this is the one I chose to use myself and it is the only iPad case that I can truly say is the best of class.

 

Available at: Amazon  ASIN: B016RD5AN0

 

 

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