Looking after your camera starts with making sure it’s protected against impacts, dust, weather and scratching. The fact is that damage to any part of the camera can be the start of problems, particularly if the interior of the camera is threatened with dust or moisture, so it’s worth investing in some good all-round protection.

There are quite a few products on the market which can protect your camera very effectively:

Camera Armor

Perhaps the most dramatic type of protection, but also one of the very best, is camera “armor”, which is a skin designed to cover particular models of camera. Two of the world’s top camera manufacturers, Nikon and Canon, have introduced camera armor to cover vulnerable parts of cameras, including the body, lens and even an LCD screen shield. This is the best possible protection for the camera while working, particularly in difficult environments.

Lens cases

The lens cases are an absolute must, particularly if you’re working with precision lenses. They’re not only protection for the lenses, they’re also very good organizers. You can store your lenses safely and know where everything is, before you start shooting.

Camera bags

There are plenty of camera bags on the market, and it’s worth taking some time to check them out. Some very useful bags will solve a whole range of portability and safety issues for photographers very effectively.

Types of bags include:

• Pouches- Very useful, easily portable go-anywhere protection for your camera
• Roller bags- Excellent for professional photographers, with lots of space for storage of materials and good organization options
• Sling back packs- Designed for ground travel and manoeuvrability, useful anywhere
• Back packs- Conventional back packs, but with a difference, and good padding for both you and your camera
• Shoulder bags- Good, compact and less bulky but with most of the capacity of the bigger bags
• Top loading bags- Heavy duty backpacks, sturdy and reliable when you’re on the move

Shopping for camera cases and bags

You’ll be pleased to hear that all these very useful options are actually quite cheap, particularly if you shop online. You’ll find that the prices are good, and the discounts are excellent.