Nikon LC-52 Snap on Front Lens Cap(back side)

A lens cover or lens cap provides protection from scratches and minor collisions for

camera A camera is an Optics, optical instrument that can capture an image. Most cameras can capture 2D images, with some more advanced models being able to capture 3D images. At a basic level, most cameras consist of sealed boxes (the camera body), ...

and

camcorder A camcorder is a self-contained portable electronic device with video and recording as its primary function. It is typically equipped with an articulating screen mounted on the left side, a belt to facilitate holding on the right side, hot-swa ...

lenses A lens is a transmissive optical device which focuses or disperses a light beam by means of refraction. A simple lens consists of a single piece of transparent material, while a compound lens consists of several simple lenses (''elements''), ...

. Lens covers come standard with most cameras and lenses. Some mobile

camera phone A camera phone is a mobile phone which is able to capture photographs and often record video using one or more built-in digital cameras. It can also send the resulting image wirelessly and conveniently. The first commercial phone with color cam ...

s include lens covers, such as the

Sony Ericsson W800 The W800 Walkman, released in 2005 (1 August 2005 in the UK), was the first Sony Ericsson phone to use the Walkman brand. The phone features Bluetooth v1.2 (with full Bluetooth 2.0 compliance), Infrared and USB connectivity. Description The W8 ...

, the

Sony Ericsson K750 The Sony Ericsson K750, introduced in June 2005, was a high-end mobile phone, the successor to the now discontinued K700, and which was succeeded by the K800i in Q2 2006. Before official release, K750 was known by its codename Clara. There al ...

and the

Sony Ericsson K550 The Sony Ericsson K550 is a mid range mobile phone. Announced on February 6, 2007, it was the successor of the K510 model sensor with two-LED photolight and an active lens cover for the camera lens protection and easy camera activation when takin ...

. A more secure lens cap is the metal screw-in lens cap which cannot pop off a lens accidentally. Although a screw-in cap takes more time to remove in order to take a photograph than a standard lens cap, it is stronger than plastic and therefore more protective. Some cameras (mostly compact cameras) feature an automatic lens cap that opens when the camera is powered on, they often use plastic blades and thus do not offer much protection against damage. Friction fit lens caps exist but are quite rare. Lens caps or covers are often lost, they are not a high value item among photographers, especially professionals, photographers at large events or in large crowds may drop their lens caps and fail to retrieve them, leading to a litter of lens caps. A lens cap may be tethered to the camera via a string to avoid losing it. Aside from lens caps, there are also rear caps and body caps, these are used in interchangeable lens cameras and allow protection for the lenses rear element and the shutter/sensor of the camera in storage.

See also