There’s a lot of information and advice out there if you’re buying your first DSLR but one small but important thing doesn’t get mentioned much. Get a clear filter for your lenses. Always.

When I got my first kit, a friend who was an experienced photographer gave me that bit of advice and it’s saved me a lot of money. No matter how careful you are, accidents can happen. It’s easy to bump into something with your camera. A clear filter offers some protection against your lens getting scratched and destroyed.

In the case of the attached photo, I got lucky. I dropped my camera and the filter absorbed the blow of hitting the ground. The filter shattered but the lens was undamaged. My total loss was $16 instead of the cost of a new lens.