JDMCQ's Garage

Filters: yes, good to protect the lenses - my theory is I'd rather replace a <$100 filter than risk damaging the front glass of the lens as that's usually >$200 to replace
I have a UV and a circular polarizing filter for my lenses - UV for general outdoor shots, polarizing for anything with snow/water or super sunny days. Always have one on the lens when I'm in Yellowstone too. Most people dont realize that the steam from the geysers and such is highly acidic and will etch glass. I have an old filter that has tons of little speckles on it from repeated exposures at the park.
Downside to filters is that unless the quality of the glass in them is equal to the quality of the glass in the lens it will take away some of the quality of the images so dont cheap out when buying filters! And you'll get a little vignetting (shadows in the corners) in the pictures from the filters too but it easy to fix in photoshop or elements.
I have a bunch of filters from my Sony that I don't use any more. Can't remember what diameter they are but if they would work for you I'll give them to you.
Caps: the lenses should have come with a front cap and rear cap...seems odd that they didn't. But it wouldn't hurt picking up a few spares as they get lost easily. If you want I could check the bin at the local camera shop I frequent - they have a giant tub of random lens caps for like $1 ea.
Hoods: they will help keep some glare out but you can shoot without them just as easily. They also provide protection to the front of the lens from any accidental damage.
You can keep a lens on the camera body at all times, just depends on if there's room in the camera bag/case that you store it in.
Cleaning: I leave that to the pros and pay the local shop for an annual cleaning. For simpler smudges, etc on the lens pick up a lens pen - its got a little brush on one end and a microfiber pad on the other - for dust and lint removal, an air blower, and a nice microfiber cloth for smudges on the glass. Always keep the lens caps on unless your shooting to keep the lens clean and when you're changing lenses do it fast and not in dusty/windy conditions to keep the camera clean.
Screen protectors: I have them on my camera - I found a stick on plexiglass type and its held up great, the thin plastic peel and stick ones just don't last very long. Once an edge starts to peel up there's no way to stop it. Lemme see if I can find the one I have....

Does that answer everything?

 

What's the vacation destination this year?
Sorry your back's been acting up - is this a new issue or ongoing?

Used camera gear - it all depends on where it comes from. Both of my lenses are used and were purchased from a local shop that deals in a lot of trades and consignments. They fully test and inspect everything before reselling it and I trust them. Not had an issue yet! *knocks on wood*
I have not dealt with them specifically but they have a good rep - B & H Photo - they have follks that travel around the country and host trade in events where people can bring in their old gear and get paid on the spot. B & H then takes all of that gear and, depending on the item and condition, will either clean it, inspect it and resell it or use it for parts for other items that will then get rebuilt and resold.

 

Probably has more to do with the focal point settings in the cameras. the P & S has a general, multi point auto focus that will select several points on a grid to bring into focus, the DSLR has multiple settings to choose from - spot, zone, etc. - so you can get one particular point in the image in focus or get several points in focus depending on what you choose. Not sure which options your particular model has...

find a good trustworthy shop and take the plunge. i don't think i'd buy a secondhand lens from ebay or cl without knowing the background. my local shop is awesome and i've saved about 1/3 off of the original prices on my lenses. can't beat that....gotta look at camera gear like cars. people trade stuff out all of the time for newer, better models. you just gotta find the one that was kept in a garage and faithfully maintained.

me too. they're pricy and no guarantee of a cure. i told my doc that all i wanted was to make my allergies less, i wasn't expecting a cure. trying to be realistic here but i would hope to see some improvement by now. *sniffle*
have fun with your stumps....maybe you could tie the girls' leashes to the stumps and then yell "squirrel!" maybe they'd take off running and take the stumps out with them

 

just realized that your bike and your truck are the same color....

happy friday boys

 

Panhandler outside walmart tonight with a sign saying "too ugly to be a prostitute, too honest to be a theif" he seemed to be doing pretty well.

 

Better dress up for that one...PJ's wouldn't make a good impression.