Camera Lens Protectors

Phone cameras now sit proud of the back, which means the lens glass is the first thing to touch a table every time the phone is put down face up.

A hairline scratch on a lens does not look like much, and it shows up in every photo afterwards as flare around bright lights. Unlike a screen, a scratched camera cannot be ignored, and replacing a rear camera module costs more than most people expect.

The protectors here are a machined aluminium ring with tempered glass set inside it, one ring per lens, rather than a single sheet over the whole camera block.

The ring matters more than the glass. It stands a fraction above the lens, so when the phone goes down on a hard surface the metal takes the contact and the glass never touches. A flat sheet over the whole housing has nothing to stand on and transmits the impact straight through.

Lens protectors are less forgiving than screen glass, because the adhesive ring is narrow and there is no second chance once it is down.

Clean each lens with the alcohol wipe and let it dry fully. Line the ring up while it is still a millimetre above the glass and only then let it touch. If a fibre gets trapped, lift the ring straight up immediately rather than sliding it, and clean again.

An extra layer of glass in front of a lens is not free, and it is fair to ask what it costs in image quality.

In daylight the difference is not visible. At night, shooting directly into a street light or a headlight, a protector can add a faint flare that the bare lens would not. Keep it clean and that mostly disappears. If you shoot night photography seriously, this is a trade worth knowing about before you fit one.

Does the flash still work properly? Yes. The rings cover the lenses only, and the flash and the sensor beside it are left open.

Will a case still fit over it? Yes, our cases are cut with that clearance in mind. A very tight third party case may not be.

Can I take them off? Yes, with a fingernail and some patience. The adhesive gives way before the lens does.

If you are fitting lens rings and a case at the same time, put the rings on first and let them sit for an hour before the case goes on. The adhesive needs that time to grip properly, and pressing a case over a ring that has not set is the most common reason one lifts a week later.