I have some protective filters that I put on when I'm crawling around in messy environments.
Thanks for the input. Great link Lars. I will keep the hoods on the lenses and consider filters as needed. What brand/type filters would you suggest? By the way, my instructor is probably somewhere around 50 but I'm not sure exactly.
Dust and tree branches - my kind of photographer! We'll have to go explore the Flint Hills wildlife refuge together sometime. I wonder if any whooping cranes stop over in your neighborhood. They are seeing them at the wetlands down around Great Bend (Quivira).
50? That's OLD. Other advice: Good filters are expensive! and the cost can really add up. Instead of buying one for each lens, buy one for the lens with the largest filter size (typically 77mm) and then invest in a set of these filter adapters: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/98862-REG/General_Brand_58_77_58mm_77mm_Step_Up_Ring_Lens.htmlEDIT: I changed to link above to a "step up" adapter instead of the "step down" adapter I had linked to originally.