alternative protection for rear camera when faced down?

[jxs1984]

besides a seido case or any case... what are the alternative methods to prevent that camera from being scratched up? here are my thoughts

1. what if you used one of those screen protector and cut a circle to place onto the camera glass? will that degrade picture quality?

2. HTC Evo 4G Magnet Mount Conversion Lens, FREE Shipping, HTC Evo 4G PHONE Magnet Mount Conversion Lens what if you attached the included circular magnetic piece (kinda like a washer) to act as a spacer?

3. like the magnetic spacer, maybe add a small strip of rubber with adhesive on the back to raise up the top of the phone and create a very small space between the surface and the camera. similar to feets found under a laptop.

4. small adhesive rubber dots... like those placed on your laptop's bezel around the lcd

 

[sikclown]

Hmm the only one I would't try is #2... Taking the magnet on and off could cause some scratching on the glass. Plus taking it on and off would get old. I think it'll be fine truthfully but do the first one. Shouldn't degrade the pics noticibly

 

[tx_brandon]

Cover it a double layer of clear packing tape.

 

[wjrandon]

Just dont lay the phone down on top of sandpaper and you'll be fine.

 

[SoFLO]

I'm banking on the case I'm going to get will do the job of protecting the camera.

 

[horadin]

The metal on the EVO is not magnetic. Those lenses come with a piece of metal that is stuck around the evo's lens with double sided tape or something like that. At least that is how I understood it.

 

[geaux4it]

I'm concerned about the lens too, but I'm pretty sure if you put any of the screen protective films over the lens it's going to noticeably degrade the imaging quality of the 8 megapixel camera. You certainly could give it a shot...

 

[cesjr02]

I feel compelled to cut a screen protector to place over the camera lens. You can always remove it if it doesn't work.

Being a photographer I'll do anything to keep scratches of my camera lenses.

 

[cary328is]

I was thinking about this issue the other day too and thought of possibly finding out what the part # is for the red ring/outer lens cover. Problem is that I need to know who their manufacturer source is for this part and get the exact specs. Of course HTC wouldn't give this part # out because their BOM (bill of materials) for this phone is proprietary information. But if there is any way to find out what the replacement part is (same part as Incredible too) then we could order extras in case ours gets scratched if none of these protective techniques work. I'm thinking of a site like this:

iPhone 3GS Parts

for all HTC phones. But it's just a lens cover so it shouldn't cost that much. Also, assembly is most likely just screw on suction or snap on (unless someone who has the phone can verify).

Edit: ok I think I have a lead that might be able to assist with sourcing this part:

http://www.portatronics.com/index.php?cat=c42_Smartphones.html

 

[cary328is]

Ah - I see this topic is also being discussed over in the Incredible thread:

http://androidforums.com/htc-incredible/71779-lens-worries.html

 

[Bales]

What about buying some thin felt and adhesive from the craft store and cut it out and apply it on the metal ring around the lens. Come to think of it, just about any material would work as all you really need to do is raise the bezel slightly above the lens.

 

[rjjr2531]

if it scratches u can just buy a new rear

 

[cary328is]

if it scratches u can just buy a new rear

The rear doesn't have the lens cover.

-This picture belongs to htc.EVOlution. I just needed it to show the rear doesn't have a lens cover, although it would have been a good idea

 

[jkid23]

I will try the zagg invisible shield camera cut out. if it does not diminish the picture quality that would be great. The biggest thing will be not getting finger prints underneath it.

 

[tx_brandon]

droid incredible owners noted that the metal ring touches before the glass makes contact, so a piece of sand could still get to it, but the metal does make contact first

 

[Bales]

The rear doesn't have the lens cover.



-This picture belongs to htc.EVOlution. I just needed it to show the rear doesn't have a lens cover, although it would have been a good idea

The OP wasn't nessecarily looking for a cover, just a way to keep the phone from sitting directly on the camera. I believe it has been confirmed that the Seido case is in fact thick enough to keep it from resting on the camera.

 

[bunnymud]

use the kickstand?

 

[thezlog]

I'm sure the lens is glass. On the incredible, the metal ring is slightly raised. VERY SLIGHTLY, like 1/16 of a mm (lol), but slightly nonetheless.

EDIT: let me elaborate, the exposed surface is glass - but that exposed surface is NOT the lens.

 

[asperry1]

HTC Evo 4G Teardown - iFixit
From the looks of step 6 and step 8, if there's a source for the parts, the internal frame could just be replaced if it gets too scratched up.

 

[Aeriya]

use the kickstand?

I joined the forums just to quote how ingenious this comment of yours was. I didn't even think of that lol. The Evo IS kind of the only phone with a kickstand that I know of. Seriously why didn't I think of that lol. Simple solution. Kudos.

 

[JMac202]

hope you find a way to protect it. I broke my camera lense cover. It cracked first and then completely caved in. Caved in so much that it actually cracked the actual lens on the camera as well and not just the lens cover.

I cracked the lens before I had a case. Got an otterbox case and then after I bought it that when the lens itself cracked and not just the lens cover.

So now I have one jacked up looking Evo with no glass/plastc protecting everything and the glue used to hold it in place it holding all kinds of debris.

 

[stanglifemike]

Any one try putting cutting a circle in a screen protector and sticking it on to the camera yet? I thought about doing this weeks ago with the stealth gaurds that I got and will never use otherwise. Just havent got around to it yet...maybe I'll give it a go tommorow and see if it affects the pics in any way. If any one has tried this already, please chime in.

 

[Brian360]

Extended battery back covers all protect the camera lense. Win win situation for 20$

 

[nu2android]

Extended battery back covers all protect the camera lense. Win win situation for 20$

Or your can get a really nice back that recesses the lense back so it doesn't touch the service from Ebay seller for around $5.00 but the only drawback its from hong kong and it takes around 7 to 11 days to arrive, but well worth it. It is for an extended battery but the back feels just like the orignal.

I have noticed they did redesign the back for their Euro Evo, I forget what its called, the dreamer, desire or something.

 

[bvbull200]

Any one try putting cutting a circle in a screen protector and sticking it on to the camera yet? I thought about doing this weeks ago with the stealth gaurds that I got and will never use otherwise. Just havent got around to it yet...maybe I'll give it a go tommorow and see if it affects the pics in any way. If any one has tried this already, please chime in.

I've done that. I cut a piece of a screen protector in a circle, then I took the battery cover off of my phone, set the protector over the lens, then put the battery backing back on. I hope that makes sense, but the result is that you can't see that there is a protector on at all.

It has effected my picture quality, however. I think I could possibly get lucky and get a slightly cleaner piece of the screen cover, but it is likely going to still have some effect. I just don't see any of those protectors being 100% optically perfect. That said, it isn't a big enough deterrent to send me changing it out right away, but I will try again eventually.

If you have some extra "stuff", then give it a try. It won't take you long to do and it is easily reversible.