Jeepers! Buying a new Cam? A Panny GS400? Make sure you also buy a cheap UV filter; and leave it on your not so cheap cam. This filter will protect your investment. Moisture, salt, dust, dirt and fine sand particles bombard the lens. If you have a cheap UV filter screwed on, it's the cheap filter that gets it, not the not so cheap Leica lens. Logic dictates that it's cheaper and easier to replace a cheap UV than it is to replace the not so cheap lens. A nice Hoya rubber lens hood will also aid with protection, and a nice Lowpro Nova or Lowpro Vidcam bag will make things really swell. So don't let anyone give you the gears, telling you otherwise.

Pokey doesn't like to get his picture taken, but here's one of the poor geezer, and this ain't no jeer.

http://www.dvfreak.com/mx5_go.htm

Pokey says:

Wash and dry your grubs before even thinking about touching your shimmering silver GS400 cam. Dirt is bad, and will harm your once in a lifetime film-making investment.