This question has been nagging me for eons. Why do the pros

[deb]

I don't know that what you see from the pros is actually abuse. If you shoot for a living, hopefully you shoot a lot. You have to focus your energy on getting the shot not protecting your equipment.

When you set up for a location shoot, you cannot always replace the lens cap when you aren't shooting, you are going to turn quickly and bump a long lense and some clutz is going to at some point knock over the tripod with the camer attached or sit the camera too close to the edge of the table or shelf.

It's just like your good china. As long as it is in the china cabinet or sitting in the little zip up dish protectors it's not going to get chipped. When used as intended it's going to show some signs of wear after a few hundred family gatherings and some pieces will be chipped or broken completely. It's then that the dishes have a story to tell.

 

[mavrik]

Question - is your keyboard clean and free from debris? Whatever job you do, is your work area perfect and spotless? Check the computer you are sitting at now. Flip the keyboard over and bang on it a few times. See what falls out.

Pros abuse equipment because a 300 dollar lens with a $7900 camera is worth about what your keyboard is to you if you work in an office.