Stuff I've never seen before

Well my new Nikon D60 arrived this morning. I've crawled thru the manual again (and I'll probably read it about 5 more times before I am comfortable with the camera).

The camera came with two items that I have never seen before ...
1. A hot shoe cap
2. A viewfinder cap

Questions:
What purpose does the hot shoe cap provide? Does anyopne ever replace it after using an external flash? It seems like a rather nice but useless piece of equipment to me since I never saw or used one before.

Is a viewfinder cap really necessary? Does that much light seep in through the viewfinder during time lapse photography? It is a bugger to take the eyepiece off and put the cap on.

Would appreciate any and all opinions.

Thanks

The hotshoe cap is just to protect the hotshoe from getting dirty I guess. The viewfinder is as you guessed to stop light leaks during long exposures plus I guess it helps keep it clean, too.
Don't worry, you'll lose both of them pretty quick.
I think camera makers should provide little slots on the bodies to hold those things.

Yes, I put the hotshoe cap on when I bought it and haven't removed it yet. That was about 5k pictures ago. The viewfinder cap is still in the box. If I am doing a time exposure then I use black gaffer tape.

For the longest time, I never knew what the view finder cap was that came with my cameras. I always attached it to the camera strap, but never new what it was for. Now that I know what it's for, I still don't use it. :)

It does have a use besides long exposures tho. If I have my camera on a tripod, and my composition locked in, I always cover the view finder when taking my meeter reading. If I'm looking through the view finder, my face covers it. If I'm checking the meeter reading on the screen on the back, or top of the camera body, I shade the view finder with my hand. The light coming into the viewfinder can thrown your meeter reading of quite a bit. It's faster and easier to use my hand than it is to put the viewfinder cap on.

My D50 came with the same two caps,i don't carry around the viewfinder cap,but i do and still do keep the hotshoe cap on,not only keeps it clean but stops any unintention glare while shooting something, and as well as not snagging on anything,i'm glad i have it.and congrats on your new camera.

I use the viewfinder cap on my camera strap to hold papers and the such it is great when shooting sports and writing at the same time so you can have the roster right there look down and write down the name. Now the hotshoe cap I keep, on the camera unless I have my speedlight on, when I have my speed light on, I put the cap into the case that came with the speedlight (in the compartment for gels) then put it back on as soon as I put the speedlight back.

Viewfinder cap is for long (bulb) exposures. I use electrical tape but whatever floats your boat. You'll loose the hotshoe cap soon enough. That's what it's for :D.

Sorry, I replied but had a brainfart. LOL.

Erik

Thanks all ... for your replies.
I guess I won't loose any sleep if I misplace one or both of them.
I really appreciate your time and responses.