Some N95 8GB owners are mistaken that it is the camera lens itself that is exposed and unprotected, and thus risks getting scratched. The truth is that the lens is well protected. There is a window made of clear plastic that is exposed to the outside and which protects the lens inside.
To me, it makes little difference. Of course, when the camera window is scratched, it is cheaper to replace it, as opposed to having to replace the camera lens. However, the risk of scratching something, in this case the camera window, remains unchanged. Whichever it is that gets scratched still affects the picture quality in about the same way. Whichever it is that needs changing is equally inconvenient.
So why was the camera cover gotten rid off in the first place? Some had speculated the reason was the lack of space on the redesigned back of the N95 8GB which had to accommodate a marginally larger battery. A few people think the lack of camera cover makes it easier to snap quick shots, because you don’t have to open any physical cover. I feel the cover opening time is negligible, compared to the time it takes to start up the camera application and focus.
My camera window had been badly damaged too. It looked something like this All About Symbian article. Mine seemed like some kind of coating was peeling off the surface rather than distinct scratches. Fortunately, Nokia Care replaced my camera window under warranty.
We can’t do anything about the lack of camera cover. What N95 8GB owners can do is to get something to protect the camera window. My recommendation is to go with a screen protector, like I did using the Martin Fields screen protector. If your camera window is already scratched, get it replaced. It is only a few $10 even if Nokia Care won’t do it under warranty.