Are screen protectors necessary on cameras with "flippable" screens (like the Canon 60D)?

It's good to have a screen protector for camera LCD even if you have a flippable one. This will ensure you don't get the oil from your nose onto the LCD while looking through the viewfinder. This way you wont be afraid to push your eye closer. I used to look through the viewfinder from several inches away just because I didn't want to ruin the LCD screen with scratches and oils, that was before I got the protector. Also if you have a wife/girl friend who wears nose-pin, screen protector is a must before you let them use the camera! If you don't get a screen protector built specificly for your camera, you can buy one made for large-screen cell phones (I used the one which was designed for iPhone) and cut it to your camera screen size. Search for 'Lexard TruVue' screen protectors, they make some good products for cameras.

you could flip your screen over, so that the plastic side is faced towards you. But since the obvious downside is that you can't preview your pics anymore, no one will ever do this anyway. :-)

Many cameras with flippable screens do not have manufacturer provided LCD protectors. For example: Some do: The Canon 60D given as an 'example only' in the question title does have a protector when sold. Some don't: The Sony A77V (Sony's top APSC DSLR when introduced) does not have a protector attached as standard. I imagine (without having checked) that if the A77 does not have a protector fitted when new then most or all other Sony cameras would not have either. If your camera does not have a manufacturer provided LCD protector and the surface of the LCD is not replaceable at a cost which you consider reasonable compared to the effort and effects and cost of fitting a screen protector, then you need one. The comment was made "These really aren't needed unless you are especially abusive to your equipment." To that I'd add. "If you ... NEVER have something in your camera bag that may accidentally scratch (if not actually gouge bend fold staple or mutilate) the screen, NEVER accidentally swing or brush it against something that is apparently harder than diamond even though it looked soft, NEVER lend it to someone (or have them hold it for the briefest moment, who turns out to unexpectedly be an anarchist camera screen scraper - or just typically less careful than you are, NEVER put it down and have it roll unexpectedly or have something slid against it or NEVER have {add unexpected real world LCD damaging event(s) here} happen". Then, in such cases, I agree, you PROBABLY will get away without having one. Otherwise .... . LCD movement obstruction by screen protector: Re "Are there any protective screens for this camera in the first place? And do they prevent the screen from being back flipped (screen facing body)?" There are generic "stick on" protectors that will fit most screens, or larger ones can be cut down to fit any screen. While some protectors are made of clip on hard plastic which may prevent some screen articulation modes, the stick on ones are so thin that they are extremely unlikely to prevent available screen motion. The Sony SLT A77 is a good example of a camera with an extremely well articulated screen - if a stick on protectordoes not obstruct movement on this screen it's reasonably unlikely to do so on others. The A77 has a screen with an "arm with two joints with the arm to LCD joint allowing 180 degree pivoting at the screen attachment point. 'Stick on' protectors cause no problems. 6000 words: http://i.stack.imgur.com/FTJEo.jpg

Short answer is NO. Now it is up to anybody to decide if this will be used or not. I don't use one and I have no scratches on the screen. Simply take care of it. It you store it you can flip it on the non screen side outside and voilà. :)