Adding Focusing Tab

[David Hegar]

Greetings,

Is there any way to add a focusing tab to a Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.4 lens?

Any tip on a small DIY project like this?

Thank you.
David

 

[Vic]

Get a zip tie (or cable tie) from your local hardware store. Tighten it on the lens barrel, and cut off the excess. The fat end of the tie acts as the focus tab. It really works!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zip_tie

 

[David Hegar]

Thanks, Vic.

Great idea. Zip tie is cheap and easy enough for me to try.
I'd assume metal hose clamp would work as well provided I can find the right length to go around the lens.

Any more ideas, guys/gals?

-David

 

[payasam]

A clamp made of metal may mark the lens. I once saw a sort of focussing tab that used no more than a rubber band of the correct width and diameter and a small object, which I suspect was the chopped plastic cap of a disposable ball-point pen.

 

[David Hegar]

Ah, thank you for the warning about the metal clamp.

I just found an extra zip tie and tried what's been suggested. So far it works great. I hope the plastic zip tie will hold up in the long term.

-David

A clamp made of metal may mark the lens. I once saw a sort of focussing tab that used no more than a rubber band of the correct width and diameter and a small object, which I suspect was the chopped plastic cap of a disposable ball-point pen.

 

[rxmd]

I just found an extra zip tie and tried what's been suggested. So far it works great. I hope the plastic zip tie will hold up in the long term.

Don't worry. Every time I have to remove a zip tie somewhere it appears that they were designed to outlast humanity.

If it fails, just put on another, it's not like they are made of gold.

 

[David Hegar]

ha.ha.

I know it's cheap enough. It's just annoying if it ever breaks. My wife said I'm king of zip-ties ...I even have special tool to make it easy to tighten zip ties ( I used zip ties to hold things on my road bicycles and mountain bikes, but this is the first time I ever use it on camera gear) and you are RIGHT....those zip ties on my bikes just don't break by accident.

-d

Don't worry. Every time I have to remove a zip tie somewhere it appears that they were designed to outlast humanity.

If it fails, just put on another, it's not like they are made of gold.

 

[Rayt]

You can buy the STEER from Leicagoodies.

 

[David Hegar]

Thanks for the link, Rayt.

You can buy the STEER from Leicagoodies.