A noob question about stealth camera.

the first person i saw black tape the logo off their camera (a 5D) was Noah Kalina. when i asked him why he said it was because people's eye were drawn to the white logo and not into the lens. that seemed reasonable to me and i filled my logo on with a marker and then used a piece of tape when that ink wore away.

i tape my M6 up when i go on holiday, just to be on the safe side.
 
Quite probably the PJs that initiated that habit in press work either had studio training (where it is common practice to cover all camera components that could show up in a reflection), or had been bitten by editors rejecting an image for a recognizable logo appearing in the subject's eyes.
 
thejameskendall said:
the first person i saw black tape the logo off their camera (a 5D) was Noah Kalina. when i asked him why he said it was because people's eye were drawn to the white logo and not into the lens. that seemed reasonable to me and i filled my logo on with a marker and then used a piece of tape when that ink wore away.

i tape my M6 up when i go on holiday, just to be on the safe side.
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Surely that would be a good thing though?

Looking straight down the lens can make people's eyes look a little hooded, looking a fraction above it, like the white logo fractionally above the lens avoids that, and I'd imagine that it's usually close enough to look like "eye contact" to the viewer
 
I always did it to keep people from bothering me, wanting to ask about equipment. It worked.
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You are right - to this point I never bothered to cover my Leica logo or bright lettering on my digital bodies and my film bodies have no front markings. The only time anyone has ever stopped me to talk about gear in public was with the digitals. IT makes a difference. I bought an antique M8 that I am now blacking out the logos - I doubt anyone will ever ask about it.

The real affectation is to make sure that everyone can see that the camera is a Leica. This way you have conversations in which you can extoll the many reasons the camera is superior to a DSLR, and to inform the stranger that you demand simplicity and the highest quality and that the lens "draws" exquisitely and has a beautiful boke.
 
I don't tape my cameras but I have heard people say that having Canon or Leica or Nikon or whatever emblazoned across your camera makes you look more professional and your subjects on the street aren't as relaxed, in fact are suspect that you are some pro trying to get away with.. something. Seems a bit silly to me, particularly when you pay upwards of ten grand on a Leica kit to slap gaffers tape over the logo to hide it. I understand war zones and the need to be as inconspicuous as possible but it's more your mannerisms than a piece of tape on your camera that makes you invisible. I guess in the end it is what people are most comfortable with and some like to tape.
 
If no logo or lettering is a thing helping pros, camera companies long ago would be offering special "clean body" runs for them. For much higher price, of course, as company isn't getting back "views", speaking in today's language. Sure, somewhere on bottom and/or back there would be info who made and model identification, just no large ad banners.
 
btgc said:
If no logo or lettering is a thing helping pros, camera companies long ago would be offering special "clean body" runs for them. For much higher price, of course, as company isn't getting back "views", speaking in today's language. Sure, somewhere on bottom and/or back there would be info who made and model identification, just no large ad banners.
Click to expand...

M9p vs M9...
 
Or the only one cynical enough to make money out of cosmetic changes
and my guess is that they know very well that their customers mostly prefer a clean look with no logo. Just a guess, I know....
 
I will always recognize a Leica, taped or not 🙂

If you want to avoid conversations why don't you make a T-shirt "don't bother me" instead? More expensive than black tape?

As a street photographer I never tried to avoid any kind of conversation on the street and get the people know you is one of the best stealth techniques to me. Not to mention that wrapped in tape camera will make more curious and more willing to ask questions than a leica logo, but everyone it's own 🙂

Long story short, I don't tape because I find it well, pointless.

Out of curiosity I would love to see pictures that would be impossible to be shot with visible logo and chrome (shiny) untaped camera 😉
 
No, No, No; you've all got it the wrong way round. A bit of black tape on a FED or Zorki makes it look as though you are a modest Leica user/owner.

Regards, David
 
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