Black out lettering?

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noimmunity

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Anyway have any successful experience in blacking out the white lettering "epson rangefinder digital camera" on the top plate?
For those times when shooting in "film" mode with the LCD folded away and no chimping, it kind of defeats the purpose to have the words "digital camera" showing... Not that I'm really into camouflage, but the idea has occurred to me, so I suppose somebody else must have thought of it too. Any experience to share would very helpful...
 
Quick Fix

Quick Fix

Here's a quick fix...go out and get one of them old fashion "analog" type film cameras and actually shoot film...
As I recall they never engraved them with the words "Film Camera" so there will be nothing to hide...;)
 
why do you need to hide what camera you are using? is it not good enough or are you embarrassed? and who sees the top of the camera anyway? you're a photographer, you're in peoples' faces. tape over your eyes, maybe, so no one sees you?

-dd
 
Dear Mr. paTROLLman

Dear Mr. paTROLLman

nikon_sam said:
Here's a quick fix...go out and get one of them old fashion "analog" type film cameras and actually shoot film...
Click to expand...

speaking of quick, 2 extra seconds and ya woulda noticed in my signature, mr. patrollman, that I have a quiver of film cameras. i even have a bunch that aren't listed there cuz they aren't RFs and I try, unlike you in this instance, to respect the meaning of a "dedicated forum". i prefer film in every way, but i also like to use to digital for various reasons.

I figured the either/or police paTROLL would eventually try to jump this thread, but never imagined their response time would be so fast! Talk about a quick fix, ha ha ha!!!
 
dan denmark said:
why do you need to hide what camera you are using? is it not good enough or are you embarrassed? and who sees the top of the camera anyway? you're a photographer, you're in peoples' faces. tape over your eyes, maybe, so no one sees you?
-dd
Click to expand...

The OP was a query about a specific technical problem. It has become a magnet for snide remarks. I appreciate the advice from JonasYip and Ideadog about using electrical tape. Thank you very much.

Please keep to this topic in this thread. :)

I would like to entertain a conversation about the purpose and uses of camouflaging and dissimulation in relation to photography (especially the RD-1, which by design is a rare digital camera that looks and feels like it is analogue), if not image and social identity in general, but let's do it--hopefully with friendship and respect, not rancor and sarcasm--in a separate thread.;)
 
as i reckon these letters to be printed, it will be not easy to remove them without also leaving marks on the underlying black paint, except you happen to find something solving the printed paint but not solving the underlying paint.
since also just painting over the print won't look nice, tapeing is finally the easiest "fix".

cheers,
sebastian
 
Hi
FWIW I have taped over the markings on all three of my Rd 1s and my Xpan with ordinary black electrical tape, just makes them more "neutral" in my view, I read somewhere that eyes are naturally drawn to letters [esp. white on black] and not to neutral black...........so why not!
Another idea , just put a strip over the red "writing" Led too, makes this less obtrusive in dim light...............
If it was good enough for HCB its good enough for me!
Slainte!
Clive
 
I use gaffers tape on my R-D1 all the time - though not to cover the lettering, but to cover the hot shoe port which is always open to accommodate RF adjustments! :)

Gaffers tape is better than electrical because it removes easily and will not stick and provides some grip that slick plastic tape doesn't.

Also - you do know that taping the lettering will make it appear to be a Leica, right? That may bring a new set of problems! ;)
 
Blackening camera lettering

Blackening camera lettering

noimmunity said:
Anyway have any successful experience in blacking out the white lettering "epson rangefinder digital camera" on the top plate?
Click to expand...

The best way is to use a black grease pencil filling in the white lettering. Don't worry about smearings around the lettering while applying the filling. You could easily dry-rub off the excess using a piece of tissue.

White on chrome cameras works too. (If you hunt around, many hobby shops sell silver grease pencils made by Tamaya of Japan.)

The grease pencil type that butchers use is fine, or Staedtler (Germany) makes fine arts type called "Mars-Omnichrom".

Come time to sell the camera, a water moistened piece of tissue or Q-tip will remove the grease pencil filling cleanly (no exotic chemicals needed).

I have been doing this trick on my Nikons and Leicas for over 25 years.
 
I ended up using a matte black tape that I found which matches the RD-1 exterior. I covered all the lettering, both on the top plate as well as on the front, plus the red lamp.
It now has a persuasive "generic black rangefinder" look!
 
The letters on the front of my camera are getting rubbed off after all these years of work. I assume the letters on top could also be rubbed off. Use your nails, not a wood nail.
 
use gaffer tape. It has more forgiving glue than electrical tape and it is not shinny.
I have been using that to cover all my cameras, from the CANON DSLRS, SLRs,etc.
I like the low key component of a simple black box myself.
 
Frankie said:
The best way is to use a black grease pencil filling in the white lettering. Don't worry about smearings around the lettering while applying the filling. You could easily dry-rub off the excess using a piece of tissue.

White on chrome cameras works too. (If you hunt around, many hobby shops sell silver grease pencils made by Tamaya of Japan.)

The grease pencil type that butchers use is fine, or Staedtler (Germany) makes fine arts type called "Mars-Omnichrom".

Come time to sell the camera, a water moistened piece of tissue or Q-tip will remove the grease pencil filling cleanly (no exotic chemicals needed).

I have been doing this trick on my Nikons and Leicas for over 25 years.
Click to expand...
Any more tips on removing grease pencil? I've tried q-tips with water, q-tips with nail polish remover (acetone), and toothpicks. A good majority is out, but there's a good deal still left in there making it look "dirty" now.
 
Removing grease pencil, give denatured or isopropal alcohol a try on cotton swab. Or, put some white grease pencil over it?

For covering letters, black masking tape from any art supply store (usually on shelf next to white artist's tape) blends right in with the black camera. Almost invisible.
 
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