defacing Leica lens caps

[John Camp]

All of my Nikon lenses have the focal length written on the lens cap in silver ink, from one of those silver art pens. It doesn't come off easily, and I see that Sharpie now has a silver-ink pen. Are Leica caps so precious that writing on them is discouraged? Makes it really easy to pick out which is which when you're in a hurry, all those numbers looking up at you from the bag...would it be better to write on the rear lens caps? It seems like they would be easier to come by. Where do you get spare lens caps, anyway?

JC

 

[JohnM]

Generally, there is enough of a visual difference with my Leica lenses that I don't need help picking them out quickly.

Good idea with your Nikons, though. I have a bagful of Canon SLR glass that all look exactly alike from the top of the bag - two prime culprits, pardon the pun, are the 60/2.8 EF-S and the 85/1.8. More than once I've gone into the bag for one of them and mounted the wrong one before I realized my error.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[principe azul]

Try american eagle, who also sells generic vented hoods.

 

[erikhaugsby]

Just me, but I wouldn't think of bringing an uncapped sharpie near any part of my lens, much less the cap.

Thenagain, I've found myself sharpie-ing practically everything else; maybe this is just the one thing that isn't meant to be sharpied.

 

[peter_n]

Either write or put stickers on them. You can get perfectly good 3rd party replacement Leica rear caps from american_eagle and others on eBay.

 

[back alley]

lens caps?

never use them.
i like selling them when they come with a lens...helps bring down the price of the lens.

joe

 

[ch1]

I like lens caps because they reduce dust build-up so I don't need to clean the lens as often - reducing wear on the glass etc.

As to markings and type - I'm like Rhett Butler and couldn't give a damn as long as they serve their purpose.

But then again, I'm a "user", not a "collector" so your milage may vary.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

All of my Nikon lenses <snip> Are Leica caps so precious that writing on them is discouraged? <snip> Where do you get spare lens caps, anyway?

I don't understand. Are you asking whether Leica lens caps are precious too? I don't think they are. I'm sure you can write on them anything you want.

I get spare lens caps either from ePrey or from National Camera.

 

[John Camp]

I don't understand. Are you asking whether Leica lens caps are precious too? I don't think they are. I'm sure you can write on them anything you want.

Didn't mean to be confusing. I've been accumulating new Leica lenses for my R-D1 while waiting for the digital Leica. All seven lens caps are different (but some of them only subtly so, like the 75 and the 90, the 21 and the 35, and even, in a hurry, the tri-elmar and the 50. With the rectangular ones, I'm sure I couldn't find replacements in the Twin Cities, where there are no remaining Leica dealers. I'm a user, not a collector, but I also don't want lose value any more than is reasonable -- so if I write on the lens cap with what amounts to an indelible pen, will that chop a lot off the value? I've read a number of posts complaining about the cost of lens caps...

 

[raid]

I agree with Joe here. If a lens cap is so "precious", you might as well sell it and buy several off-brand lens hoods that can be defaced without loss of money. Any working lens hood is fine with me. Actually, it's like changing shirts when you have many lens hoods. You get a different "look". I have al large bag full of lens hoods that I picked up/bought over the past 20 years or so.

 

[Andrew Touchon]

Didn't mean to be confusing. I've been accumulating new Leica lenses for my R-D1 while waiting for the digital Leica. All seven lens caps are different (but some of them only subtly so, like the 75 and the 90, the 21 and the 35, and even, in a hurry, the tri-elmar and the 50. With the rectangular ones, I'm sure I couldn't find replacements in the Twin Cities, where there are no remaining Leica dealers. I'm a user, not a collector, but I also don't want lose value any more than is reasonable -- so if I write on the lens cap with what amounts to an indelible pen, will that chop a lot off the value? I've read a number of posts complaining about the cost of lens caps...

Yes it will chop off the value and you won't believe the price of a genuine Leica lens cap.

 

[rbiemer]

John,
If I were to do something like this(and now that you've mentioned it, I may) a couple of things come to mind:

Some lens caps are more common than others so I wouldn't worry about those. Some(don't know Leica gear well, so I have no idea which ones) are probably very sought after; those I'd not deface.

I don't find Sharpie markers to be all that permanent. The paint markers I've not used very much so I have no idea how well they'd wear.

I think I like the idea of labels or stickers of some kind. Maybe the Dymo label tape?

As far as losing value, that would only be a problem if you part with the lenses. 😀
And none of these options(markers or stickers/labels) are truly permanent--unlike engtaving which might be a bad idea for future saleability.
Rob

 

[erikhaugsby]

I get spare lens caps either from ePrey or from National Camera.

NatCam sells Leica lens caps?
I've never seen them before, might they be in those bargin bins in the downstairs of the Golden Valley store?

 

[Andrew Touchon]

Didn't mean to be confusing. I've been accumulating new Leica lenses for my R-D1 while waiting for the digital Leica. All seven lens caps are different (but some of them only subtly so, like the 75 and the 90, the 21 and the 35, and even, in a hurry, the tri-elmar and the 50. With the rectangular ones, I'm sure I couldn't find replacements in the Twin Cities, where there are no remaining Leica dealers. I'm a user, not a collector, but I also don't want lose value any more than is reasonable -- so if I write on the lens cap with what amounts to an indelible pen, will that chop a lot off the value? I've read a number of posts complaining about the cost of lens caps...

The current price at B&H for a 50mm Summicron front lens cap is $29.95. 😱

 

[VictorM.]

Somewhere I have a book with a picture of Elliot Erwit's case of Canon SLR equipment (the Horror...). Each lens cap has a Dymo label showing the focal length. I pitied his assistant. As for so-called 'permanent' markers: most are alcohol based so rubbing alcohol will remove most of the marker from impermeable surfaces like metal.

 

[SteveM(PA)]

This cap I have came with a cool name tag on the inside. I wonder if at one time there were sets of tags you could buy...?

 

[raid]

well, your summarit caps run @ $50 --- perhaps you could use a small sticker, when it comes time to part with lens and caps, use peanut butter to remove the sticky stuff --- it's an old trick that many antique dealers use on glassware and such -

That's a good tip. Thanks. I never heard of it before.