Pathetic question...

[RichC]

For reasons to boring to into, I've a lens on which I've temporarily replaced the distance scale marks with new, more accurate, ones.

I've been using a bit of black electrical tape with the marks drawn on with one of the fine silver-ink marker pens; however, the marks soon wear off.

Has anyone a better solution that looks neat and won't harm the lens but is more permanent?

I know in the scheme of things this is trivial, and I should spend my time doing something more worthwhile, like taking photos, but this has been niggling me for weeks now!

So, anyone any thoughts?

 

[Kim Coxon]

You could try a "tape sandwich". Mark your black tape as before and then put a piece of clear fablon or similar over the top to protect the markings.

Kim

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

You could try a "tape sandwich". Mark your black tape as before and then put a piece of clear fablon or similar over the top to protect the markings.

Kim

Kim's suggestion sounds like the best idea.

I've done that on a B+W polarizer filter (marked the highest level to lowest level of polarization from1 to 10). Underlying layer is white plastic tape, upper protective layer is strong clear packing tape. Impervious to the elements, and marks haven't come off 🙂

 

[Bryce]

Good ideas guys! My Brooks Veriwide is scale focus only, and has no DOF markers(!?!!!?). My pencil markings keep rubbing off the anodizing, very inconvenient.
Or pathetic?
Tape sandwich coming right up!

 

[airds]

Could you laser print onto a piece of self-adhesive clear film?

Or even take a slide film frame (or two+ spares !) of the scale?

I used to do a lot of graphics Lith film work which would have been ideal, but of course it's all been replaced with easier di*ital methods.

Good luck

 

[JohnL]

Make a drawing (hand or digital) of what you want. Print it on to label stock. Apply to lens. Cover with transparent label stock to protect. I did this to "renovate" the mode dial markings on my Canon G5 digicam about a year ago, and it still looks no worse than it did then 🙂

 

[kbg32]

Rich, on the net somewhere, you would have to do a search, I saw a site that had distance/aperature scales in feet for different focal lengths that one could download and print in color and attach to lenses. I believe it was for Contax G lenses, but if I remember correctly, they would work on any brand of 35mm lenses.

 

[payasam]

Keith, all lenses of the same focal length do not rotate as much from nearest focus to infinity.

I'm thinking of covering the metre markings on my Industar 61 L/D with foot markings. Converting is simple, but there's the danger of forgetting in the heat of the moment: and then the parallax adjustment on the accessory finder will be set all wrong. Sandwiches are wholesome.