Unpopular opinion: “stealth” tape on cameras

[Godfrey]

I think the taping of logos thing probably started with people seeing logos taped over in TV and movies (to prevent giving out free advertising, eg. Rear Window style) and thought there must be some practical reason for doing so, since all the "pros" were doing it on TV. You don't want to look unprofessional do you?

To any knowledgeable photographer, seeing that scene in "Rear Window" brings up the immediate statement, "Hey, look at the Exacta VXIIb with the long lens that James Stewart is using!" LOL!!!

Taping up the camera means nothing to someone who actually knows cameras.

G

 

[Huss]

There’s something extremely self important about taping up brand names in the claim of
not giving free advertising. 99.999999% of you doing this would never get paid to use gear. No-one is fooled by or cares about your gear choice. And you paid for the gear.

 

[nightfly]

Do or do not. Who cares.

People, mostly other photographers, are curious about cameras, having or not having a logo invites or discourages attention/conversation.

Some see taping as pretension, some see overt branding as the same.

Probably no one cares but you so do whatever makes you happy.

William Gibson has a character in one of his novels that is physically allergic to branding, which I always found funny.

 

[back alley]

would you (all) prefer that manufactures make bodies without names/numbers on them?

 

[ptpdprinter]

There’s something extremely self important about taping up brand names in the claim of
not giving free advertising.

How so? It seems the argument about self importance is better made about those flaunting the branding. I also use a black strap instead of a branded one. Is that self important too?

 

[DanskDynamit]

would you (all) prefer that manufactures make bodies without names/numbers on them?

yes, because then you don't pay the brand tax.

 

[Michael Markey]

The logo on my Sony A7 is taped. The logos on my film cameras are exposed.

I like people to leave me alone and exposing the Sony logo gets me all kinds of chitchat from people who wanna discuss their own brand, be it Sony, Fujifilm, Canon, Nikon etc.
The film cameras don’t invoke a conversation, people are sufficiently intimidated by them. Every now and then somebody says ‘hey is that a Hasselblad’ when they see my exposed-logo Rolleiflex... :bang:

That`s why I do it ; that and I don`t like logos.
It`s my only photographic affectation so I`m sticking with it .

 

[Bill Blackwell]

I was in the Chicago area last year and met up with a good friend. We went to Madison, WI to shoot for the day. To my surprise he had the engraving on the top of his early Wetzlar M6 taped along with the red dot, but the "Leica M6" stamped on the front of the camera remained exposed.

I asked him about the tape - his response was - "yea, that was the last of my black tape." Then I asked - "Why didn't tape the front?" His answer was short and to the point - "I ran out of black tape". At that point we didn't discuss it any further.

I won't say my good friends name, but his initials are D.A.G.

I don't do it, I don't care if others do it.

That about sums it up for me. The fact is, I'm not sure those who tape up their cameras always know why they do it.

 

[valdas]

yes, because then you don't pay the brand tax.

You’d pay for a brand anyway, logo or no logo. Logo is just a symbol. I can’t imagine the situation you don’t pay for a camera brand. It has to be a complete commodity and cameras are not.

 

[andyturk]

Even though there's no red dot on the front, I've had gaffer tape on my M10-P for a while. It's where I grip the body with my right hand. The cloth tape has just the right amount of stickyness and makes it easier to hold.

Although, I did just put a piece of tape on the top plate to cover the white script up there because one guy I was photographing on the street kept saying to his wife, "Honey, it's a very nice camera. Go ahead, take the picture!"

Ugh.

 

[Takkun]

Wow, this blew up overnight! To those of you wondering how much brainpower was wasted over contemplating the issue on my part: not much at all; I really don't care all that much. Just thought it was an interesting occurrence that a handful of stranger-photographers felt the need to approach me and comment on my lack of tape.

I think my slight irritation comes from a professor in journalism school once mentioning the practice while shooting in Afghanistan so he'd 'look like a tourist and blend in' (you know, as a 6'3" white guy with blond hair and blue eyes and a massive EOS-1) and half the class followed suit by the end of the semester. Just seems silly and trivial in the grand scheme of things.

THen again, you all make valid points about taping up logos precisely to keep lookie-loos from haranguing you with gear chat. Might have saved me an unecessarily long conversation with a stranger asking me in detail how his new Kiev works (how should I know?). I like talking shop, but clearly not when I'm working!

I like to think my Leica is pretty stealthy as it is, but any other Leica owner inevitably gravitates over and just has to look at it. And then there was last weekend, when I took out my grandfather's TLR. Id thought a WLF would help me blend in a bit, but I clearly didn't anticipate how much interest it would draw from passerby.

 

[presspass]

Just to take it a step farther, I have an M4 that I've owned for 40 some years. The camera still works fine, but all the leatherette, or whatever you call it, has crumbled away leaving glue residue. Sometime this year I will send it off for its semi-centennial cleaning and get a new cover at the same time. Meanwhile, I'm going to cover it with hockey tape. It sticks well, is easy to install, and has a grippy surface. Probably not going to do the top, however, so the Leica name will still glow brightly.

 

[ruby.monkey]

I taped over the logo on my Sony A7ii because, frankly, it's unsightly; the only other tape I've used is to stop the dioptre adjustment dials on my Fuji digicams getting moved by accident, and to stop some of the lens hoods rattling.

 

[sleepyhead]

I wasn’t “a taper” until I got a LEICA SL - have you seen how stonking big the LEICA logo is on that camera!?

...not to mention its “arresting” looks!

 

[filmtwit]

I’ve always found the taping-over-the-logo thing a bit pretentious . . .

I used to think the same, then I started noticing my subject starting to lean in when I'd pull up my camera to take a photo (like this) . . .

So, these days I've used a dab of gaffer's black tape over the logo and where ever I've been starting to bang the camera, just as skin.

 

[css9450]

I used to stick black tape on my lens; then one day I decided to pull it off. My photos improved dramatically!

 

[bert26]

I personally don’t like someone stopping me on the street and reminding me how nice and expensive my setup is (lots of people what a leica is regardless of whether or not they shoot) when the are junkies around and stuff. Maybe doesn’t make a difference but I felt more secure with tape even if it is just in my head.

 

[BlackXList]

I cover logos on a lot of kit, for reflections, to reduce contrast, to make the gear more bland in appearance, because it's not about the gear.

 

[Keith]

Tried this ... it didn't work at all. What a con!

 

[jsrockit]

I only use tape to keep things in place... I.E. dials that move too easily or buttons that get pushed too easily. I love Fuji, but every camera they make has something that moves too easily.