Why do some people black out branding on their gear

I do it for a couple reasons.
A)I like it, I think it looks good, the all black look works, it's not limited to rangefinders, I taped up my Fuji S3 and now it's just this nameless bohemoth of a DSLR, people can never seem to figure out what it is and I love the head scratch it gets.
B)In my experiances it takes away anything that's loud about the camera, nothing screams at you when I point it at you.
C)This is a minor one, but I really don't like to advertise for people, none of my guitars or amps have visible logos, same with my cameras, same with my clothes. It's just something that I've always done and felt.
 
I've never understood the whole "stealth camera" thing, so I really don't understand the notion that taping over a label somehow makes a camera less visible. People holding cameras up to their faces are usually rather obvious, regardless of the camera in question.

As for thieves, well, isn't it the luck of the draw? If a thief knows about Leica, and has a choice, I suspect that thief would steal the Leica. But, often, thieves aren't looking for a choice, and don't have a choice. They'll just steal the first steal-able thing that presents itself. That doesn't mean your Leica won't be the second thing they steal, whether or not they've ever heard of the brand.

If I was a pro, though, I'd be sorely tempted to tape over labels to ward off amateur yackers.
 
That's another thing.
I love talking about gear online.
Offline unless it's with a bunch of RFF guys or a sales person I don't really want to talk about gear.
I was once trying to cover an event down here and there was a guy with an M6 who kept wanting to talk to me about my Leicas and seemed to bump into me at every turn and wanted my full attention.
It has not happened since I taped over the Logos.
It could, but it hasn't and that's enough for me.
 
Agree.

Ever since I taped over my M6 front "Leica", nobody at events asks me anymore "Oh, is
that a Leica ?! ...."

Before it happened more than once - quite annoying when you are looking to shoot.

Roland.
 
ferider said:
Agree.

Ever since I taped over my M6 front "Leica", nobody at events asks me anymore "Oh, is
that a Leica ?! ...."

Before it happened more than once - quite annoying when you are looking to shoot.

Roland.

Yes, when I'm sitting around shooting the shat I will talk gear until someone's ear will fall off, but when I'm shooting I really don't want to talk about with 35mm is sharper and more contrasty, and I especially don't want to talk about Bokeh 😀
 
What about serial numbers concealed in photos?

What about serial numbers concealed in photos?

Hello Disaster_Area,

Thanks for opening the can of worms. Who knew THIS would be a hot button issue.

A perhaps related question, and it's what I thought you were asking about when I first saw the thread.

I have noticed some photos of gear posted, where the serial number has been "blurred out." Or sometimes, part of the serial number will be blurred, and part left legible.

Why would RFF'ers post a photo of gear, and blur out the serial number? I think I have seen this slightly more often with serial numbers on camera bodies, rather than on lenses.

Is it possible the owner has hot gear, and wants to avoid returning it? Not to paint our fellow members in such a bad light. But a person who buys used photo gear, (and that pretty much describes our group, doesn't it ?) might have unwittingly purchased some gear which had been stolen at some point in its life. And although our members are above reproach, he might have purchased from someone morally challenged. I'm just speculating. 😕

Anyhoo, has anyone noticed this?
 
Pitxu said:
To me that looks more like a zorki round barbie's neck. A real zorki geek is too proud to cover the logo.😉

I suggest that Barbie gets that Zorki, or Leica, or whatever it is, tested for lead, before she poisons herself.
 
IdeaDog said:
I blacked out my Canon, Leica, Epson, and even one Holga for this. People who know don't need to ask because it's plain as a goat's ass what brand any camera is.

-------------------------------------------

You mean like this goat's ass?
 

Attachments

  • images  goats ass (Custom) (2).jpg
    images goats ass (Custom) (2).jpg
    20.1 KB · Views: 0
Last edited:
crawdiddy-

I suspect people blur thier serial numbers (similar to vendors only diclosing the first couple of numbers of a serial# to a potenial buyer) to prevent anyone from accusing them of having stolen the gear.
 
dpetrzelka said:
crawdiddy-

I suspect people blur thier serial numbers (similar to vendors only diclosing the first couple of numbers of a serial# to a potenial buyer) to prevent anyone from accusing them of having stolen the gear.

I think they do it because someone did it once, and everyone else thought there must be a good reason to do it, so they did it too.

- Pablito X
 
Like Ken Ford said earlier... Cuts down on questions from the subject(s).

When you're working on deadline, you don't have time to "talk cameras,'

especially, "Oh, my brother (husband, son, 3rd cousin) has one of those..."


My 'work' cameras are 'blacked' with black photo masking tape...

quick, easy & no pain (value loss.)
 
A lot of pros black out the logo (I do it on my Canons as well at my Leicas). As a shooter I do buy into the idea that it makes the cameras less noticable but I also don't like to be a brand whore. All that said I was shooting last week here in the Vienna city council and someone came up to me and asked if those were Leicas I was shooting with. Red dot or not people know a good thin when they see it!
 
Back
Top Bottom