Author Topic: Focus ring grip  (Read 1330 times)

Indofunk

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Focus ring grip
« on: September 18, 2017, 10:28:48 PM »
I just got a 45mm MD lens, and it quite helpfully came without a lenscap, rear cap, or the little bumpy rubber strip that is usually around the focus ring to help you grip it and to just make it feel comfortable. ;D I figure there's gotta be lots of places to get strips of self-adhesive rubber, but so far Amazon has been very disappointing. I'm sure some of you can source this stuff for me, so go! :D

Bryan

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Re: Focus ring grip
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2017, 12:03:30 AM »
You could salvage it from an old lens.  Maybe if you have give us some measurements someone can find one on a lens that has no hope otherwise.  A crappy lens from a thrift store could possibly be a donor.

Indofunk

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Re: Focus ring grip
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2017, 12:32:15 AM »
Huh, that's true. I have at least one lens that wouldn't miss its rubber gasket ;D But really, a strip of rubber with glue on the back. Why isn't that a thing?  ???

Indofunk

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Re: Focus ring grip
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2017, 12:36:51 AM »
Oh! I could use a bicycle inner tube! Very helpful fact: Bicycle inner tubes are extremely effective at unscrewing stuck trumpet mouthpiece rims. Don't see why they wouldn't be equally effective for use as focus ring grips ;D

Bryan

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Re: Focus ring grip
« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2017, 12:46:48 AM »
Huh, that's true. I have at least one lens that wouldn't miss its rubber gasket ;D But really, a strip of rubber with glue on the back. Why isn't that a thing?  ???
  It probably is a thing but more for industrial buyers that use a lot of it.  You may have to do a lot of creative searching on the internet to find a way to buy it.  There's probably someone in china that sells small quantities on an obscure web site.  The ones on lenses are like a rubber band that fits the lens perfectly, you probably won't find that.  You may find something that you have to seam together.  I have found similar stuff that I used to replace missing rubber on a tripod to grip the camera but it's much thicker than what you're looking for.

Here's some obscure web sites that sells rubber sheets.

http://www.rubbercal.com/

http://www.sevillacomponents.co.uk/podiatry-orthotics/soiling-material/rubber-sheeting

Maybe just get some leatherette like you would use to re-cover a camera.

EarlJam

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Re: Focus ring grip
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2017, 03:13:05 AM »
Oh! I could use a bicycle inner tube!

Since the lens is roughly 2" in diameter, you could use a "thornproof rubber" mountain bike tube, which tends to be quite a bit thicker than a standard tube. One tube would probably give you several lifetimes' worth of grip rings, to boot.

Francois

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Re: Focus ring grip
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2017, 02:20:17 PM »
Oh! I could use a bicycle inner tube! Very helpful fact: Bicycle inner tubes are extremely effective at unscrewing stuck trumpet mouthpiece rims. Don't see why they wouldn't be equally effective for use as focus ring grips ;D
I was about to say The same thing.
And depending on the size of the ring, you could also use one of those silicone wrist bands.
For that luxury look, a nice leather wrap could be nice.
A little known product that could prove to be nice is liquid hockey tape. It comes in a tube with a silicone brush on the cap. It's a rubbery substance that's good enough to hold on a hockey stick's blade, so it could prove to be good enough.
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Kai-san

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Re: Focus ring grip
« Reply #7 on: September 19, 2017, 02:44:16 PM »
I did a quick search on evilbay, under Cameras and photo I typed "lens grip". You can get rubber rings from China for specific lenses or just buy one in the correct width and adapt it. Prices start at 3$, shipping included.
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jharr

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Re: Focus ring grip
« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2017, 04:43:08 PM »
If you are feeling in the mood for a project, you could get some self-adhesive elastic in the right width from a fabric or craft store, then coat the non-adhesive side with Plasti-dip. Pick a color, any color!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/122072847432?chn=ps&dispItem=1
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Indofunk

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Re: Focus ring grip
« Reply #9 on: September 20, 2017, 01:30:13 AM »
A little known product that could prove to be nice is liquid hockey tape. It comes in a tube with a silicone brush on the cap. It's a rubbery substance that's good enough to hold on a hockey stick's blade, so it could prove to be good enough.

I bought (on 02Pilot's suggestion) liquid electrical tape. It sounds like virtually the same thing. I didn't think to actually paint it right onto the lens, but that sounds like it would work perfectly!


I did a quick search on evilbay, under Cameras and photo I typed "lens grip". You can get rubber rings from China for specific lenses or just buy one in the correct width and adapt it. Prices start at 3$, shipping included.

This is of course the answer I was originally looking for, but now there are so many novel suggestions that I'm considering them. Like.....


If you are feeling in the mood for a project, you could get some self-adhesive elastic in the right width from a fabric or craft store, then coat the non-adhesive side with Plasti-dip. Pick a color, any color!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/122072847432?chn=ps&dispItem=1

A PINK lens grip is so frikkin appealing to me right now!  ;D  ... maybe I should sleep on that decision  ???

chris667

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Re: Focus ring grip
« Reply #10 on: September 20, 2017, 05:32:18 AM »
Hill's Rubber, Reading.

Brilliant shop. Basically unchanged since 1888, when it opened. An old man in a brown warehouse coat serves you from behind a glass and mahogany counter. When you make a purchase, they hand write the receipt on a wooden till with a drawer that rings a bell when you open it.

The last time I went in there looking for a hose for my boat, the fella asked me what diameter I wanted. I said it was 32mm. He gave me a hard stare and said "Inch and a quarter, son...".

Saying that, someone told me they moved.

kentish cob

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Re: Focus ring grip
« Reply #11 on: September 20, 2017, 08:18:10 AM »
Hill's Rubber, Reading.

Brilliant shop. Basically unchanged since 1888, when it opened. An old man in a brown warehouse coat serves you from behind a glass and mahogany counter. When you make a purchase, they hand write the receipt on a wooden till with a drawer that rings a bell when you open it.

The last time I went in there looking for a hose for my boat, the fella asked me what diameter I wanted. I said it was 32mm. He gave me a hard stare and said "Inch and a quarter, son...".

Saying that, someone told me they moved.
The temptation to ask for "fork 'andles" must have been hard to resist..!  ;D
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Pete_R

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Re: Focus ring grip
« Reply #12 on: September 20, 2017, 12:55:00 PM »
The temptation to ask for "fork 'andles" must have been hard to resist..!  ;D

I thought exactly the same.

And for our friends across the water who probably don't understand the joke, here's the link.

https://youtu.be/pV1IP4N9ajg
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