changing focus grip rubber and lens appearance

[ScottEdwards33]

Does anyone know of a simple solution to change or cover existing focusing grip rubber? I hate the style of the late 80 early 90 waffle grip and I want to change the appearance of my lens, namely a Tamron 80-200 2.8 LD.
any suggestions? so far I have wrote a letter to lens coat ( neoprene and camo covers) , looked at adding silver/chrome filter rings, a follow focus ring and I am searching for a tripod mount that could fit this.
The lens is minty and amazing... but it looks like grandpas 76 4 door dodge dart.

what about shrink/ heat wraps or other something to place over the focusin barrel?
any thoughts on this would be nice because after all day on the net, I cant find specs on this lens, ( like the barrel diameter for the tripod mounting ring- ( im thinking about trying the canon one) or any other real good information except for that dated stuff from the Tamron site.

[kansalliskala]

Is it this lens?

http://www.adaptall-2.org/lenses/30A.html

That is a lot of grip you need.
Some sort of fake leather maybe?

[Jesito]

Fake leather or real leather would do the job quite well.
Use double face ahdhesive tape to fix it to the lens.

Regards.
Jes.

[ScottEdwards33]

@ kansalliskala, yes this is the one and this is the only thing I can find except for a few mentions here & there.
It doesnt tell me the schematics, but I am guessing the inner barrel is ø77 and the outer barrel with the metal cap is ø82.

I am surprised that after relentless searching that there is no apparent solution, that one cant just buy already made lens grip materials in the style of your liking. its got to come from someplace... I don't think Im the only person who ever thought about changing it or needed a replacement of it.

Im not sure if the leather is the way I want to go. I dont want it seamed... I just want to change the rubber grip style. So far I bought a fancy chipped ( and steel- silver color adaptall to EOS custom mount, nikon style canon logo pinch cap and Im looking at a tripod mounting ring. It would be cool to find the one that goes with it but if not the canon one looks ok in White or black. I like the follow focus solutions people have made. Im looking for one that has a "fat" band on it, or a way to make my own.

further, its easier to hold on a gripped camera. but Im thinking that with a tripod ring it ought to be mounted to a base plate for further being able to stabilize handheld shooting. Focusing it is a little tricky. I missed a handful of shots because my eyes are not trustworthy anymore.
Im thinking it may be time to go to a loupe on my LCD.

[ScottEdwards33]

images right out of camera, no post processing whatsoever. Jpg. Im at the Tampa bay Bucks stadium on a stormy day.





the last one of the stadium seats is a 100% crop ( or a cropped section of the picture shown at 100% ) of the seats from across the field.
It does focus down to about 1 1/2- 2 ft, but at that point only a small area of usable focus. I didnt realize it but the adaptall adapter to nikon wasnt lined up properly and I was missing one ƒ stop or something when I was shooting these. I just noticed it that the number on the adapter wasnt the same as that on the lens. What first caught my attention was the extra stops along the way, theres extra clicks between ƒ8 and ƒ11 and down by 2.8 too, so after removing and resetting the adaptall I now have more stops up to ƒ32.

the funny thing about it is that I am shooting handheld at 1/60th and less, even, at times getting a reasonable result that I cant believe on a 200 mm lens.

[kansalliskala]

You could always try something like thise also.

[ScottEdwards33]

Ha ha... I appreciate that. I really do want to update the appearance and I will find a way to do this.

[heritagecameras]

[SXR_Mark]

I remember reading somewhere about someone using anti-slip self-adhesive tape to replace worn lens rubbers. This is the stuff that is put on floors and steps to prevent people slipping in the wet. For example:

http://www.stopslip.co.uk/anti-slip-products/anti-slip-tape/non-abrasive-tape.aspx

You would simply remove the existing rubber grip and wrap the tape around the barrel. Of course there would be a joint. But if you really want a rubber ring of the correct diameter then that would surely have to be custom made.

Mark

[visualopsins]

Upholstery and Fabric stores have materials to cut & glue.

Old wooden-boat sailors tied 'turk's-head' knot to give similar grip -- a lens with nice turk's-head knot focus ring would be very distinctive and cool imho.

[kansalliskala]

[ScottEdwards33]

thanks for the insight and advise. Im waiting on some rubber I ordered from a manufacture. We will see what this looks like. I am also interested in the design site-thanks. I like the lens - im getting use to it and Im working on this idea- still. I will return ! :)