Do you tape your camera's logo and type

<p>Black tape. Pentax logo is huge. I don't want people reading my camera...it's just one more distraction.</p>

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<p>Can't I just be sick of logos and writing and ads all over everything? I blacked out the logos once with a sharpie, but I've learned my lesson. It makes the gear geeks even more rabid.</p>

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<p>I put black tape over the outside of my strap and used a black marker to make the 'canon' logo on my 40D nearly invisible. It was a tip from a teacher at a photography course to make the camera less conspicuous, and thus make it easier to do 'candid' street photography. I tried it out and liked the more simple look it gave, no more logos screaming for attention. Not really sure if it makes any difference though, an SLR is just too big not to be noticed, especially with the 18-50 2.8 zoom lens on there.</p>

<p>I tape all my essential photo gear so it can not be identified. I even tape my face, just in case. And sometimes I tape the faces of the people whom I am shooting. You can never be too careful. Some theives want to steal intellectual property as well. Better to tape your ears to prevent it.</p>

<p>Seriously, I have never seen a theif say "Hmmm, I would steal this Nikon, but I would prefer a Canon 5D MKII so I will wait until I see one." Taping may feel cool, but it is not very useful as a theft prevention strategy. I suppose if I had a contract with Canon and was actually shooting Kikon it might have some vale, but aside from that...</p>

<p>I tape over the prism to protect it against bumps and scrapes (but I take mine rock climbing and canyoneering and it seems to collect scrapes there). I tape over the model type/name because it's in shiny silver and I prefer the camera to be flat black with nothing to distract the subject's attention away from the lens. And I don't want to get into empty conversations with amateurs about gear, seems to be less of that when they can't figure out what I'm shooting.<br>

I don't wear prominent logos on my clothes either. I am not a billboard, neither is my camera.</p>

<p>of all the things to be thinking and worrying about... if i put tape on my camera, it's to hold something in place.</p>

<p>Yes even cut the logo out of my underwear.</p>

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<p>>>> ...nothing worse than some pinhead wanting to talk tech.</p>

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<p>Better stay off the Canon gear forum. Plenty of heads, pins and a few needles...</p>

<p>I agree with the observation that a fair number of "logo tapers" are probably doing it because "if the pros do it I'll look like a pro if I do it too." ;-)</p>

<p>My friend put minolta logo on old zenit russian camera while being at photokina fair in Germany. People were asking which model of minolta it is ;)</p>

<p>First of all I don't like to do any free advertice, I avoid buying or wearing anything with logos, but the real reason was becase I was taking some seflportaraits infront of the mirror and I did'nt want any distractions , after I took the pictures I though I like the way my camera looks. Also I noticed that people stoped saying: Ah you have a Nikon D200.</p>

<p>Taping has a proud tradition.<br>

Jimmy Stewart put black tape on his Exakta in "Rear Window." (or maybe Hitch did it for him)</p>

<p>Wow. What a serious discussion, and so many fervent opinions! Here's my take: I have an old FE2 that I have taped up to the gills with electrician's tape. It's a black body and lens already, but with the black tape, there is no white anything, anywhere showing on the camera. I do carry the camera into dicey areas and I do have the camera taped up because to me, it does make it less attractive to potential thieves. That's proven itself at least once already when someone came up to me asking about what sort of camera is that? And all kinds of other questions about my camera that were obviously from someone who knew nothing about cameras. I would like to believe that my telling him the camera was a worthless old beater - and it looked it too - was more believable because of the tape. </p>

<p>To each their own. I don't bother to hide logos. When I have the 70-200mm f/2.8 hanging off the front of my Nikon it's hard to not be noticed. Maybe I should try Scotch invisible tape on that ?</p>

<p>I don't mind chatting with folks, most of the time it's just a minute or two, and if I want to keep shooting that's what I do.</p>

<p>As for the rare concern (for me) about thieves in dicey areas, I recommend something a little stronger than tape - a GLOCK.</p>

<p>; )</p>

<p>Don't know where all these people wanting to talk come from. In the last year I've done 90 days walking round with a Canon and L lenses, including one of the nasty white ones. Not a soul has tried to start a camera conversation. If I take my Bronica and tripod all sorts of people stop and talk- some welcome some not, and I don't suppose taping the name over would make any difference. <br>

I do wonder sometimes whether some people just think too much, and consider themselves a potential centre of attention when in reality no-one notices they're there. </p>

<p>I take the same approach as Ralph Jensen (black gaffers tape on body logos and lens caps), for some of the same reasons...</p>

<p>It's less flashy from a $$$ standpoint, not so much to thieves but more to the casual observer. I may have spent a lot of money on my camera gear, but I didn't do it just to show off what specific brand/model I bought or to make a statement about my finances.</p>

<p>It also looks/feels more "workhorse" than showpiece, which matches my opinion that cameras/lenses are tools, not ornaments. Incidentally, this is also why my preferred camera bag is a ratty old canvas Domke F3X and not a high end Lowepro.</p>

<p>It says, "Please don't talk to me about Canon cameras just because you also have a Canon". If you want to talk about photography, that's great. I just don't want to have a conversation based strictly on which brand/model someone else owns.</p>

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<p>One could have some fun with this. Tape off the logo on a T90, get one of those Schott glass Giottos LCD protectors and fasten it to the film door to simulate an LCD. People who wouldn't ordinarily be able to identify a T90 will think it's a digital.</p>

<p>Then tell anybody who asks that you're testing a prototype, but you can't say who's. (Be sure to black out the text on the front of the lens first.)</p>

 

<p>It's like taping over the leaping cat on the front of a Jag so nobody knows what kind of car it is.</p>

<p>I file all of the logos and brand identifiers off my bodies and lenses. Much safer that way.</p>

<p>The first time I read about this I wondered what happens in hot weather when the adhesive starts to ooze? At a minimum you have sticky gunk on your fingers; at worst it ends up inside your camera.</p>

<p>I tape over the shooting mode dial to hide the fact that I have a camera with "idiot" modes. I always keep it in "Av" anyway.</p>

<p>When I was 15, my 10 year old brother kicked my Sunpack off of my AL-1 -- ruined the hot shoe part of the flash. I melted it back together with a solder gun and used the PC cord from then on, with the flash on a bracket. It acutally looked much cooler then. But, in retrospect, fixing it with a bunch of tape would have looked even cooler and made the camera look like even more of a gimp.</p>

<p>In regards to covering up logos on professional cameras, pick one of the follow answers:<br>

A. I scratch the canon logos off and sell them on ebay as nikons...<br>

B. I sometimes cover the logos with tape and write F.U. on them to keep folks from smiling while I shoot them.<br>

C. I always go naked into troubled areas, to distract attention from my gear, as the theives dare not approach me.<br>

D. I never bother with covering logos, and just enjoy taking pictures where-ever I go.</p>

 

<p>I tape over my Hasselblad logo. Not.</p>

<p>"Weenies who use the same brand."? Heaven forbid that we should talk cameras with "Weenies"!</p>

<p>The why is interesting. The judging of others, down right lame. I don't see how you can judge a person if he has taped over on his camera. Posers....I didnt know we were still in high school :)<br>

/bing</p>