Do you tape your camera's logo and type

<p>I have seen cameras where the brand, logo, and type(model) were taped. I have even seen lenses taped so as to hide their identity.</p>

<p>Do you?</p>

<p>Why do you?</p>

<p>How do you?</p>

<p>(the above questions refer to the taping of cameras and lenses - not other processes)</p>

<p>I don't but I have seen it done to hide the fact that it is a premium brand camera and so reduce the chance of it (or the owner) being targetted by thieves. This was especially done by people with Leica whose cameras have a very distinctive red logo which you can recognise from a distance.<br>

I haev not seen thsi for some time, maybe because even the market-entry level cameras produce such good quality nowadays.<br>

Not much point in taping over the logo on most Canon L lenses though....</p>

<p>I think this is pointless, unless your camera is being filmed for a sitcom and you do not wish to advertise ;)<br>

By taping the camera, one tries to hide the model so potential thief does not target it. Well, what I think is that it actually atracts thieves, as if I was one, I would have thought that a taped camera MUST be very expensive and go for it!<br>

What do you think?</p>

<p>Orwig talks about this in some of his training. I think the idea is to take away from the attraction, the awe, and shoot.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Useless exercise.<br /> A crackhead is a crackhead. They're not shopping.</p>

<p>Heavens, no!  I'll sometimes leave the white L's and big-body 1DII's at home when I'm going into a dicey area, and leave stuff in my non-photo backpack when it's not being used, but otherwise, it's best to simply proceed with caution.  OTOH, I did remove the Canon logo from my 20D with a bench grinder, but that's a different story.</p>

<p>The bright logos on my camera straps are dulled down with a black ink marker to make them less obvious to wildlife or humans. As for my lenses, I use a camo sleeve over my 300 and 400 telephotos when shooting birds otherwise I do nothing to hide the identity of any of my lenses.</p>

<p>I agree with the "a thief is a thief" but the people I know that do it don't do it to avoid theft. They do it for the same reason that I won't wear clothes with big logos on them. They don't get paid to advertise. Canon has shooters that they sponsor much the same wake nike and other big sporting good companies do. They get free (or very cheap) gear and they get it first and these pro's that are not company sponsored figure they don't need to advertise who they are using unless THEY are getting paid...<br>

that has been the answer I have gotten from 100 percent of the pro's that I have asked that do this (it's still a very small number of people)</p>

<p>I don't spend any time or energy worrying about it at all. I understand the need to keep brand names out of commercial efforts, but any other rationalizations just seem obsessive or paranoid to me.</p>

<p>I don't use camera-logo straps (becasue they are garish like hell!) but I don't tape the camera logos, paint white lenses black, etc., and I routinely shoot in places such as Central America and less-then-friendly areas of many US cities.<br>

If you are not sponsored by - say - Canon and you don't want (or can't) advertise their products, then go ahead and tape the logos over but do you really believe that taping over a logo on a 1D series camera (or any other DSLR for that matter) makes it any less conspicuous..? If you are afraid of your equipment get it insured and use common sense and/or a body guard if necessary: in many countries you can hire two guys with saw-off shotguns for far less than you'd spend for a Latte with your friends on a Saturday morning...</p>

<p><em>The bright logos on my camera straps are dulled down with a black ink marker to make them less obvious to wildlife</em><br>

<br />Why? Wildlife is "color oblivious" and you can stand right in front of a deer with your most garishly colored camera strap in your hands and the deer won't give a damn (besides, you wear bright orange clothing while hunting, right..?)</p>

<p>I tape over every word on the front of the camera (black gaffers tape) and also most corners and humps. I also tape all of my white lenses with black tape, although I suppose those who want others to know it's a "white lens" could use white tape.</p>

<p>Has absolutely nothing to do with theft (I think it's silly to think taping would deter any thug!) and everything to do with deterring weenies who use the same brand from approaching me and "talking cameras." (Yes, they usually can recognize "one of their own" by its shape and size, but by covering the logos I'm declaring that I'm not that into "the brand.")</p>

<p>Taping the "corners and humps" also almost completely eliminates scratches to camera bodies and lens bodies, greatly enhancing resale value. If there's no chance you'll ever sell a camera or lens and you <em>like </em> it when guys sidle up to you to talk cameras, by all means don't tape! To each his own; just don't assume that those who "tape" are paranoid about theft, because for me at least that has nothing to do with why I tape.</p>

I've seen it in a magazine add to hide the camera. It was for a light meter.

<p>I used to tape up the logos to prevent reflections in glass when doing close-up aquarium photography. Rather than detering other enthusiasts from coming to talk to me, they would still come up and ask what kind of camera I was using.<br>

I never use the <strong>Canon DIGITAL</strong> straps, just a plain black one.</p>

<p>Using black tape is way lame. You just opened your wallet for $3K-$8k on an awesome camera to take pictures of bums on the street, city hall statues, and colorful boat marinas. Why one earth would you want to dis your brand attempting to con people into thinking it's just a pos Diana? Has pride of ownership become so last century all of a sudden?</p>

<p>Personally, I slap a couple of small Honda V-Tech stickers on my camera body. Puts people on notice that me and my go-fast cam are on the job. Usually that's enough, but when it isn't, I can slide a miniature wing spoiler into the hot-shoe on a moment's notice.</p>

<p>LOL</p>

<p>Someone should sell little camera "bumper" stickers that say "My other camera is a Leica."</p>

<p>Or optionally, a little "1Ds III" sticker I can paste over that ugly 5D logo.</p>

<p>...On a more serious not, personally I'm not fond of the white paint on my 70-200. But it's never bothered me so much that I've covered it up.</p>

<p >This reminds me an old story:</p>

<p > </p>

<p >A guy hided his 300 silver coins under the tree in his front yard. After finishing the burying, he put a bamboo stick on the spot and wrote: “there are 300 silver coins here”<br>

A neighbor took the coins and wrote on the stick: “Neighbor X didn’t take them”</p>

<p>Not being an ultra obsessive, selfish hyper geek, of course not, no tape at all. Taping means you are trying to be Special and are a Master of your Craft and it doesn't matter What Brand you shoot so Tape It over because I am so Cool.</p>

<p>Those same people probably tape over the logos on their car, blue jeans, or wristwatch. You bet! And only edit with a GIMP.</p>

<p>Otherwise, have some Pride in what you spend your hard earned money on.</p>

<p>I have a sticker over the Canon logo with Leica emblazoned across it. Sorta like leaving a premium audio cassette on your dashboard--repels thieves.</p>

<p><em>Has absolutely nothing to do with theft (I think it's silly to think taping would deter any thug!) and everything to do with deterring weenies who use the same brand from approaching me and "talking cameras." (Yes, they usually can recognize "one of their own" by its shape and size, but by covering the logos I'm declaring that I'm not that into "the brand.")</em></p>

<p>If this works, then I may start taping, or better yet just painting over with flat black Tester's paint...nothing worse than some pinhead wanting to talk tech. I was at the Woodland Park zoo taking some pictures and some lady starts talking about my white lens to her husband...annoying. I once had an ahole holler "hey is that a hasselblad?" in a public park. Was a Canon T90 lol.</p>

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

<p>Eh... Doesn't bother me at all. I just shoot snaps on the street - what I do isn't particularly important or serious.</p>

<p><em>"Taping means you are trying to be Special and are a Master of your Craft and it doesn't matter What Brand you shoot so Tape It over because I am so Cool." -</em> Ken Papai, Marin County<em><br /> </em></p>

<p>Comments like this suggest to me that it may be helpful to draw a distinction between those who are into gear and brands and what county they live in (!) vs. those who are not, regardless of whether they are a hobbyist or a professional.</p>

<p>But as per Brad's comment directly above this one, it's also important to note that one is likely to get different answers to the <em>"Is it OK if I interrupt your shooting to talk cameras?" </em> question when asking a hobbyist vs. when asking someone who makes his or her living at photography. As someone in the latter category, I don't feel I need to justify my disinclination to "talk cameras" while I'm working (and, by extension, to tape over logos and brands).</p>

<p>Bottom line, as I said above: <em>"To each his own. If there's no chance you'll ever sell a camera or lens and you </em> like <em> it when guys sidle up to you to talk cameras, by all means don't tape." </em></p>

<p>I cut the brands of my jeans. Why, because I feel like it.<br>

/bing</p>

<p>Well I have seen conflict photographers do it for two reasons, to stop reflections that might point you out to a sniper and to try to enhance the sealing, especially in very dusty areas (the Gulf). Even the pro body sealing doesn't stop all the dust getting into the CF card doors and the connector doors on the 1 series Canons are not very good and easily knocked off in harsh enviroments.</p>

<p>But most of them just do it because somebody they aspire to does it and he did it because it looked cool and the guy he learnt from used silver topped bodies and snipers were a problem so he thought of it! Anybody doing it on the dusty streets of Manhattan, London etc is a poser. In my very unhumble opinion. :-)</p>

<p>I tape a LEICA logo over all my other camera logos. Cause it makes me cooler.</p>

<p>I don't. No need to tape over it when the first thing I do is take the strap off and replace it with a quality, comfortable strap.</p>