Paint for retouching Canon white lenses?

[r._j.]

Anyone know of a suitable method for retouching scratches and paint

chips on the white lenses?

[r._j.]

Does Canon offer retouching?

[chrisjb]

Try white fingernail polish , its enamal and generally the female of the house has some, others may have a better alternative.

[danny lee]

automobile touch up bottles, just fill in the scratch and be careful ?

[wildpicture]

A couple of years ago I asked the guys from CPS this same question. And if they would sell the paint or at least have the RAL or FS number. Their answer was that it was a special two component paint which was applied with a special procedure. So I guess the best option would be to buy a small tin of paint from a model shop, used to paint model cars or planes. You'll probably have to mix it a bit to get the exact color. I do have the feeling that not all the L-lenses over the years had the exact same color anyway.

[robin_sibson1]

The process that lays down the original paintwork on cars is hugely more complex than anything Canon do to paint a lens, but that does not stop the car manufacturers from supplying touch-up paint, in as many colours as might be needed.

[jon_austin]

Take your lens to Home Depot or Lowes, let them sample the color and mix you a gallon of oil-based enamel to match ... lifetime supply! (Several lifetimes, actually...)

[andrew robertson]

Don't do it. A scar on your lens is like a badge of honor, wear it with pride.

[cliff_henry]

R.J.

 

I haven't tried this but, as Hans suggest, try a high quaility paint from a hobby shop. My brother owns two hobbyshops, close to BMW auto plant. He sales BMW a model paint, Tamtya I think, that they use on interior of cars. Must be pretty good stuff!

 

Cliff

[bob_bell]

If you are that worried about it, buy one of those lens wraps that are available for canon lenses now. Then you will never scratch it :)

[r._j.]

Lens wraps? Tell me more....

[chrisjb]

Aurther Morris has some advertised on his site

 

http://www.birdsasart.com/accs.html

[kelly_flanigan1]

You could use the white repair paint from a 1950's white Exakta long mirror telephoto; or the white 1920's paint from a Carl Zeiss theodolite. Both were white for thermal reasons; like also Nikon's 1960's 2000mm mirror too. All got the idea from telescope makers; centuries ago.

[mark_chappell]

<I>Lens wraps? Tell me more....</i><P>

The JRF lens covers are for big telephotos. They work great, but don't completely cover all

of the lens, so you can still get paint dings in the exposed areas (I know this from

experience).

[Rob_L1664876404]

I'll have to correct Chris... fingernail polish is not enamel - it's laquer. Very different chemical makeup.

[chrisjb]

Thanks Rob for the correction, It has been used by some folks to fill chips in on enamel basins. I havn`t got a white lens with a scratch to try it on.

 

cheers

[awahlster]

ROFLMAO

 

I just spent two days with a very very hot Model Airplane expoy thinner removing a thick coat of OD green enamal paint with about a can of Flat black enamal spray paint using steel wool and Qtips and a rag off of a Canon 600mm f4.5 nFD and I can tell you they COATING Canon used on the FD lenses at least ain't no damn paint of any kind. It is at the very least a two part Epoxy or Urethane type material. It is put on with at least two levels the first coat is put on smooth and even then a second coat of textured material is applied over top of it.

 

I have gone to the hobby shop and looked at racks and racks of paint NONE of them match the GRAY paint sorry that is what Canon calls it not white. It took some very careful mixing to comeup with something that would look a little like the pain on my 500mm f4.5L S.S.C. that I touched up.

 

The 600mm f4.5 nFD is still in the process of being restored. And I doubt I will try touching it up just to much wear on it.

 

And I'll bet you Canon took as much R&D to decide what coating to use on their "white" lenses as most car makers do.