How to mark a zoom?

divamum

Is there any trick for marking (non-permanently!) a certain focal length on a zoom so you can go straight to that spot by feel without taking your eye away?

Just wondering.

zoomer

Put a spot of glue, or glue something on the lens adjustment. Then you can tell by feel where that spot is....or some variation of that.

ziggy53

In the past I used a couple of narrow strips of drafting tape to mark a lens. It would take a couple of thicknesses to provide the desired tactile feedback. You wrap the tape around the barrel and feel for the ends. When the ends match you are back to the same point in the zoom.

There used to be a specific brand that did a wonderful job for this but I can't remember what it was or find it anymore. I suppose that any non-residue tape could be cut to the task.

NeilL

try a broad tight fitting elastic band around the fl ring. a drop of glue on it on the fl you want. feel for this spot and bring it up to in line with your eye on the vf. practise for accuracy

2 spots on the band for another fl preset, and so on, like braille

Neil

Yergi

I have used a strip of tape that covers a "small rolled up piece of tape? This creates a small but VERY discernible ridge. Put one on your ring, and put one on your barrel. When they line up, you are zoomed. Completely removable and adjustable. Another variant is to use some other tactile feature on your barrel as your second reference point.

Yergi

ziggy53 wrote: »

In the past I used a couple of narrow strips of drafting tape to mark a lens. It would take a couple of thicknesses to provide the desired tactile feedback. You wrap the tape around the barrel and feel for the ends. When the ends match you are back to the same point in the zoom.

There used to be a specific brand that did a wonderful job for this but I can't remember what it was or find it anymore. I suppose that any non-residue tape could be cut to the task.

This tape could be called "mixer tape" or "console tape" and can be found at a music store. Markable and no residue. It is for marking channels on a audio mixer.