Lens focus tab alternatives
Pining for a focus tab on your new M lenses? Forget about the old cable-tie trick and instead why not use a honest-to-goodness EWA-Marine focus ring?!
In July 2002 Peter Silvia noted:I called the USA distributor for EWA-Marine (RTS Inc., 631-242-6801) and after a lengthly discussion with Walter, he found the "Lens Focusing Ring" (no part #).
They are available in one size (2 3/8" diameter) and are priced @ $US 6.95. I ordered two and I will let you'all know how it works out.
For a detailed online discussion, see Mr Silvia's initial post at <Photo.net: #003VlY>, as well as his follow-up post a few days later at <Photo.net: #003YB7>.
Unfortunately in the months following Mr Silvia's posts, EWA-Marine got such a rush of orders for this particular ring that they stopped selling them as one-off items. From August 2002 onwards, if you want to buy the focus ring then you are required to buy the entire focus parts kit.
Luckily, you may still buy the separate ring from two alternative suppliers:
- B&H Photo Video — see this Sept 2002 discussion at <Photo.net: #003lCj>
- The Lutz Konermann designed "The Steer"
I bought one of these rings in October 2002. It is well made but I found the ring diameter to be too large to use with an average M 35mm or 50mm lens. Luckily the ring is made from reasonably pliable plastic, so you can easily cut its circumfrence down to size. Mind you, this isn't a completely trivial operation as you also have to file a notch into the shortened ring to retain the rubber O-ring which clamps the knurled ring onto the lens.
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