Lens orientation annoyance

[fotofundi]

Does anyone know a source of stick-on raised red 'buttons'?
One of the most annoying things for me about the Olympus non-pro lenses is the absence of the red 'button' that provides the means to feel the correct orientation of the lens when mounting it on the camera body. It can be both time consuming and frustrating looking for a painted red dot to get the lens in the correct position - and in low light this can actually become impossible.
Presumably the absence of the raised 'button' that was a standard feature of practically every film-era lens has been a cost-cutting exercise, but in reality just how much has been saved I wonder? A few cents perhaps, but IMO the annoyance this creates far outweighs the tiny cost.
Panasonic are not immune from this although I think they put a button on all but kit lenses - there is certainly one on my 20mm, but the absence of a raised button on my Olympus 12mm, 45mm, 60mm & 75mm (and probably all other non 'Pro' lenses) is worse than not including a lens hood in the purchase price - at least there are plenty of third party suppliers for these, but none, it seems, for red 'buttons'.
I am amazed that few, if any, reviewers have castigated Olympus for this omission.

[DerekW]

On my 75-300 lens there is a flat spot at the rear of the lens on the lowest part when mounted on the camera. Perhaps you can feel that as an orientation mark.

[Jax]

Originally Posted by fotofundi

Does anyone know a source of stick-on raised red 'buttons'?
One of the most annoying things for me about the Olympus non-pro lenses is the absence of the red 'button' that provides the means to feel the correct orientation of the lens when mounting it on the camera body. It can be both time consuming and frustrating looking for a painted red dot to get the lens in the correct position - and in low light this can actually become impossible.
Presumably the absence of the raised 'button' that was a standard feature of practically every film-era lens has been a cost-cutting exercise, but in reality just how much has been saved I wonder? A few cents perhaps, but IMO the annoyance this creates far outweighs the tiny cost.
Panasonic are not immune from this although I think they put a button on all but kit lenses - there is certainly one on my 20mm, but the absence of a raised button on my Olympus 12mm, 45mm, 60mm & 75mm (and probably all other non 'Pro' lenses) is worse than not including a lens hood in the purchase price - at least there are plenty of third party suppliers for these, but none, it seems, for red 'buttons'.
I am amazed that few, if any, reviewers have castigated Olympus for this omission.

Try an ebay search for "self adhesive rubber feet" or similar.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_o...+feet&_sacat=0

May be slightly too large, 6mm is the smallest I've found, but possibly better than nothing and won't mark the lens.

Jax

[Shaw]

how about these, some are 2mm dia.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Over-300-...-/261580283155

[Jax]

Originally Posted by Shaw

how about these, some are 2mm dia.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Over-300-...-/261580283155

Well spotted Stewart but the only problem with those, being hard and flat, they won't stick to the curved surface of the lens for any length of time, whilst rubber, silicone or cork, being flexible, does. I use the rubber ones on a radio with curved push buttons as it's impossible to find the right button in the dark

Edit: SWMBO wants me to send for those in your link ( she likes Bling )

Jax

[Shaw]

Originally Posted by Jax

Well spotted Stewart but the only problem with those, being hard and flat, they won't stick to the curved surface of the lens for any length of time, whilst rubber, silicone or cork, being flexible, does. I use the rubber ones on a radio with curved push buttons as it's impossible to find the right button in the dark

Edit: SWMBO wants me to send for those in your link ( she likes Bling )

Jax

Yes, I see that, and it would have to be larger than 2mm to cover the existing indentation.
How about a small ball of Sugru, which turns into silicone rubber?

[Jax]

Originally Posted by Shaw

Yes, I see that, and it would have to be larger than 2mm to cover the existing indentation.
How about a small ball of Sugru, which turns into silicone rubber?

Or a small ball of Fymo or Polymorph ( it's available in red ) but getting a glue that sticks yet won't damage the lens could be a challenge

Jax

[fotofundi]

Thanks for the suggestions - The 2mm crystals may possibly fit into the existing red-dot indentation so I'm going to give them a try (the button on my 12-40mm f2.8 appears to be 2mm) providing one of the suppliers is willing to put a pack in an envelope and post them to Cyprus.
Most of the suppliers either don't post outside of the UK or use the crazy eBay overseas postal 'service' (can you believe they quote £15.08 to send to an EU country! : ).

[Ulfric M Douglas]

Fotofundi thanks for posting about this.
I got up out of my comfy chair to check all my Olympus lenses on my most-used camera bodies and found the 45 : a tiny dimple very hard to detect by feel.
What hit me was that all my other most-used cameras have Panasonic lenses on 'em with big red blebs, or older Zuikos with small red blebs and adapters - with big red blebs.

The tiny Olympus dimple is definitely style-over-substance!

I check some more ;
The Panasonic 15mm has (get this!) a dimple with a white spot, crazy.
My two Yi-M1 lenses copy Olympus with red dimples.

[fotofundi]

Update: I purchased a sheet of 2mm red self-adhesive 'gemstones' on eBay and after cleaning the indicator recess with alcohol on my Olympus lenses, managed to apply the 'gemstones' into the recess (there is probably enough space to fit the 3mm size) . So all my Olympus lenses now have something I can 'feel' to get the orientation right. How long the self-adhesive will last and how strong it is has yet to be ascertained but so far, so good. Thanks for the suggestion Stewart.