labeling lenses

[DDirector]

I need to identify which lens is which on the lens cap and the back cap.
Before I just glued a piece of paper onto the lens cap.

The edges pealed and had to be replaced every once in a while.
It didn't look that professional either. Plain paper with a big number on it.

Whats a good way to do this and keep it professional looking?

 

[Liam Hall]

Camera tape and a sharpie.

 

[homestar_kevin]

those brother label makers work great.

 

[Alpha Beta Omega]

I have all my lenses like this:
View attachment 73206

 

[David W. Jones]

Tape and a sharpie works.

I use a brother label maker for most of mine.

I don't label the rear caps, unnecessary.

 

[wjauch]

Not the most elegant solution, but I use the 3M painters masking tape and a sharpie

 

[RyanT]

P-touch label maker. It's the only way.

 

[DDirector]

Tape and a sharpie works.
I use a brother label maker for most of mine.
I don't label the rear caps, unnecessary.

I really liked yours. I saw it searching other posts.
I printed the labels on paper, carefully put clear tape over it making it as invisible as possible, and cut it to shape and glued it with double-sided tape. Works well, and looks nice
This is what I ended up with:

 

[paulears]

I love you all! I've just looked at all my kit (some because I can see it, some because I can imagine it) and just cannot even contemplate being this neat and tidy. I've even got loads of identical storage cases, and can't even label those, meaning I have to search through piles of cases to even get to individual items. I identify some cases by the huge grazes, stains and dings. So the radios are in the one ding and big black mark case - I know that one! I can't even remember reliably which camera is in which case without a peek - and to make it worse, as I have more than one camera of each type, even picking the one I tweaked last time is a pain. I actually even have a Brother label printer, but with the unused starter reel in it! Camera tape and white PVC LX tape and a sharpie are going to be as good as it gets for me. I just cannot imagine being that tidy and organised. You sure you don't all have a condition with a posh name? Do you have labelism?

 

[Liam Hall]

Do you have labelism?

Gear needs to be properly packed and labelled when you are working with a crew or traveling. That said, I I do think some people go OTT on labels and cases to make themselves feel more professional - that's not a dig at anyone in this thread, just an observation of gear heads over the years.

 

[maranfilms]

+10, I used a piece of blue painters tape and a silver sharpie, works fine for my needs.

 

[Mitch Gross]

P-Touch is your friend.

Properly labeled gear and well-organized storage can be the difference between getting stuff done on time or missing the shot.I was always about organization and clarity in the gear on set. I have plenty of other things to think about when I'm shooting. I also wanted to protect my gear from "helpful ACs" who would shove stuff in any old place if it was not clearly mared where it should go. My Aaton kit was a thing of beauty. I had the cases organized so that as the camera was built up, several accessory cases were emptied and could be put to the side for the day.There would only need to be three cases that moved around -- (1) the primes, (2) the zooms, which also had room for spare batteries and one mag, and (3) the mag case, which would ferry the mags back & forth (I HATE seeing ACs walking around carrying unprotected mags). Sticks & hihats were on the cart, as was a director's monitor. Twelve cases would come off the truck at the start of the day and I would move around with a cart which only carried three cases max, leaving all the rest empty in the truck. So efficient.

 

[David W. Jones]

Here is a label example.

 

[Mitch Gross]

Arrgggh! Lenses do not have crop factors! Comparing format to format has crop factors! Arrgggh!

;-)

 

[David G. Smith]

I am of the camera tape and Sharpie school. Along with the lens focal length and largest aperture I also label the filter size for screw in filters. I would love to have a set of lens with a matched front element size, but I don't, so I label the lens cap.

 

[David W. Jones]

Mitch, I know, You hear me preaching this all the time. But this particular set of full frame lenses gets used in mixed sensor situations all the time. This allows us to quickly match shots without getting my iPhone out or having to pause while I try to remember my math when I'm 6 hours into a shoot.

 

[Liam Hall]

Mitch, I know, You hear me preaching this all the time. But this particular set of full frame lenses gets used in mixed sensor situations all the time. This allows us to quickly match shots without getting my iPhone out or having to pause while I try to remember my math when I'm 6 hours into a shoot.

Then you should write the crop factor on the camera, not the lens. I shoot with different sized sensors all the time and just picture the shot in my head, no math required or OCD labelling

 

[maranfilms]

Then you should write the crop factor on the camera, not the lens. I shoot with different sized sensors all the time and just picture the shot in my head, no math required or OCD labelling

But that's your way of doing it, everyone's different, I can see the logic in what David is doing with his labeling, I'm not disagreeing with what your saying either, it's just he knows what works best for him, that's all i'm saying.

 

[David W. Jones]

I find it amusing how many take offense to me keeping a quick reference on my lens caps, Or how P-Touch Labeling a lens equals OCD.

Remember, we don't always work solo, and don't always have the luxury of working with crews who know your gear in and out. In my instance I have found it easier to keep things organized by labeling each case IE(Sony F35 Kit) and also labeling it's shelf location in my Sprinter van, so anybody could load in.

Think that is taking labeling too far?

I'll repost a reduser post here...

For what it's worth, aside from my large collection of gels back at my studio, I have started to carry with me what I refer to as my Gel Reference Master, which contains the basic color correction, diffusion, color wash gels I tend to use the most. While each gel has the code number on it, I also label each gel with a P-Touch labeler with it's proper name, like 1/4 CTO for example, so I can ask someone for a particular gel, and they can easily find it without knowing the Rosco or Lee reference number. I keep all my color correction gels on one roll, and all my diffusion and color wash gels on the second roll. It will cost you a few hundred dollars to purchase all your gels, but I find having a reference library of every color correction & diffusion gel in every strength available to be invaluable.

Sorry for the crappy iPhone pics.

 

[David W. Jones]

Sorry, I'm just a labeling fool!