DIY: Nikon/ Canon 50mm f/1.8 Focusing Ring Problem Solved!

I love using manual older lenses. The focus ring on the older lenses has either rubber grip bands or has ridged metal which are easy to maneuver. 

Modern lenses even though has better glasses on them (arguable), the body is plastic and the focus ring is not as well built like their older counterparts. This especially holds true for 50mm lenses of Canon and Nikon. Both Canon 50mm f/1.8II lens and Nikon AF 50mm f/1.8D lenses are plastic made and has very thin focusing rings which are not smooth to rotate. Most people shoot in auto mode these days so probably the focus ring is not much of a priority for the lens maker anymore.

Manual focusing is very useful for people who likes to shoot full manual or manual focus during macro shoots.

No problems!

I found a solution.

   Before

    After. It is smoother to focus now and also it looks cool and glows in the dark! 

I bought these cheap glow wrist rubber bands which you'll see many teenagers wearing or people wear during parties. I put the rubber band around the focusing ring of Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 lens and viola! The focusing ring is smooth as butter now (hmmm...not really) and the grip of the rubber feels good and easier to control. At least it doesn't feel so flimsy.

Now if you don't find such rubber band, you can be creative with strip of a rubber tire glued together or stapled together in the end or find something around you that will do.  

The glow bands look good even on older manual lenses.

Bands glowing in dark.