I have plans to address the focus ring on the "nifty fifty" 50mm EF II 1.8. I just recently picked it up and I completely agree with everyone who says it's just so narrow and difficult to use properly when videoing something or even shoot imo.

So I am going to give a little insight as to what I am doing with this project.

The concept is to integrate a built in hood and wider focus ring for the lens.

I would have an integrated lens hood that will screw into the 50mm (just like any other hood). However with this concept it will have a interlocking groove that will have the focus ring attached (it will be able to spin freely). Then when you attach this setup, it will screw onto the lens, and then the wider focus ring will just slip over the Canon focus ring.

Once all of this is modeled in a 3D design program (I'll probably use inventor or AutoCAD) I will send it over to our guys out here at NASA with the 3D printers to print out for me. It will be made of polycarbonate (plastic), so there shouldn't be any issues with compatibility/weight etc.

Here is the information I currently have for the lens:

Max Length @ Full Retraction = 1 1/2" from the camera body
Max Length @ Full Extension = 2 1/16" from the camera body
Max Focus Extension Length = .32"
Length From Focus Ring To MF/AF Switch = 1/2"
Lens Hood Thread Info = 52mm @ .75 thread pitch (can anyone verify the thread pitch for me?)
Lens OD = 2.7"

The only information I really have left is the grooves on the focus ring. I need to figure out how many there are and what that ever so slight angle is. If anyone has any insight on this as well, I'd appreciate it.


To show you what a final product looks like from the 3D printer, here is a picture of rocket fins we made for an egg lofting competition.



Quick layout in MS Paint to maybe help you better understand if I am not being clear.



So the focus ring will spin freely while still attached to the hood lens. If you notice, there is room for the hood lens to travel in and out without coming in contact with the focus ring.

The focus ring and either get wider away from the lens (towards the hood) or if needed it can go back towards the lens and just cover a little bit of the lens body.

I vaguely recall, but I think the inner tube (and hood) moves out about 1/2 inch throughout the focus range.

I will agree that the focus ring on this lens is hard to use. The diameter is smaller than the body and the dimples are rounded off (your image looks more square), and the whole ring is a bit thin. I'm even thinking of cutting off a piece of black PVC and sillyconing it over the ring, or even just the right sized rubber band slipped over it.

My image was just done in MS Paint real quick for someone in another thread.

I never knew one could draw lines and text in MS Paint...I never got past the spray can...

I love the concept though.

Haha, sadly enough I find MS Paint to be really useful when doing something like this. It's super easy to do basic concepts in minutes and then throw in pictures without much trouble.

Hopefully in the next few weeks I can get rolling with this project. I've been pretty busy doing a lot of other random stuff and I go on vacation all of next week.... never enough time. (or money lol)