fotobyferg

I take good care of my equipment and pride myself in keeping everything in like new condition.

Yesterday, while shooting my adult son’s rugby game (I am the officially unofficial team photographer) a weird thing happened.

I had sprayed a tiny bit of bug repellant on my lower legs because it was hot as bejesus and we were in a large field at a state park. I may or may not have scratched my legs during the game, but when I put my lens away I saw where a large portion of printed data (the area where the lens focal length f/stops, etc) is usually clustered near the zoom ring) had been partially smeared or dissolved.

This upsets my admittedly anal compulsive, possibly OCD self, in how I prefer my gear to look. Obviously, it’s only cosmetic, but it still has me mildly upset and wondering WTF that would happen. Plenty of photographers shoot in buggy conditions for crap’s sake and, imo, the printed info on a lens should not dissolve by possible contact with my fingers.

After all, I applied a tiny spritz of bug spray, not fricking paint remover. As a cancer survivor (well, you don’t survive cancer until you die from something else...another subject...) I do try and limit the amount of toxic stuff I place on my body.

Vent over. Thoughts? I don’t suppose Tamron would correct this, since it is cosmetic in nature only, but dammit, the lens is only three months old!

ronsipus Loc: Mission Viejo, CA

It should be covered by the warranty, check with them.

throughrhettseyes Loc: Rowlett, TX

Have you ever seen the video where they removed the gunk on a car headlight with bug repellent? Look it up.

fotobyferg

No thanks, I believe you, lol.

DaveC1 Loc: South East US

Bug repellent is known to remove some paints as well.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/how-something-you-spray-on-your-kids-can-melt-your-128334848277.html

I've also heard it melts some plastics and rubber.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

I have heard that bug juice will remove or damage the coatings on lenses. The two should never mix ( cameras and bug spray).

Bill Munny Loc: Aurora, Colorado

I have used bug repellant while hunting with my shotgun and it removed some of the finish on stock. Pretty nasty stuff.

Leitz Loc: Solms

Thanks for the useful tip. Never would have thought to use insect repellant to keep bugs off my lens.

fotobyferg

Wait...you’re kidding, right?

fotobyferg

I am well versed in NEVER using conditioning oils around my saddlery, harness, and any sensitive and expensive leathery for horses that have any synthetic component.

For some reason I did not let that knowledge carry over to camera equipment, probably because the two don’t mix in my mind. But, I guess DEET *is* an oil based product vs water-based.

How annoying.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

The culprit is DEET. It dissolves stuff, like rubber grips, etc. When I am going into bug infested areas, I use plastic gloves to apply the DEET, then put them in a plastic bag, and use a hand wash to rid my hands and fingers of the stuff. It is one of the few things that actually work, and given the fairly serious consequences of tick and other insect bites, namely death, it's a risk worth taking. However, I've been using DEET since the 80s and I'm still around and kicking. And I have only been bitten by a tick once, that one time I didn't use DEET.

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Great tip. Thanks Gene!

I’ve always avoided DEET products when shooting. Maybe that damn yellow fever would have been less of a problem had I thought of this.

Andy

PH CIB

Have to had a problem with Deet,,,was dissolving the finish on my Rifle Stock which got me to thinking about how it might affect Humans,,,this was if I remember correctly 100% Deet,,,now I read Consumer Reports and try to use the most natural bug repellent that works decently,, if I have to long pants and long shirt sleeves and fingerless gloves and bug mesh over head and face and shoulders but I have never tried to photograph with it...

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

As you found out, deet is a very good insect repellant and a very good solvent. Most deet insect repellents come with a warning about plastics and similar items disolving.

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

Never seen 'DEET' in the UK. Thanks for the warning.