Tighten a Lens Bayonet Mount

So I recently published an Instructable on repairing an XC mount, and although not a permanent fix it has served me well. So after a few weeks usage I started to notice that if I turned the lens all the way wide or all the way zoomed in, that it may lose connection with the camera body. So I decided that the bayonet must be fitting too loosely. I like small steps and decide that the easiest fix may be adding a ring of vinyl around the bayonet and something with some texture would be best.

So the materials are simple.

1. A Lens with a loose fitting

2. A plotter that can cut vinyl

3. Some vinyl with some texture

Measure and Plan

So, every lens is a little different. Including ones that use the same mount. So measure whatever lens you are using.

The inside of mine where the bayonet sits on the camera is about 55mm across. So I made a layout for a 54mm outer diameter and 48mm inner diameter ring.

Cut the Vinyl

So I am using a Silhouette Cameo and the associated software as that is what I have. So this step can be a little different per your plotter and software.

I also suggest knowing the settings for what ever vinyl you are using. For my solution I went with a low cutting speed and high depth of cut with a 2nd pass to make sure it accurately cut and was easy to remove.

Install

At the point it is basically installing a sticker. I removed it from the backing and carefully installed it around the bayonet.

A word of caution here is that you don't want to use something too thick here as it would move the contacts of the lens away from the camera. All I wanted was to create a little grip.

If you have repaired a lens bayonet and are having connection issues it could be that the flanges are not as flush as they used to be and are not folding the lens flush. If that is the case you have a different problem.

Hope this helps someone. It worked well for me.