Canon TS-E Knobby
Call me fussy, but poor ergonomics drive me mad. During a long work day I want my equipment to be easy to handle. One piece of kit that I have not been a fan of are the tiny shifts knobs on my Canon 24mm and 50mm TS-E lenses. Canon seems to be well aware of the issue and includes a knob extension with their lenses. The original extension makes the knob a tiny bit bigger, but does not quite go far enough. When handling the knobs in hot (sweaty) or cold (gloves) conditions, they are not exactly easy to operate.
![Lightforge-Canon-TSE-Knobby-Fusion360B](https://lightforge.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Lightforge-Canon-TSE-Knobby-Fusion360B.jpg)
Finished 3d MODELS in AUTODESK FUSION 360
This is further exacerbated by using a Rogeti TS-E Frame. Don’t get me wrong, I love these frames for many reasons described in my previous articles, but they make the shift knob even harder to reach. Since I could not find any aftermarket solutions, I resigned myself to coming up with my own solution: I would design and 3D print my own knobs.
![2020-10-19 14_30_24-TSE-Knobby1 – PrusaSlicer-2.2.0 based on Slic3r](https://lightforge.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2020-10-19-14_30_24-TSE-Knobby1-PrusaSlicer-2.2.0-based-on-Slic3r.jpg)
Print-READY FILE, each squiggle is a row of 0.2mm thin plastic extruded at 200 degrees
A few months ago I fell down the rabbit hole of 3D printing and its millions of free models on exchanges like Thingiverse. There, I found one knob extension that looked promising, but its screw-less friction fit did not stay securely enough in place. And so, with no prior experience in 3D modelling, I sat down to figure out my own solution.
![Lightforge-Canon-TSE-Knobby2](https://lightforge.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Lightforge-Canon-TSE-Knobby2.jpg)
A few hours of careful measurements with digital callipers, a slow learning process in Fusion 360, and a bunch of failed prototypes later, my Canon TS-E Knobby was finished. It fits perfectly over the Canon knob and is securely held in place with the original screw. Since my 24mm and 50mm TS-E lenses look almost identical, I colour-coded them with my TS-E Knobbies.
![Lightforge-Canon-TSE-Knobby1](https://lightforge.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Lightforge-Canon-TSE-Knobby1.jpg)
I have used the TS-E Knobby for several months without any issues. It has worked perfectly in combination with Rogeti TS-E frames, and should be even more substantial when used without one. You can find the 3D model free for personal use on Thingiverse.
Canon TS-E Knobby on Thingiverse
![Lightforge-Canon-TSE-Knobby3](https://lightforge.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Lightforge-Canon-TSE-Knobby3.jpg)