A visit with Tim Isaac of Thumbs Up

[terrycioni]

Yesterday Tuesday I had the opportunity to visit with Tim Isaac, Tom Abrahamson, and another good friend at one Vancouver's organic coffee houses in the Kitsalano area.

Sitting amoungst the pie plates and coffee cups were several prototype of the upcoming Thumbs Up with flash shoe, it looks great is well considered and top quality. Seeing an unpainted Thumbs Up was a reminder of how well built these are.

More exciting for me (I have Thumbs Up on both my M8s) was the coder ring Tim has designed. The man is totally creative and the coder product shows it. Tim plans to provide a pen and an amazing wheel that provides all the necessary information for coding various lenses all in an amazing package. As Tom A. has pointed out the wheel it self belongs in the MOMA. Amazing.

Tim kindly left me with the coder ring (I will order the full package when it becomes available). When I got home I immediately coded a couple of lenses without any hassles what so ever. It works well.

Best Regards For The Season To All.

Terry

[wlaidlaw]

Originally Posted by terrycioni

Yesterday Tuesday I had the opportunity to visit with Tim Isaac, Tom Abrahamson, and another good friend at one Vancouver's organic coffee houses in the Kitsalano area.

Sitting amoungst the pie plates and coffee cups were several prototype of the upcoming Thumbs Up with flash shoe, it looks great is well considered and top quality. Seeing an unpainted Thumbs Up was a reminder of how well built these are.

More exciting for me (I have Thumbs Up on both my M8s) was the coder ring Tim has designed. The man is totally creative and the coder product shows it. Tim plans to provide a pen and an amazing wheel that provides all the necessary information for coding various lenses all in an amazing package. As Tom A. has pointed out the wheel it self belongs in the MOMA. Amazing.

Tim kindly left me with the coder ring (I will order the full package when it becomes available). When I got home I immediately coded a couple of lenses without any hassles what so ever. It works well.

Best Regards For The Season To All.

Terry

Terry,

Any chance of posting a pic of the coder ring?

Wilson

[stunsworth]

Hi Terry, I've never met Tim or Tom (were only people whose name begins with 'T' allowed into the coffee shop <grin>). But the dealings I've had with Tom have lead me think that he's a perfect gentleman. I'm sure Tim is too.

I don't supose Tom mentioned the Rapidgrip for the M8? This has been so long in gestation that I can only think there's a fundamental problem with the design or price. And as a long term user of a Rapidgrip on an M6, I'd much prefer to buy a grip from Tom than Leica.

[terrycioni]

Originally Posted by stunsworth

Hi Terry, I've never met Tim or Tom (were only people whose name begins with 'T' allowed into the coffee shop <grin>). But the dealings I've had with Tom have lead me think that he's a perfect gentleman. I'm sure Tim is too.

I don't supose Tom mentioned the Rapidgrip for the M8? This has been so long in gestation that I can only think there's a fundamental problem with the design or price. And as a long term user of a Rapidgrip on an M6, I'd much prefer to buy a grip from Tom than Leica.

Last January I actually photographed Tom with a prototype of the rapidgrip for the M8. Not wanting to speak for Tom I believe he is struggling with the cost versus quality challenges. I am having lunch with Tom and Tuulikki today and will ask the question.

Best Regards. Terry.

[stunsworth]

Thanks Terry, I felt that might be the issue. Anyhow wish Tom all the best from a very satisfied Rapidwinder and Rapidgrip user.

[JumpStart]

I had no idea this was a Vancouver invention. As a Lowermainlander myself, I'm pleased to see this. I have asked to be on the list, when he has them ready. If I can do anything else, let me know. JumpStart Guides specializes in producing and selling instructional DVD's on Digital cameras and photography, so if I can lend a hand, please let me know.

Cheers

DBK

[terrycioni]

Originally Posted by wlaidlaw

Terry,

Any chance of posting a pic of the coder ring?

Wilson

Wilson,

As requested - a quickie with the Canon G9.

Best Regards. Terry.

[terrycioni]

Originally Posted by JumpStart

I had no idea this was a Vancouver invention. As a Lowermainlander myself, I'm pleased to see this. I have asked to be on the list, when he has them ready. If I can do anything else, let me know. JumpStart Guides specializes in producing and selling instructional DVD's on Digital cameras and photography, so if I can lend a hand, please let me know.

Cheers

DBK

Darren,

Sorry for the mis-understanding Tim lives and works in China but has connections back to the Seattle area. He very graciously drove-up from Seattle yesterday.

Best Regards. Terry.

[robsteve]

Originally Posted by stunsworth

Thanks Terry, I felt that might be the issue. Anyhow wish Tom all the best from a very satisfied Rapidwinder and Rapidgrip user.

Steve:

In the days we were buying Tom's accesories, the Canadian dollar was anywhere from 1.35 to 1.55 to the US dollar. It is now at par. considering these were priced in US dollars, his margin is much less than it was in the past.

[boilerdoc]

Now I'm interested - in the TU with the flash shoe! That will be the cat's meow!
And for Tom, there isn't a better person to know or deal with. He doesn't know me from Adam but I saw he and Tuuliki in Rochester at the LHSA and got my LHSA shutter releases from him.
Steve

[pklein]

I too have "beta tested" an early prototype of the M-Coder, and had a delightful visit with Tim when he was in Seattle a couple of months ago. He's a real gentleman. Since he lives part of the time in both the U.S. and China, he has many interesting things to talk about.

I also received my Thumbs Up during that visit, and it has stayed affixed to my M8 ever since. It really stabilizes the M8.

The M-Coder also works beautifully on any lens or adapter with a viable coding surface. The oil-based Japanese industrial marker Tim plans on pairing with the M-Coder makes marks that appear to be more durable than a Sharpie. Note that the M8 lens code sensors can be fooled by a screw head in the coding area, which can be misread as "black" by one or two of the bits. But this is an issue with the lens itself, not the M-coder.

I think it's time to reveal the man himself. I snapped this shot of Tim in his study just after putting the Thumbs Up on my M8.

--Peter

[etrigan63]

Tim's upcoming TU (the Thumbs Up CS) will have a cold shoe mounted on it. He has plans to develop a hot shoe version very shortly.

[scott kirkpatrick]

Originally Posted by terrycioni

Wilson,

As requested - a quickie with the Canon G9.

Best Regards. Terry.

That looks elegant, but what locates it in azimuth (sets the right angle around the lens)?

scott

[terrycioni]

Originally Posted by scott kirkpatrick

That looks elegant, but what locates it in azimuth (sets the right angle around the lens)?

scott

Scott,

If I understand what you asking - it has a notch that snaps into the indent on the lens, "snaps in" if you like - so no guessing what so ever. I darkened the notch so you can see it easily. It is very cool and works well. As mentioned with the Zeiss lenses the screw head is an issue. I did code a couple of Zeiss lenses without a problem.

Best Regards. Terry.

[howard_cummer]

Hi Terry,
Would appreciate it if you would bring the coding ring along to Zen on Friday morning - I would like to see it.
Cheers
Howard.

[terrycioni]

Originally Posted by howard_cummer

Hi Terry,
Would appreciate it if you would bring the coding ring along to Zen on Friday morning - I would like to see it.
Cheers
Howard.

Hi Howard,

Will do. Tim sent me an email yesterday and he is going to send me the pen he will include with the final product. M-Coder works so well.

Best Regards. See you Friday @ Zen

Terry.

[scott kirkpatrick]

Originally Posted by terrycioni

Scott,

If I understand what you asking - it has a notch that snaps into the indent on the lens, "snaps in" if you like - so no guessing what so ever. I darkened the notch so you can see it easily. It is very cool and works well. As mentioned with the Zeiss lenses the screw head is an issue. I did code a couple of Zeiss lenses without a problem.

Best Regards. Terry.

This looks great. Could save me from losing my 35/2.0 Summicron for an indefinite length of time and help me with some Voigtlaenders which also have screws in unfortunate locations. When does he plan to set a price and make these available? There may be mounts that lack the notch -- but the only one that I have with this problem is a Milich adapter, and that has its coding grooves properly located already.

scott

[robsteve]

Scott:

I think the notch it uses for reference is the notch the lens lock pin goes into. An M mount lens will have this notch otherwise it would not lock onto the M8.

[stunsworth]

Robert, I'm pretty sure that the adaptors made by John Milich have this notch in them.

[wlaidlaw]

Originally Posted by terrycioni

Wilson,

As requested - a quickie with the Canon G9.

Best Regards. Terry.

Many thanks Terry - one on order plus a CS Thumbs up.

Wilson