Power Switch Design for M8 / M9 second attempt

[Fotogo]

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My apologies for the empty thread. I should post more often to stay familiar with the procedure. Here is my second attempt.

 

My Leica M8 has served me well for more than 2 years now. It has been the catalyst for much thought and activity for me. Many of you have contributed ideas and recommendations that have helped me better understand how we interact with the physical side of the M8. The result of those ideas and suggestions has been several designs that for some, have made both the M8 and M9 feel better and function with more stability and even with more promising results.

 

I thoroughly enjoy examining the design work from Solms from all angles and with an open mind to see what possibilities are present for a modification or an addition and dare I say it, an improvement. There are only a very few opportunities with their minimalist approach.

 

Although there is nothing wrong with the Main On / Off Power Switch on my M8, I feel I can improve its function. To some, this will look like a design exercise in fixing what does not need to be fixed. Other will say it is a solution looking for a problem. But that is why I want to share this little design…to see just what comes out from it all and to see where the idea might take me.

 

There have been a few photo opportunities that I have missed when using the M8. The reason I missed those opportunities was because I did not pay attention to the depleted battery level, or I left a lens cap in place, or forgot to set the UV / IR filter detection setting after changing a lens, or I accidentally moved the shutter speed setting, and failed to read the new value in the viewfinder or on the shutter dial. I am clearly not a professional photographer.

 

But even as an amateur I have snapped photos only to find that I had started a timed shot of 2 or 12 seconds duration, and that the subject of my interest had long since disappeared. On those occasions without knowing it I had moved the Main On / Off Power Switch to the user timer setting. The reason for this is because I had failed to determine the position to which the Power Switch had moved. But this happened on enough occasions to make me look for a solution. I have also inadvertently set the Power Switch to Continuous mode and made several shots when I only intended to make one. This situation has often provided a choice of two or three excellent shots I would have missed with my conventional one shot technique. Perhaps I should have learned from this too!

 

Here are images of a proposed design that shows a Power Switch design that I hope will offer a more tactile feel. In fact, at its outer most dimension, measured from the center of the shutter button, this new power switch will travel 1.6 times the distance as the original. (It will travel through the same angle of course.) Also, this new design positions the switch so that I can feel which setting I have chosen more so that with the original Leica design. I can pull it with my finger tip and push it with my thumb to a predictable position that I hope will become second nature.

 

Having set the stage for comment, I will let the images and forum members do the rest of the talking and I will be the guy taking notes. – Tim Isaac

 

Happy New Year to you all.

 

Tried to insert images here, but failed again. The links to my Flickr images are there however.

 

A previous and inspirational thread on this subject:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/85393-power-switch-solution.html

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotogo/4272960985/sizes/m/in/photostream/

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotogo/4272961007/sizes/m/in/photostream/

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotogo/4272961025/sizes/m/in/photostream/

 

 

 

 

[stunsworth]

I can't say I've ever found the switch a problem.

[sfokevin]

My apologies for the empty thread. I should post more often to stay familiar with the procedure. Here is my second attempt.

 

Yeah... The New Thread button is a tricky one too...

[brucek]

I can't say I've ever found the switch a problem.

 

The switch on my original M8 is terrible. It can be moved to the wrong setting very easily. The switch on my M8.2 is much more robust and has much stronger detents between the settings. So I'd like something like this solution for my original M8...

[mhoersch]

Tim,

 

I appreciate your initiative because for me, the original switch is the single most annoying thing about the M8 in average daily use.

 

I can see how your design may make setting the switch into different positions easier to do and easier to check, but I don't see how it is going to prevent me from accidentally setting the self timer mode which has cost me a fairly large number of images, so far.

 

For me, the ideal solution would be to make positions C and Self Timer impossible to set without depressing some sort of catch or something, so the switch would become a simple on/off switch, unless you use two fingers at the same time to go to one of the other two rarely - if ever - used settings.

 

Whatever you will do in the end - don't forget or neglect us users of chrome M8s as you do with your thumbs-up!

[BrendanLynch]

Haven't had problems with the power switch myself, but I understand the issue / frustration...

 

I'm not sure if tactile feel is the problem. The switch is more likely to be bumped into another mode. Your modification wouldn't necessarily prevent that.

 

I agree a lock out / detent to pass the S mode would be great. I enjoy the mode wheel lock button Pentax added to the K-7 - I know I'm in the mode I selected.

 

Since us M8 owners aren't likely to see a power switch upgrade program (let alone any other upgrades...) - why not add a bar to your thumbs up that extends back to ride the rear edge of the power switch and prevent it from being turned past S, or even lock it in S so you can't bump the camera "off" either?

 

Does that make any sense?

[Double Negative]

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As I see it, the switch itself isn't so much a problem - as it is accidentally moving it to the C or timer modes. A replacement switch should fix this problem before I consider anything else (e.g. ergonomics).

 

The design as presented leaves me wondering if it wouldn't get in the way, as your finger would rest of top of the switch when set to S.

 

Honestly, I could do with a simple OFF/ON(S) configuration - as I never use continuous or timer mode, really.

[mabelsound]

Can't the switch just be tightened?

 

I find, by the way, that using a Soft Release helps to prevent accidentally moving the switch. Your finger is a little higher up and less likely to make contact.

[digitalfx]

The only time I have had a problem with the switch is when casing it, not during actual shooting. I like the basic concept, but feel its way to big.

[jevidon]

When I sent my M8 in for the shutter, viewfinder, LCD screen sapphire glass update, I commented that the on/off switch was too easy to accidentally switch on. I got the camera back and the switch is now much stiffer. Problem solved!:)

[designed]

Seems like a viable concept, especially now that the M9 has the same design for the switch. I stumbled upon this thread while searching around about my M8's dying power switch.