O ring disconnects from strap lug

[jrovner]

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I'd heard this could happen, and it finally happened to me. While I was carrying my Leica M, one of the O rings on my Luigi strap somehow disconnected from the camera lug, causing the M to fall to the ground. The O ring and lug look fine, so the camera must have somehow worked its way out of the ring. Luckily I was standing on grass, and the camera seems fine, but I'm eager to avoid a repeat of this incident. Has anyone figured out a good solution? I assume the original Leica strap would be more secure, but I prefer a longer strap. Thanks!

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[keithlaban.co.uk]

Tape your rings?

[Jeff S]

Thorsten Overgaard discusses the issue here….see sections "Lord of the Rings" and "Triangle may be the solution".

 

Jeff

[thighslapper]

As I routinely break fingernails and generally curse and swear trying to get these pesky rings on and off the camera.... I find it frankly amazing that one has managed a Houdini worthy escape from a lug.

 

Just fit heavier duty rings..... and prepare to ruin really your nails trying to get them fitted .....

 

..... oh and I suppose you could get the ends spot welded ......

[wmcl]

One solution is to use triangular rings like those illustrated on Overgaard's Leica M Type 240 Digital Rangefinder Camera - Page 34. It's not as classic as the round ones, but it does keep the strap from working its way out. The inside dimensions of the triangular ring determine the maximum width of strap that will fit. For example, the triangular rings that I have are from a Minolta SRT. When used with the basic nylon carrying strap (#14312) that shipped with the M240, which is 12mm wide, it fit tightly. I have since replaced it with the Leica #18776 leather strap which is 0.5mm narrower, adjustable in length, and with leather lug protectors so rings don't rub against the camera. The leather strap fits splendidly with or without the Multifunctional Handgrip M and Finger Loop in place. But, I'm still paranoid, and routinely check the fastenings of the carrying strap and the finger loop.

[Jeff S]

One solution is to use triangular rings like those illustrated on Overgaard's….

 

Is it really that hard to read a couple of posts before posting?

 

Jeff

[bocaburger]

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I find it frankly amazing that one has managed a Houdini worthy escape from a lug.

 

I share your amazement, as I have never had it happen. Given the thickness of the lugs, the end of the split-ring has to be pulled away about 2mm before beginning the 360-degree rotation needed to come off. But evidently it can happen. I suspect the quality of the ring (thickness and stiffness) would be the mitigating factor.

[thighslapper]

I share your amazement, as I have never had it happen. Given the thickness of the lugs, the end of the split-ring has to be pulled away about 2mm before beginning the 360-degree rotation needed to come off. But evidently it can happen. I suspect the quality of the ring (thickness and stiffness) would be the mitigating factor.

 

........ yes ..... I suspect it takes one end to get snagged on something and that part of the ring permanently bent out so that this can happen ......if the ends are rounded/smooth or bevelled and undamaged this shouldn't really occur.

 

Thorstens photo on his site clearly shows the ring has been distorted. He travels a lot and crams a fair bit of gear in a bag, so I suppose this scenario for him might not be that uncommon......

[wlaidlaw]

I have found that Luigi’s rings do tend to become softer with use. I have tried the triangular rings but don’t particularly like them, as they often seem to jam in the wrong position. I think the easy solution is to buy heavier duty rings from a key shop and change them about once every couple of years. I have tried various other solutions over the years from mini-carabiners to patent clips but always end up coming back to the traditional split rings.

 

I do have a suspicion that like many things, cheap ersatz products are coming out of the east, where the base material is incorrect and uses a cheap low carbon basic steel rather than proper spring steel. The other problem I have found is poorly applied chrome, which can flake off as you are struggling to mount a ring and then very painfully goes up under your fingernail.

 

Wilson

[250swb]

I think Thorsten's assertion that a round ring will work the strap loose is somewhat over the top, in thirty five years including press work I've never had it happen, half happen, or even seen it happen to somebody else. Having just had a close look at the rings supplied on my Luigi strap I can't see how such thick leather can work its way out of the ring without being given a head start in some mysterious way. But perhaps alongside checking your battery is charged and you have a card in the slot you should check your ring before leaving home.

 

I do understand people bend and distort rings when putting them on, then blame the ring, or use lighter gauge rings because they are easier to mount, and then blame the ring, or don't even put them on properly in the first place, and then blame the ring.

 

And the saviour of the situation, the triangular ring? It isn't so bad as it was, but Leica's older brass camera lugs were made for round rings that spread the load, the triangular ring however supports the camera on two 'pressure points' that dig their way into the lug, causing premature wear. Why do you think Nikon put a steel insert into the lug for their triangular rings to rub against? So I wouldn't recommend them on a prized investment, but they can also chew up the edges of a stainless lug as well.

 

Steve

[pgk]

..... in thirty five years including press work I've never had it happen, half happen, or even seen it happen to somebody else......

I would echo this. As a solution for those who are worried, how about a drop of superglue on the ring when fitted?

[Overgaard]

It's unique for the Leica M240, the left strap holder (seen from the backside of the camera). I had it happen 3 or 4 times and met others who had tried it as well.

 

It never happened on any other M cameras, and I have the same round rings on quite a few M cameras.

 

As it is often the case, Leica never replied to any questions about this. They did however change the lug strap holder on my M240.

 

The thickness of the ring may or may not solve it. One of the rings that worked it's way out was the quite sturdy ring from the Leica M Monochrom black leather strap.

 

The design of the M9/MM and the M240 strap lug rings look the same, but the M240 is a redesign from top to bottom.

 

Houdini is a good expression. That is the feeling you have when it happens.

[jrovner]

Thanks, everyone. I'll follow the advice here and change out my Luigi rings for something more heavy duty. (Permanent solutions, like glue or welding, won't work for me, as I occasionally change straps.) In response to some of the posts, please note that the ring that disconnected does not appear to be damaged or distorted in any way whatsoever, and I'm confident that it was firmly attached when the day began. The camera wasn't in a bag or somewhere else where other objects would have acted upon it; it was over my shoulder the whole time.

[thighslapper]

In response to some of the posts, please note that the ring that disconnected does not appear to be damaged or distorted in any way whatsoever, and I'm confident that it was firmly attached when the day began. The camera wasn't in a bag or somewhere else where other objects would have acted upon it; it was over my shoulder the whole time.

 

........ mmmm....... you don't have an odd feeling that time was missing that day ? ..... or had sphincter issues afterwards as if you had been surgically probed ?....... and subsequent dreams of abduction by alien like beings ?..........

 

..... all this is beginning to sound like a case for the X-files .....

[elgenper]

For several reasons, I use short lengths of shrink tube over the O rings. It prevents wear on the strap lugs and the straps themselves, and they secure the rings from the kind of mishaps described by the OP.

 

I use a wide Leica leather strap on one of my cameras, and the Monochrom strap on the other, and both are easy to mount on or take off the rings (which of course stay on the cameras semi-pemanently).

 

The knack is to first put the shrink tube (about 1.5 cm long) completely on to the O ring, then mount the O ring on the strap lug, letting the tube be pushed along the ring but not under the end of the wire. Once it is there, pull the tube over to cover the joint in the ring, and carefully heat the tube with a burning match while holding it away from the camera with a pair of pliers. The tube shrinks more or less instantly, so there´s no risk of cooking the camera.

 

If the need ever arises to remove the rings, the tube can be slit with a sharp knife and torn off.

[bocaburger]

Now that I recall, a few years ago I remember talk of using nickel-plated brass rings to mitigate wear on older brass strap lugs. I even bought a little bag of them. They were definitely easier to spread than the spring-steel ones. Maybe those are what some cottage industry strap makers are supplying? Idk, just a thought. I used a Voigtlander cloth strap (same as A&A) on my M8, M9 and M240 in the beginning. I have now switched to the leather Leica-embossed X1/X2 strap (Mfr # 439-612-060-000) but I put on slightly larger rings as the OEM ones seemed a bit too delicate. I'll keep my eyes on it now though.

[Mr. Thompson]

You may want to try the small titanium split rings from Countycomm. They are a bear to get on. I can't imagine them coming loose.

[Bill W]

Maybe I am not using my M's hard enough but I have never since 1985 had an issue like this with either the provided strap or one from Luigi or Arte de Mano.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[pgk]

It's unique for the Leica M240, the left strap holder (seen from the backside of the camera). I had it happen 3 or 4 times and met others who had tried it as well.

In that case there is a 'cause' and something must be forcing the ring open when it is a certain position. It might be worth sitting down for a time and seeing if you can reproduce the event and so determine this cause. This might save someone a repair bill.....

[wattsy]

you should check your ring before leaving home.