rafikiphoto Posted January 12, 2016 Share #1 Â Posted January 12, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) After using it for the first time this afternoon it developed a fault. For a while it was working as expected on the tripod. However later after I switched on the camera again the shutter fired without me touching either the camera or the remote switch. After that the remote switch would not fire. I switched off the camera and back on again and the same thing happens. This is repeatable. Without the remote switch attached the camera functions normally. I guess the switch is faulty. I have emailed the dealer but has anyone else had this problem? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 12, 2016 Posted January 12, 2016 Hi rafikiphoto, Take a look here Leica Remote Release Cable RC-SCL4. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Peter E Posted January 12, 2016 Share #2 Â Posted January 12, 2016 I've ordered my remote today, I'll ckeck it when I have it and inform my experiance here. Â Best regards Peter 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramarren Posted January 12, 2016 Share #3  Posted January 12, 2016 I've had mine for a few weeks and have used it quite a bit. I've had no problems with it. More than likely, your cable is just defective.  If it wasn't so expensive, I'd take it apart and see what's inside and whether I could fix it. But it's probably best to just exchange it for another. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafikiphoto Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share #4  Posted January 12, 2016 I've had mine for a few weeks and have used it quite a bit. I've had no problems with it. More than likely, your cable is just defective.  If it wasn't so expensive, I'd take it apart and see what's inside and whether I could fix it. But it's probably best to just exchange it for another.  Yes, I agree. It's some loose contact or other. Exchange between Vienna and Seville will be a hassle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
larsv Posted January 12, 2016 Share #5 Â Posted January 12, 2016 (edited) Off topic: Â I often read that Leica service in "remote" areas (meaning a long distance from Wetzlar) is worse than in areas geographically closer. Â I think that Leica should improve their service in that respect. Â They claim to be a global brand (by marketing and selling their products worldwide) and need to live up to that claim, including their after sales services. Edited January 12, 2016 by larsv Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafikiphoto Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share #6  Posted January 12, 2016 Off topic:  I often read that Leica service in "remote" areas (meaning a long distance from Wetzlar) is worse than in areas geographically closer.  I think that Leica should improve their service in that respect.  They claim to be a global brand (by marketing and selling their products worldwide) and need to live up to that claim, including their after sales services.  Not in my recent experience. I contacted Leica CS to say that my >10 year old Ultravid binoculars were out of adjustment. They sent me a label by email and they organised a collection by UPS to take them to Portugal. After  2 weeks they were returned fully serviced. No charge. Big gold star from me! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
larsv Posted January 12, 2016 Share #7  Posted January 12, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) Not in my recent experience. I contacted Leica CS to say that my >10 year old Ultravid binoculars were out of adjustment. They sent me a label by email and they organised a collection by UPS to take them to Portugal. After  2 weeks they were returned fully serviced. No charge. Big gold star from me!  Good to hear, though I don't view Portugal as a remote area from Wetzlar. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafikiphoto Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share #8 Â Posted January 12, 2016 Good to hear, though I don't view Portugal as a remote area from Wetzlar. Â Ah! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
J S H Posted January 13, 2016 Share #9 Â Posted January 13, 2016 Mine did the same thing. You can take it apart...there is nothing complicated inside. Remove the 2 screws on the back and pry the 2 halves apart. There are 3 contacts and 3 wires inside. When you half depress the button, it lets the first contact connect to ground. When you fully depress the button all 3 contacts are connected and the shutter fires. I think you should be able to visually inspect to see if there is a fault with the wiring or contacts. Â The remote is a low quality made in China toy that probably cost Leica $5 to have manufactured. They should be ashamed to sell something this poorly made, especially considering the exorbitant price of the remote. I cut the proprietary connector off of the Leica remote and soldered it to an extra Canon TC-80N3...now it works properly and I can make use of the time and interval capabilities built into the Canon intervalometer. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramarren Posted January 13, 2016 Share #10  Posted January 13, 2016 Mine did the same thing. You can take it apart...there is nothing complicated inside. Remove the 2 screws on the back and pry the 2 halves apart. There are 3 contacts and 3 wires inside. When you half depress the button, it lets the first contact connect to ground. When you fully depress the button all 3 contacts are connected and the shutter fires. I think you should be able to visually inspect to see if there is a fault with the wiring or contacts.  The remote is a low quality made in China toy that probably cost Leica $5 to have manufactured. They should be ashamed to sell something this poorly made, especially considering the exorbitant price of the remote. I cut the proprietary connector off of the Leica remote and soldered it to an extra Canon TC-80N3...now it works properly and I can make use of the time and interval capabilities built into the Canon intervalometer.   There's a thought. I remember the Canon TC-80N3 as being a nicely made remote with timing functions. I agree on this one: $200 for this piece of plastic junk is absurd. If it weren't for the special connector... sigh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafikiphoto Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share #11  Posted January 13, 2016 Mine did the same thing. You can take it apart...there is nothing complicated inside. Remove the 2 screws on the back and pry the 2 halves apart. There are 3 contacts and 3 wires inside. When you half depress the button, it lets the first contact connect to ground. When you fully depress the button all 3 contacts are connected and the shutter fires. I think you should be able to visually inspect to see if there is a fault with the wiring or contacts.  The remote is a low quality made in China toy that probably cost Leica $5 to have manufactured. They should be ashamed to sell something this poorly made, especially considering the exorbitant price of the remote. I cut the proprietary connector off of the Leica remote and soldered it to an extra Canon TC-80N3...now it works properly and I can make use of the time and interval capabilities built into the Canon intervalometer.  I agree about the cheap and not so cheerful quality of the unit. Indeed the £6 unit I bought on eBay for my Fujifilm X-2 is far superior!  Thank you for the advice. However, sadly, I am 'mechanically challenged' or perhaps just have bad luck with screwdrivers and spanners  so I shall first wait to see the reply from my supplier before opening my toolbox. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter E Posted January 13, 2016 Share #12 Â Posted January 13, 2016 I've got mine today and it's working perfect 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafikiphoto Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share #13  Posted January 13, 2016 I've got mine today and it's working perfect  So was mine - for a short while! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter E Posted January 13, 2016 Share #14 Â Posted January 13, 2016 Ooops.. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafikiphoto Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share #15 Â Posted January 16, 2016 My (mail order) dealer will take back the faulty unit and send a replacement. Unfortunately they are out of stock at the moment, estimated three to five weeks until delivery! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter E Posted January 16, 2016 Share #16 Â Posted January 16, 2016 Good they take it back, sad that you've to wait so long for a new one.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafikiphoto Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share #17  Posted January 16, 2016 (edited) Just to make myself feel better I am drafting an email to Leica CS telling them how disappointed I am with the very poor quality of the unit in general. Notwithstanding my unfortunate problem its cheap and nasty construction and feel are not consistent with the Leica name so prominently displayed on it.  An unbranded unit purchased on eBay for my Fujifilm X-E2 costing £6.99 has a far better construction and feel and has worked flawlessly from day 1... both were made in China. Edited January 16, 2016 by rafikiphoto Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted January 17, 2016 Share #18 Â Posted January 17, 2016 Mine did the same thing. You can take it apart...there is nothing complicated inside. Remove the 2 screws on the back and pry the 2 halves apart. There are 3 contacts and 3 wires inside. When you half depress the button, it lets the first contact connect to ground. When you fully depress the button all 3 contacts are connected and the shutter fires. I think you should be able to visually inspect to see if there is a fault with the wiring or contacts. Â The remote is a low quality made in China toy that probably cost Leica $5 to have manufactured. They should be ashamed to sell something this poorly made, especially considering the exorbitant price of the remote. I cut the proprietary connector off of the Leica remote and soldered it to an extra Canon TC-80N3...now it works properly and I can make use of the time and interval capabilities built into the Canon intervalometer. Â which wires go where when replacing with the Canon ? I am tempted to do the same ...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
J S H Posted January 18, 2016 Share #19 Â Posted January 18, 2016 Â which wires go where when replacing with the Canon ? I am tempted to do the same ...... Unfortunately, I did not commit the Leica colors to memory, but I can tell you what you need to know. On the Canon N3 side, white is focus, red is shutter and black is ground. On the Leica side, once you take the remote apart, you will see three brass spring type contacts and three wires. You can see that as you manipulate the button, a half press connects the upper contact with the middle, (which is ground), and a full press (or slide forward) connects all three. Â The wire connected to the upper contact (closest to the button) would correspond to white on the canon side. Middle contact will correspond to black (or shield) on the Canon side and the bottom contact will correspond to red on the Canon side. You won't hurt anything if you don't get it all connected properly, it just won't do what you want until you get it right. What I did was install 3.5mm audio jacks (they need to be 3 contact stereo jacks) on each end to easily switch between Canon and Leica remote bodies. I put a female on the Leica proprietary connector side and then a male on each of the remote bodies. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted January 18, 2016 Share #20  Posted January 18, 2016 My remote is working OK, however I am disappointed that it is single stage press. If it had been designed properly, it would have been two stage press like the shutter button. Electric releases for other makes of camera have managed this, so it is obviously not a particularly difficult feat to achieve.  Wilson 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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