Hobby Japan’s Thumb Rest Lever for M10

[RMF]

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Perhaps some of you know about these Hobby Japan thumb rests that allow you to add a ‘pseudo wind lever’ to your M10 (like an M10D). I always wanted an M10D so when I saw this I had to try it out…. I guess this thumb rest turns my M10R into an M10R-D 🙂.

Finish wise it’s quite nice and matches the finish of my black M10R perfectly. Seems to perhaps be made of ‘brass’ as it weigh about 53g compared to the 40g of my OEM Leica M10 thumb rest. Function wise it feels very solid, strong ratchet function, works great, and is retractable like an D model.  I always thought this would be an interesting item to manufacture so I’m happy that someone had already done it.  I haven’t seen many of these around but perhaps others know the history behind these. Mine was advertised as a v2 model but not really sure what that means for the production run(s).

 

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[MyLeicaWorld]

Nice but very pricey..

[RMF]

 

8 hours ago, MyLeicaWorld said:

Nice but very pricey..

Yes, kind of expensive new, but I picked this one up pre-owned. I saw that MAP in Tokyo still has them on their site https://www.mapcamera.com/html/20190805_m10s/index.html#   If anyone is interested.

The one advantage I see over a conventional thumb support is that it’s retractable so it not jetting into my side as I carry it.. it also somewhat shields the thumb wheel which I use for exposure comp and occasionally bump by accident; both are sort of minor UX/haptics improvements that some or some may not find good/bad, but that I appreciate. The thumb rest when extended sits at a slightly different angle that a conventional thumb support which some might prefer. I’m still unsure if this will fully replace my OEM thumb support, but I mostly bought this as it was interesting and available.

 

 

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by RMF

[rich_]

I like that, I do find that the standard thumb support jutting out causes an issue when i'm carrying more than one camera or something a bit delicate near! Thanks for posting! Oh i just found the price of $500 😁

Edited July 21, 2023 by rich_

[Greenhilltony]

I found one on the Japanese used market and ordered it. Just got it today. The lever action is not as smooth as I would expect, and it is a bit tough touching my thumb when the lever is out. I will play with it for a few more days first.

[Al Brown]

"Make your beloved machine even more supreme" is the slogan.
"It will be irresistible for old Leica fans who have felt lonely in the place where they put their thumbs." is the pitch.

The process (from the MAP page):
"Accurate measurement of Leica M10 by 3D scanner. The design is made based on the data obtained there. A brass ingot is machined using a CNC lathe to create a thumb rest lever. It is made of brass. The final plating process is done at a long-established factory in Vienna, Austria. This factory handles everything from classic car parts to handicrafts, and its technical capabilities are guaranteed. Mr. Kovaci, the president of the CNC factory in charge of production and Mr. Toma, a Hungarian lever designer - the product was realized by the high technical capabilities of both parties."

 

[Lincoln Leung]

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Can this be used on M11? Thanks. 

[RMF]

38 minutes ago, Lincoln Leung said:

Can this be used on M11? Thanks. 

I don’t believe so (I sold mine awhile back and bought an M10-D). There is a silver one for sale now on the Leica FB classifieds.

[kivis]

I put my Thumbs Up from my departed M-P 240 on my M10. It, of course, officially doesn't "fit". But it works for me. Doesn't bother me when I wear my rig with a short neck strap.

[Pyrogallol]

If I had one of those I would be trying to wind the film on.

[Baek]

Is this product still available for purchase? Or is it custom made? I want a silver product

[RMF]

22 hours ago, Baek said:

Is this product still available for purchase? Or is it custom made? I want a silver product

Not that I’m aware of; they were sold at Map Camera in Japan. 
 

 

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Edited February 7, 2024 by RMF

[RMF]

Not Hobby Japan’s version, but similar https://leicarumors.com/2024/02/22/new-ids-foldable-thumb-grips-thumb-rest-for-leica-m10-m11-cameras.aspx/

[fenykepesz]

i really really hope that the new M*-D will come with a thumb rest just like the M10-D did.  such a useful ergonomic piece of metal ! 

[otto.f]

Very nice and obviously well made! The problem is that, also with my Leica thumb rest, it occupies the spot for the Visoflex. And this causes distraction and ado with changing things on your body everytime, where you need to concentrate on the moment or at least the situation. 
In fact the thumb rest is really functional to prevent movement blur for lenses that are heavy and especially those that are (almost) heavier than the body, which are also lenses with 1.4 or faster. These lenses however, also happen to need sometimes EVF for reliable focusing. In these cases using the LV alone (like with an iPhone) causes movement blur sooner than working with the visoflex, where you can use your face to hold the camera stable.

So when using my APO 90 or my Summilux 75 on my M10-R the order of preference is:

1. mounting the visoflex when time allows it before the bird flies away

2. using LV and working with the iPhone method, well supporting the lens with the left hand  

3. using a thumb rest and relying on the OVF with fingers crossed for the right focus or working with a smaller aperture which is mostly not where I bought the lens for. 
So, $500 is a lot of money for being busy with your camera instead of making the picture. 

[Stevejack]

10 hours ago, fenykepesz said:

i really really hope that the new M*-D will come with a thumb rest just like the M10-D did.  such a useful ergonomic piece of metal ! 

Agreed, didn’t think I would like it as much as I do. People who don’t own an M10-d seem to think it’s a bit silly, most of those who have it seem to love it. Feels great and the camera is extremely secure in hand, it’s way better than the thumbs up.