terence fairweather Posted June 10, 2009 Share #1 Posted June 10, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Can anyone recommend a soft shutter release? Are they worthwhile for those that are already using them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 Hi terence fairweather, Take a look here Soft shutter release.. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
akiralx Posted June 10, 2009 Share #2 Posted June 10, 2009 I have used Luigi Crescenzi's, nicely made. Google Leicatime. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted June 10, 2009 Share #3 Posted June 10, 2009 I used a Tom Abrahamsson one for years on my film cameras and though they helped a lot to get a smoother shutter release. With the M8 on the other hand I abandoned using one after a few months. I felt that the softie emphasised the notchiness in the M8 shutter and was a negative thing rather than a positive one. Tom's details are here... RapidWinder.com Home Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted June 10, 2009 Share #4 Posted June 10, 2009 I use the Tom Abrahamsson (large) soft release and it certainly helps me get steadier shots at lower shutter speeds. I understand what Steve says about the notchiness but I can't say that it accentuates mine. I prefer the Abrahamsson soft release because it's convex, rather than concave like the others, and feels better with the middle joint of my index finger. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted June 10, 2009 Share #5 Posted June 10, 2009 They're also not that expensive, so it might be best to buy one and see if it does anything for you. If it doesn't then you've only spent a small amount of money. As you can see it's a personal thing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfarkas Posted June 10, 2009 Share #6 Posted June 10, 2009 Might I suggest the Beep, Boop, and Bip by Tim Isaac. Concave, convex, and min-convex to suit different tastes. Black-painted solid brass. Soft Releases | Dale Photo & Digital David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeicaMSeattle Posted June 10, 2009 Share #7 Posted June 10, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I'm using the Tim Issac "Bip" works great as I just roll my finger over the convex button. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mweiner Posted June 11, 2009 Share #8 Posted June 11, 2009 I think I learned of this on the forum, but I use a piece cut out from the self-adhesive little felt pads that stick to the legs of furniture so the slide on the floor without scratching. I cut the piece to the same diameter as the shutter release button. I have the Tom A. soft release but like some others found it increased the grittiness. The little felt gives just enough extra height so I can use the second joint of my finger. Also it may help keep rain out of the hole. The only drawback would be if you use a cable release a lot. However, often you can take the felt off and then replace it. If that doesn't work you can get several peices out of a .0001 cent button and there are about 20 buttons in a package. A punch type tool of the right size would be helpful but I don't bother. The buttons come in white and brown. Somewhat off topic, I also learned on this forum to use a 3/4 inch vinyl bumper (Ace Hardware part 52728) as a poor man's thumbs-up. I use a clear one on my silver body and a brown one on my black body. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted June 11, 2009 Share #9 Posted June 11, 2009 When I was an active pistolero, you could buy a 'trigger shoe' to fit your Smith & Wesson and it did just what the soft release does--increase the contact surface against the finger. Most of us learned that this was a bad idea. Your tactile control of the trigger suffered, and you started to 'pull' the shots. Have you ever thought about that collar around the release button of M cameras? This is there so that your fingertip rests on both it and the button itself. This increases the resistance--and the tactile feedback, which is vital. A soft release robs you of that. That said, the 'trigger action' of the M8 is inferior to that of mechanical M cameras. I, like most other target shooters, learned to use an Arkansas stone on the trigger bar and the hammer notch until the trigger broke cleanly like a glass rod. That is just as important as a barrel that shoots straight. Leica should incorporate an all-electronic release in any M9, with a clearly defined 'breaking point'. The old man from the Age of the .38 Special Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott kirkpatrick Posted June 11, 2009 Share #10 Posted June 11, 2009 When I was an active pistolero, you could buy a 'trigger shoe' to fit your Smith & Wesson and it did just what the soft release does--increase the contact surface against the finger. Most of us learned that this was a bad idea. Your tactile control of the trigger suffered, and you started to 'pull' the shots. Have you ever thought about that collar around the release button of M cameras? This is there so that your fingertip rests on both it and the button itself. This increases the resistance--and the tactile feedback, which is vital. A soft release robs you of that. That said, the 'trigger action' of the M8 is inferior to that of mechanical M cameras. I, like most other target shooters, learned to use an Arkansas stone on the trigger bar and the hammer notch until the trigger broke cleanly like a glass rod. That is just as important as a barrel that shoots straight. Leica should incorporate an all-electronic release in any M9, with a clearly defined 'breaking point'. The old man from the Age of the .38 Special There are a number of target shooters on this forum, but until reading Lars' comment I hadn't thought about the differences as opposed to the similarities between gun and camera triggers. (I've only shot at flying clay disks with a 12-gauge, which involves precise motion, not position.) First, Tim Isaacs gives a very nice explanation of why he offersBeep, Bip, and Boop. The concave surface one is for fingertip use, the convex big and little ones for squeezing with the middle of the finger, between the first and second joints. That's what I do (with some Tom Abrahamsson convex softies, which I lose from time to time), on the theory that shooting goes more smoothly when you don't know exactly when the gun will fire. But I gather there is also the hair-trigger school of thought (Lars?) that concludes that the target is never going to hold perfectly still, but that's OK as long as you fire at the instant when it will be passing through the cross-hairs. scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted June 11, 2009 Share #11 Posted June 11, 2009 ... But I gather there is also the hair-trigger school of thought (Lars?) that concludes that the target is never going to hold perfectly still, but that's OK as long as you fire at the instant when it will be passing through the cross-hairs. scott That technique works with a rifle too. We (Royal Swedish Army) had an exercise where you ran at speed, then stopped and swung up your SSG sniper rifle and fired one shot within two seconds of the fire command, then you ran again ... repeat four times. This was not very different from trap shooting. You had to get off the shot at the right moment before the target came whizzing through the crosshairs. Some very nice small caliber target rifles and pistols are made in Germany. Whoever is drawing up the specs for the M9 should consult with some of them on the matter of trigger action. Their spontaneous reaction after trying a M8 will be: "How in the world can you get off a clean shot with THAT?" The old man from the Age of the m/98 Mauser Rifle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstotler Posted June 11, 2009 Share #12 Posted June 11, 2009 Might I suggest the Beep, Boop, and Bip by Tim Isaac. Concave, convex, and min-convex to suit different tastes. Black-painted solid brass. Soft Releases | Dale Photo & Digital David I ordered one of each--they weren't expensive--and still haven't made up my mind which I like best. Thanks, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted June 11, 2009 Share #13 Posted June 11, 2009 I ordered one of each--they weren't expensive--and still haven't made up my mind which I like best. Thanks, Will Will, Please let us know how the Beep, Boop, and Bip sound too. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colorflow Posted June 11, 2009 Share #14 Posted June 11, 2009 My M8 started having power up problems (did not power up after turning on the power switch. Must also depress the shutter release part way) after being sideways in the bag several days with a soft release. While I cannot definitely assign blame to the soft release depressing the shutter in the bag during that time, I wonder if that was a probable cause. Alan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattraineyimages Posted June 11, 2009 Share #15 Posted June 11, 2009 i have always used Thompssons and put one on my M8. Have found it to be sticky on the M8. Removed it and much happier without it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elopezso Posted June 11, 2009 Share #16 Posted June 11, 2009 I too removed mine due to stickiness Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photoskeptic Posted June 11, 2009 Share #17 Posted June 11, 2009 Wouldn't leave home without them. Started out years ago with the larger domed ones, but quickly shifted to the smaller ones. For me, they give better feel of when the shutter is going to do its job. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmk60 Posted June 12, 2009 Share #18 Posted June 12, 2009 My M8 started having power up problems (did not power up after turning on the power switch. Must also depress the shutter release part way) after being sideways in the bag several days with a soft release. While I cannot definitely assign blame to the soft release depressing the shutter in the bag during that time, I wonder if that was a probable cause. Alan I do not use a soft release on my M8 due to the stickiness but do use it on my film Ms. I use a rubber hair band with one end tied to the rug and the the other hooked to the release. The band sits under the release preventing the shutter from being pressed accidentally. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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