Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/05/20
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Tom, I will take the risk and volunteer to be subjected to the rigors of beta testing. This is not a mission I volunteer for lightly. OTOH, I will take said mission to the depths of available light photography on my current personal project of carnivals, fairs and assorted Americana. Keep me in mind. Carl Socolow TTAbrahams wrote: >=20 > >butzi@halcyon.com (Paul & Paula Butzi) wrote to leica-users@mejac.pal= o- > alto.ca.us, Date:98-05-18 12:22:35 EDT >=20 > >Hey! What's this about a soft release? Would that be release as in shu= tter > release? > >Tell us more! It's not fair to tease like that.< > -----------------------------------------------------------------------= - ------- > -------------------------------- > Vancouver, B.C., Canada , May 18, 1998 > Paul & Paula and other LUGgers, > Yes, the long rumored Abrahamsson Softrelease has been prototyped. Wha= t it > means is that the CNC lathe (Computer Numerically Controlled) has spat = out a > small amount of my initial design. What remains now is the fine-tuning = of the > design and the other mundane things like: >=20 > =93How much will they cost to make? Can they be anodized? What is the s= hipping > and packaging cost? And how much are the users going to have to pay for= them?=94 >=20 > My Softrelease screws into the regular cable release thread. It has a s= light > dome shape to it, knurled edges, and is the same diameter as the =93cup= =94 in > which the regular release button of a M camera sits. > The initial batch is made of a 6000 series alloy (easier to machine and= adjust > the machine). The production version will be done in a 7000 series allo= y. This > one takes the anodizing better and will also take wear and tear better. > There have been quite a few of different Softreleases done over the yea= rs. > Leica used to make one; a very complex and a too tall one. There are > Softreleases for Nikon F=92s (very nice), and there is a current crop o= f > Softreleases from Japan (small diameter and mostly decorated with store= names > or product names). > The Softrelease has certain advantages; you gain about a stop in speed = and can > moderate your pressure on the release button better. The dome shape (or > mushroom shape) allows you to release the shutter with the first joint = of the > finger, rather than with the tip of the finger. This allows you a more > controlled pressure, very much the same principal as used for shooting = targets > with a pistol. > There are disadvantages to the Softrelease, too. Everytime you put your= camera > in the bag with the shutter cocked you will get a shot of the bags inte= rior. > The cable release thread is notorious for unscrewing whatever is screwe= d into > it (it is a steeply tapered thread) and a lot of Softreleases are lost = every > year! > On my design there is a small shoulder at the bottom of the release and= this > =93locks=94 the Softrelease down on the shutter release button. It can = still > unscrew itself, but with less frequency than the other ones I have used= (and > lost). > The timeline for a production run is difficult to establish right now. > Probably another month at least. I have decided that the Softrelease mu= st be > able to sell for no more than $10/each - and then I have to count backw= ards to > see what the various stages of production costs. > If the anodizing can be done I will probably make the Softrelease avai= lable > in a variety of colors; Green for the users of Tri-X, Red for LUGgers o= r > =93chrome=94 users, chrome for those using chrome cameras and black for= the more > formal occasions! > Once the production has proven itself feasible I will let the availabil= ity and > the final costs on the LUG. Most likely I will request a minimum order > situation to cut down on mailing costs. I have already had request from > LUGgers to serve as agents and I might take them up on that. > Also, the Softrelease is NOT limited to the Leica M. It will fit any ca= mera > that uses a standard cable release fitting in the shutter-release butto= n. > For those of you who like to know why I am doing these; it is the same = thing > as with the Rapidwinder. I wanted some for myself and once you made one= , you > might as well make a dozen or a thousand of them! > At this writing I will be sending around 30 Abrahamsson Softrelease > Prototypes to various LUGgers and friends for them to try out and comme= nt > upon. > To be continued! > Tom A > Tom Abrahamsson > #203-1512 Yew St., Vancouver, B.C., V6K 3E4, Canada, > Phone: 604-731-0036,Fax: 604-731-0868, E-mail:TTAbrahams@aol.com > Rapidwinder Webpage in English: (compliments of Hans Pahlen, Sweden) > http://home2.swipnet.se/~w-24872/rapidw.htm > http://www.komvux.skola.mark.se/rapidw.htm (mirror site) > http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/5799/ (Hans Pahlen=92s Homepage) >=20 > Rapidwinder Webpage in Japanese: (compliments of Jun Nakajima, Japan) > http://www.magicalights.co.jp/decadant/tom/index.html > http://www.magicalights.co.jp/decadant/tom/ctom.html (mirror site) - --=20 Sometimes the wrong thing is exactly the thing you should do.