soft release users [Archive] - Rangefinderforum.com

back alley

03-24-2005, 15:04

i have been spreading the news of the soft shutter release and spreading some of them around too.

now, i'm curious as to who is using them, on what cameras and what do you think?

for me, on the canons, they work wonderfully, helping to keep the camera steady and making that final plunge smooth.

joe

VictorM.

03-24-2005, 15:12

A small Abramsson Softie on a Rolleiflex is a major improvement, a no-name one on a Nikon F Photomic is almost required, on a Canon P or Leica M they work but cause a lot of misfires.

Nikon Bob

03-24-2005, 15:45

I use them on Nikons and Leicas. They work well.

Bob

rover

03-24-2005, 15:48

I got mine this week Joe but haven't shot with it. I will let you know after the weekend.

sockdaddy

03-24-2005, 15:52

i love the feel and added control the mini soft release gives me on my Canonet GIII, but it doesn't screw in all the way and is therefore too tall on top of the camera...

Roman

03-24-2005, 23:50

I use the MiniSR on my Bessas and my new CL, and the larger version on my Russian RFs and the Konicas and Yashicas - esp. in low light with slow-speeds the SoftReleases give a feeling of more security...

Roman

Floyd Takeuchi

03-25-2005, 11:56

I also use the Mini on a Bessa R and L. I find them to offer a significant improvement in feel and confidence, particularly at lower shutter speeds.

nwcanonman

03-25-2005, 12:55

I'm using Nikon's AR-9 soft-release on the Olympus SP. I like the feel, very smooth and light touch.
I was afraid at first that closing the ER case would trip the shutter, but it hasn't done that - yet.
The SP doesn't seem to mind having "Nikon" parts on it ~ ; - )

Paul Connet

03-25-2005, 13:03

I use them on Nikons and Leicas. They work well.

Bob

I have a soft release that I switch from camera to camera as needed. It is small, (9/16 in. dia.) slightly concave on top and marked "Nikon". It is a true blessing when used on a camera that has a stiff release. Of my stable of cameras, it is used most often on the M6. The recent GAS cameras, (Canon 7, QL-17, and VI-L) are all improved a great deal by this little wonder. I wish there were more to be had cheaply. :) :)

Paul C.

SolaresLarrave

03-25-2005, 13:09

Joe, mine went to my Leica right away. It's a breeze! Not one misfire so far, though, but a nice gained advantage on slow shutterspeed shots.

I tried it on my Nikon AF camera (it fits!), but the size blocks the on-off switch. Otherwise it'd be great! Maybe I can lay my hands on a smaller softie for this one.

denishr

03-25-2005, 13:21

joe, both softies I got from you are on Leicas :)
Mine is on the M3, and the one that went to my friend is on his M2...

Nice gadgets - one wouldn't believe how much difference they make.

Denis

aizan

03-25-2005, 13:59

in the car, i use abrahamsson's minisoftrelease on the m2. it makes firing the shutter a lot easier in awkward situations. i prefer to leave it off because you can feel when the shutter is close to firing by how close you are to the bottom of the depression.

Marc Jutras

03-26-2005, 05:12

I use a no-name brass one on my Bessa R2. It helps a lot since the R2's shutter release seems to go down forever before releasing. Not having to press all the way down helps a lot when shooting at 1/8 or even 1/4 sec.

back alley

03-26-2005, 17:46

Nice gadgets - one wouldn't believe how much difference they make.

Denis

i know, that's why i like and use them.

i have to admit that the one that came with my first p is my favourite. i don't think it's an abrahamson mini but it's close.

joe

existrandom

04-06-2005, 05:25

i use abrahamson's classic SR on my Konica T3n and Canon L-1, they fit very well and work wonderfully; when getting used, it helps make the shutter release action softer and trigger smoother; my brother tried on my camera and he loves it as well, but the classic is too big for his olympus om-2, so it is time to get a mini i guess

the only downside about these is that i misfire occationally when i put my camera back into my bag; also the chrome plating on the soft release wears off pretty soon and have a not very nice look

lee

tom_f77

04-06-2005, 06:00

Yes - another recommendation from me. I find it makes a huge difference on the Bessas - not just holding still at low speeds but also just knowing when the shutter will fire. Can't use my R2 without it now. Also great on the CL and the Oly RFs, and even the RF645.

The only cameras I have where they would fit but I don't want them are the OM slrs; they're just great as they are.

I just got three new ones while Stephen had his free international shipping offer going - I seem to lose them fairly regularly.

Tom

back alley

04-06-2005, 06:03

turns out that my favourite sr IS an abrahamson mini, so i have ordered a couple more for everyday use.
i'll hang on to the others as back up in case i lose on of the minis.
joe

Jeroen

04-06-2005, 07:12

a no-name one on a Nikon F Photomic is almost required

A few years ago, I bought an AR-1 for my old F. Easily gets me an extra stop.

RML

04-06-2005, 20:45

I have only 2 soft releases, both bought from Stephen Gandy. I love them. I switch them around over my Bessa R, my CL and my M2. They improve my shooting so much I can't live without them. :)

Gordon Coale

04-06-2005, 21:11

Anyone use them on FEDs?

kuvvy

04-06-2005, 23:31

Anyone got a MiniSR that they don't need/don't like and are willing to sell?

Paul

cp_ste.croix

04-06-2005, 23:52

Man, I've never even heard of these things, and a web search is not doing me much good. I have a general idea that it is something that screws into a shutter release, but how does it work?

sorry for my ignorance...sooo much to learn

back alley

04-07-2005, 05:15

Anyone got a MiniSR that they don't need/don't like and are willing to sell?

Paul

paul,
i just ordered a couple of minis but i do have an older stlye larger head soft release around here.
say the word and i'll pop in the mail.
joe

tajart

04-07-2005, 05:24

oh yeah, they are nice to use. i have a few. use them- silver, black, red, purple... good way to code film too. they are very helpful in practice. i was shooting without one recently and i thought to myself, this feels clunky, until i realised the s.r. wasn't on the camera. once you try them you'll want to use them on cameras with deeper releases.

kuvvy

04-07-2005, 07:46

paul,
i just ordered a couple of minis but i do have an older stlye larger head soft release around here.
say the word and i'll pop in the mail.
joe

Thanks for the offer Joe but another member in the UK has offered me one.

Paul

back alley

04-07-2005, 08:01

excellent!
joe

rbiemer

04-17-2005, 09:46

joe,
The soft release you sent me arrived in the mail Friday last(8 April) and I have been trying it out on my various cameras.
It doesn't work on the FED5 as it over hangs the wind lever.
It works very well on the FED2, my Zorki 3m(where it sits now), the Canonet GIII, Vivitar 35EE, Agat 18(and looks way cool on that one) and the Seagull 4a-107 TLR.
It makes an astonishing difference on my Arax-60!
On my Kiev 4a it's knid of un-needed--the shutter on that camera is very smooth already.
Thanks a bunch, joe! I may have to get some more but right now I will happily move it from camera to camera.
:) Rob

back alley

04-17-2005, 09:52

thanks for the update rob.

a soft release is not for evryone or every camera for that matter but when it fits, i find the difference dramatic.
joe

breakaway

04-17-2005, 10:08

anyone knows of one that fits a yashica gsn or a zorki 4k?

rbiemer

04-17-2005, 10:17

Chaser

04-17-2005, 11:11

been useing mine on my bessa and my fuji gs645 ... love em

spetsnaz

04-18-2005, 11:42

I have three types of them here. The MINI one is good for every camera I've ever used (Bessa R2, R3A etc.). Two others are bigger, the shorter one is too short for Leica M, it could use but will touch at the rim of shutter release button base that will not be good for the black body camera since the color will be scratched off. The last one is the taller that I use with M6, it's perfectly fit and the diameter size is the same as the shutter release button base and can protect the rim of that from scratch, it's nice !

PoP

back alley

04-18-2005, 12:00

i also prefer the mini.

i have 3 of them now, one for each camera.

joe

Jason_K

04-18-2005, 12:00

GermanB

04-18-2005, 13:47

My bessa R wears a black mini, smoooth shooting !!!
the only annoyance: you get so use to it that when putting on the case you accidentally release the shutter.

DaveP

04-18-2005, 14:16

I use them on my Feds ,Zorkis , Kiev and Fm2. Get the older style chrome cupped ones and mix up a little epoxy glue . Put it in the cup and it will make a nice dome when its dry. Why pay big money?

gbb

09-29-2005, 03:17

what's the difference between a soft release and a small screw?

Roman

09-29-2005, 03:38

what's the difference between a soft release and a small screw?

The price... :D

Actually, to get serious again, you would have a hard time finding a small screw with that unique tapered thread size that shutter releases have.

Roman

Goodyear

09-29-2005, 04:57

A pair of MSRs smooth out the releases on my Bessas perfectly.

StuartR

09-29-2005, 05:03

Wow, I am surprised so many people use them and love them! I had a mini on my MP for a few days, but I never really got into it. It just did not feel necessary for me. The MP is pretty smooth in the first place, but I find that my M7 is even smoother...so it does not seem to be much point there either. I think it probably gets down to how you release the shutter. The preferred method with the soft release is to put it in the first joint of your index finger and squeeze (as opposed to pushing with the tip of your finger), but that is how I release the shutter anyway, so the extra height felt more awkward to me than anything else. Also I think because I sort of pull back towards me a little bit when I squeeze my finger and the extra height on the shutter button was actually making me put some friction on the side of the release, making it less smooth than without the release. Does that make any sense? I cannot think of a better way to describe it at this time of night...

Seele

09-30-2005, 04:22

I use them on my Feds ,Zorkis , Kiev and Fm2. Get the older style chrome cupped ones and mix up a little epoxy glue . Put it in the cup and it will make a nice dome when its dry. Why pay big money?

Abrahamsson said, on his webpage, that the dished ones are inferior as they force you to use the ball of the finger rather than the first knuckle, and that's one of the reason why he designed the SR with a domed top. However the MSR has a flat top, so I am wondering if the top design, flat or domed, makes much of a difference.

I have a dished one, so I would like to give your epoxy suggestion a try, and see if it works.

By the way, for many years I have been making "shutter release extensions": many cameras have the release button inside a "cup", and then you get to the release point, the flesh of the finger tip has already made contact with the edge of this cup. The extension pieces I made were out of the extremes of those worn-out Gauthier cable releases (they're all over the place) epoxied together.

Richard Black

12-22-2005, 10:01

anglophone1

12-22-2005, 11:42

:bang: :bang: I installed a mini soft release, chrome version, on my black R and replaced the VC everready case. When I removed the top cover, the light meter would not work, but it did before replacing the top of the case. Has anyone had this problem? Could the case depress the msr to the point the meter would drain the batteries? Am I nuts? Inquiring minds need to know!!!

Haven't got a neveready case of any kind, but when using Rs with mini softs the battries were always dead when I took them out of a billingham bag, that extra height means the meter is turned is tuned on too easily, now use Rd-1 , R2a and T with shutter lock................................no problem!

JoeFriday

12-22-2005, 15:45

I had DAG install a full-size Abrahamsson on my M3 when it was in for service.. plus I picked up a mini during the recent group buy, and installed that on my Contax IIa

I'm neutral about the mini, but I love the full-size version.. my finger falls naturally into place on it.. I also find it very appealing on an aesthetic level.. it fits the bauhaus design of the M3 very well

one thing I noticed, however, is that it seems to loosen periodically.. it fell off in my car a few days ago and I spent a solid 10 minutes looking for the damn thing

KEH

12-22-2005, 16:22

Used a mini on my R-D1 - I found it good but not life-changing. It did loosen and get lost somewhere in the outback of Tanzania. I subsequently bought another from Stephen G., so I guess I like them.

Cheers,
Kirk

pesphoto

12-22-2005, 16:30

Does anyone have a link to where I could buy a few softies?

pesphoto

12-22-2005, 16:53

Found it through cameraquest. Gonna send for a few minis.

dostacos

12-22-2005, 17:40

I got mine when I got my Bessa R I have always used it, and I prefer it. If I Ever use my Yashica RF I will get one for it IT really needs one

Scarpia

12-22-2005, 18:32

Anyone use them on FEDs?
I bought one at Photo Village, the Abrahamson one. I tried it on all of my RF's and a few SLR's as well. I did not se the advantage except on my Fed 5 where it makes a huge difference, probably because of the low position of the shutter release against the hub of the film advance lever. It turns the Fed 5 into a much better camera ergonomically.
Kurt M.

enochRoot

12-22-2005, 19:44

i use one (mini) on my CL and love it! but it has fallen out before. would locktite be ok to use on it?! i'm just worried it could drip down there and gunk something up if i put too much on. i guess i could just be careful. anyhow, they are the same as a match trigger for shooting. they reduce the "takeup" so the shutter breaks just when you want it too, and w/ very little movement (hopefully none) of the hand. got mine through cameraquest.

markinlondon

12-23-2005, 01:57

I don't use a softie any more for the reasons that Richard and Clive mentioned. Dead batteries were common as were blank frames due to accidental shutter firings in the bag. I suppose I could learn not to wind on after shooting, but that's a very old habit to break.

Enoch, with blue loctite, allow it to set before screwing in, then it won't drip but will hold. It will also produce gummmy dust when you unscrew the softie, so once it's in place leave it alone.

Mark

Will

12-23-2005, 04:09

No name one on a M2, wouldn't shoot without one now...

Richard Black

12-23-2005, 06:02

Follow up-replaced the batteries in the R and the meter shines. I keep the bottom of the case on the camera for scratch protection and a bit better grip. I would like one from Luigi, but I can't afford the price. That Italian leather is beautiful. If I every buy a grey R2a...
Thanks for the input.

enochRoot

12-23-2005, 07:16

thanks for the tip mark! are you always supposed to let it set? i might have been using loctite wrong all these years. hehehe...classic me. i'll set it and forget it.

markinlondon

12-23-2005, 07:41

thanks for the tip mark! are you always supposed to let it set? i might have been using loctite wrong all these years. hehehe...classic me. i'll set it and forget it.

That's the way many bicycle parts are supplied, Enoch. The loctite is already applied and if it keeps a brake bolt in place, a softie will be a doddle. I don't think it matters much either way, really.

Mark

enochRoot

12-23-2005, 07:59

thanks. come to think of it, i have gotten bolts for snowboard bindings like that too! i guess i've just been making things harder on myself all this time trying to work when the stuff is wet still!