jayjee
smile
I need to get a cable shutter release for my Hasselblad 500 C/M soon. There are so many options but they all pretty much seem the same to me...is there really a difference besides price? Which have you found best?
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Yes, there are big differences. The best ones are very supple and won't transmit vibration to the camera if your hand shakes during exposure. I have had this happen with a cheap one that had a stiff plastic coating on the outside. The one i use now is a Prontor cable release, made by the shutter manufacturer. It is so supple that i can tie it in a knot and it still pushes smoothly! and it doesn't shake my camera if i move during exposure. I don't know if they're still made, or what they cost. I got mine when I was 15 at a photo flea market. The man who sold it to me had it in a Vivitar zip-lock filter sleeve, and at the time I assumed it was a cheap Vivitar release. I got it for $5. Later, when i was in college, I discovered that it was a rather costly one that was about $100 new!
I wouldn't buy a cable release mail order....go to a local store and look at....feel..all of them and buy one that's soft and supple, not stiff. A good one will last many, many years so its worth the investment. I still have that Prontor one 17 years after buying it for $5!
I wouldn't buy a cable release mail order....go to a local store and look at....feel..all of them and buy one that's soft and supple, not stiff. A good one will last many, many years so its worth the investment. I still have that Prontor one 17 years after buying it for $5!
spyder2000
Dim Bulb
I second the Prontor. You should look at the mechism provided to lock the shutter open for long periods too. Some use a setscrew; others use a disc you depress with the thumb. These are very convenient and also don't add to the transmitted vibration.
jayjee
smile
nice. thanks for the tips so far guys! i was thinking of just getting a cheapy one online but now I'm going to make my way to my camera store and see what they have.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
The extent to which the 'prod' sticks out at the end varies too. Some 'prods' are too short to trigger some cameras -- especially with old second-hand releases where the casing may have stretched.
As a general rule (surprise!) you get what you pay for...
Cheers,
R.
As a general rule (surprise!) you get what you pay for...
Cheers,
R.