Cheap, DIY solution to the softrelease "problem"

Sjixxxy

Sjixxxy

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Oct 31, 2007
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I was just sitting around, procrastinating on going to bed, I came up with this. Only requires a simple hair tie.

softreleasesafety.jpg


My full write up can be found here, but this image should give the gist of it.
 
Interesting. Those hair ties can now be had with no metallic content at all, too. (I use them for other things, but you have to watch out for the metal crimp on many hair ties.)
 
I see the point with an M6TTL, in which a depressed shutter can drain the battery, but what kind of safety does this bring to the M3?

Or is it against losing the strap? Just wondering... ;)
 
SolaresLarrave said:
I see the point with an M6TTL, in which a depressed shutter can drain the battery, but what kind of safety does this bring to the M3?
Or is it against losing the strap? Just wondering... ;)
Click to expand...

Accidental exposure prevention.

Great idea!
 
For cases like this, I just don't cock the shutter anyway. But then, to each their own.

The "problem" I've had with soft-releases is that they come unscrewed and fall (I lost one that way). To prevent this from happening, Tom's wife recommended me to use a little dab of nail polish; you apply a dab of it on the screw, wait a little for the polish to get sticky, and then you put it on the camera. It'll remain firm unless you unscrew it to use a remote cable.
 
I'm going to try this soon. Can't think of any reason not to. Went out shooting yesterday with M2, and new Abrahamsson softrelease, and managed to shoot three of four blank frames on a roll. That's alot IMO. This should solve that issue.
 
Ken Ford said:
Interesting. Those hair ties can now be had with no metallic content at all, too. (I use them for other things, but you have to watch out for the metal crimp on many hair ties.)
Click to expand...

Yeah. The one I used does not have any metal at all, so it shouldn't mar the finish, if you're into that sort of thing. I'm not though.
 
Works like a charm. I've carried my R6.2 like that for a few years.
(As have probably hundreds or thousands of shooters in the decades before us)
;-)
 
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The lack of shutter lock is my one complaint about my recently-acquired M6 vs. the R2A it replaced. I've been using this for the past few days and it's fantastic. So simple! Why didn't I think of it earlier? No more pictures of the inside of my lens cap or cursing myself for automatically winding after taking a picture.
 
Found a plain black hair tie around (all nylon no metal), and put it onto M2, and it -really does- work like a charm! Very much recommended, haven't wasted a frame since :) What a cool solution.
 
I woman I once dated told me that they leave hair needles and ties behind - to claim territory ... You realize the camera is not yours anymore, now, Sjixxxy, do you ? :D
 
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