zeitoun
Established
Hi,
I have been looking at a Leica III which has a strange (to me) cup around the shutter release button (see picture). Does anybody have any information about this. Is it a "home-made" alteration or a factory-installed modification. Is it reversible?
Thanks for any information.
Paul
I have been looking at a Leica III which has a strange (to me) cup around the shutter release button (see picture). Does anybody have any information about this. Is it a "home-made" alteration or a factory-installed modification. Is it reversible?
Thanks for any information.
Paul
Attachments
Vickko
Veteran
This is a factory option. I don't know how to identify the option other than physical examination.
...Vick
...Vick
laptoprob
back to basics
I can imagine why people would alter the original shutter collar. Problem with the Barnacks is the possibility of touching the rotating shutter speed knob, thus creating partial overexposed bands.
This collar helps avoiding that. I have an aftermarket kind of soft release that sticks out above the top of the camera. Not perfect but it works.
If you reverse this to the original collar, please send me this one!
This collar helps avoiding that. I have an aftermarket kind of soft release that sticks out above the top of the camera. Not perfect but it works.
If you reverse this to the original collar, please send me this one!
john neal
fallor ergo sum
My II came with one of these too - in chrome, so it didn't match the other brightwork. On mine, the collar rotates with the shutter button when you wind, but not on exposure. I was told that it is an early attempt at a soft release.
I prefer the original layout, so have gone back to that
I prefer the original layout, so have gone back to that
zeitoun
Established
John,
Your response indicates that you had the original collar re-installed. How or where was that done?
Thanks
Paul
Your response indicates that you had the original collar re-installed. How or where was that done?
Thanks
Paul
john neal
fallor ergo sum
Paul,
I was lucky enough to have a spare - simple to unscrew that big one and replace it with the smaller original.
If you need one, DAG camera have some originals, but only in chrome, not nickel so there would be a slight mismatch on an early camera.
I was lucky enough to have a spare - simple to unscrew that big one and replace it with the smaller original.
If you need one, DAG camera have some originals, but only in chrome, not nickel so there would be a slight mismatch on an early camera.
zeitoun
Established
Thanks John.
Paul
Paul
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Paul,
They just screw on and off -- they have to, in order to use the cable release. This is probably ex-Soviet but there are all kinds of collars out there. As I recall you can even use the retaining collar for the valve in a bicycle pump.
Cheers,
Roger
They just screw on and off -- they have to, in order to use the cable release. This is probably ex-Soviet but there are all kinds of collars out there. As I recall you can even use the retaining collar for the valve in a bicycle pump.
Cheers,
Roger
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santino
FSU gear head
looks FED'ish, cool option
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
These cupped--funnel shaped--collars are often seen on the Russian LTM copies that appear on eBay. I've often wondered whether they improve anything. Might it not make it harder to press the button, inside of that narrow cone? I learned to keep my finger-tip off the shutter speed dial already when I was 13. I would say, use whichever one facilitates photography.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
in the late 1930s to the 1940s these cupped style shutter release guards were sold as an accessory by independent makers.
some of the early Leotax cameras came with factory equipped guards of a similar style also.
some of the early Leotax cameras came with factory equipped guards of a similar style also.
eli griggs
Well-known
This cupped surround looks like something I need as I have to have my finger come down directly on top of the release to fire my IIIc shutter, even a little bit off and I can't do it, too large fingers I guess. This is annoying when I'm concentrating on the shot and suddenly I have to pay attention to the release mechanism.
Is there a common standard for these among all the III series cameras or do I need a particular piece?
Eli
Is there a common standard for these among all the III series cameras or do I need a particular piece?
Eli
danwilly
Established
Roger Hicks said:
LeicaTom
Watch that step!
It`s a prewar produced "soft release" collar/cup made by some unkown accessory company......
Too bad the nickel collar was replaced it would be a "pain in the a**" to find a replacement
Tom
PS: 99% of the time when any LTM bodies have their original shutter button collars missing is because they were used on tripods and the collar ring was removed to use a accessory screw on cable.........Leitz made a cable that worked with the original collar rings still attached, but I guess not in time to stop a few thousand cameras from losing them and they are hard to replace
*I`m looking for the rare aluminum ones that were on wartime IIIC`s*
Too bad the nickel collar was replaced it would be a "pain in the a**" to find a replacement
Tom
PS: 99% of the time when any LTM bodies have their original shutter button collars missing is because they were used on tripods and the collar ring was removed to use a accessory screw on cable.........Leitz made a cable that worked with the original collar rings still attached, but I guess not in time to stop a few thousand cameras from losing them and they are hard to replace
*I`m looking for the rare aluminum ones that were on wartime IIIC`s*
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Charles Woodhouse
Collector,User,Repairer.
No mate, only IIIc's from no.374501 and all subsequent screwmount Leicas with a diecast chassis had the double threaded release.
I have seen release collars like the one on the black II marked E. Leitz, but from memory they were taller and had a captive release button. I believe a lot of these collars were made in the US.
The collars Leotax used around the D IV era were a pattern unique to Leotax, but there was a very similar pattern freely available in the mid-fifties. They allowed for
a standard tapered thread cable release instead of the bell release, and had a distinctive mushroom shape.
I have seen release collars like the one on the black II marked E. Leitz, but from memory they were taller and had a captive release button. I believe a lot of these collars were made in the US.
The collars Leotax used around the D IV era were a pattern unique to Leotax, but there was a very similar pattern freely available in the mid-fifties. They allowed for
a standard tapered thread cable release instead of the bell release, and had a distinctive mushroom shape.
Charles Woodhouse
Collector,User,Repairer.
Hi Tom, I hope you weren't offended at my "No mate" reply. It wasn't posted to you, but to danwilly.
LeicaTom
Watch that step!
Charles Woodhouse said:
Hehehehehehe hey Charles!!!!! What`s going on down there????
Ohhh I did`nt even see that hahahahaha!
Yes, I think that cup/soft release is American made, not sure if it is LEITZ NYC, but they made sooo many crazy little things for the USA market that collecting stuff from them is a artform in it`s own
What happened to you and my messages?
Did you get them?
I wanted to offer you a Leica Deal
I`m interested in that IIIC you have in the 391xxx range
Take care
Tom
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Thanks for confirming that I had not, in fact, been living in complete ignorance for a third of a century about Leica cable releases: I had begun to wonder. I must however confess that I had until now been ignorant of the fact that you didn't need to remove the collar in later ones. Either that or I had forgotten it (entirely possible -- I've not bought a screw Leica in 20 years or more).Charles Woodhouse said:
There's also a reverse adapter to allow the use of early cable releases on M-series cameras, fully engraved. I have one somewhre.