Do You Recommend SoftRelease Button?

[jyl]

Any votes for the SoftRelease shutter release button? I feel that the shutter release button on my P has a sort of "snapping" action, not as smooth as I'd like. I'd gladly pay $10 to improve the "trigger pull", but I'm not clear how the SoftRelease button works and whether it reallu helps things.

http://www.rapidwinder.com/#softrelease

 

[back alley]

i like them on the canons.

p #1 came with a very nice soft release. judging from pics only, i'd guess it's the abrahamsson release. it fits the circumference of the camera's release almost perfectly.
when the canon 7 showed up i found the release to be a bit on the low side and it felt awkward trying to hit the plunger.
i got one on ebay for about 4 bucks, i think. it's not nearly as elegant as the other one. it's bigger and the top is concave as opposed to slightly rounded. it works ok but it screams cheap.
i'm thinking about getting a couple of the better ones in the new year.

joe

 

[sfaust]

I can't say what the difference it might make on a 'P', but on my R3a, the soft release button I have on it does indeed make a difference. FWIW.

 

[Peter]

All my R2s have one and it really helps when you are taking pictures with low shutter speed. With the soft release, I could use shutter speed of 1/15 sec on a 35mm lens.

 

[RML]

Yes, I do use a soft release both on the M2 and the CL. I would use one on the Bessa L and R as well but I don't have any spare soft releases lying about. And at $15 each from Stephen Gandy, they're not quite cheap.

For me there's a marked difference between using a SR or not. Like Peter I feel more confident shooting at 1/8 sec or even 1/4 sec with a 50mm. They allow me to shoot literally from dawn til dusk.

 

[JohnM]

I have soft releases on both of my Bessas and I had them on my manual SLRs - I highly recommend them with one caveat.

On the R2, it is perfect - on the R3, it is occasionally tricky. For some reason, at least on mine, a softrelease sits about a millimeter higher in the R3's shutter release. That, combined with a more sensitive shutter release button, can be a bit tricky to master if you're trying to check the shutter speed by depressing the shutter button.

I think I've banged off about six misfires this week with the R3 and I have never done so with the R2. That's operator error, though.

If the $15 CameraQuest release is too much, some catalogs, like Porters, sell a much cheaper version - not very elegant, but effective.

 

[saltyfli]

I use one on both my Canon P and Canon 7sZ, also on my Bessa R2. Once you start using them, there hard to stop using them. I think it is one those things that can only help your photography. I highly recommend you try them on all your cameras. Saltyfli

 

[Kris]

Looks like i'm the only one who doesn't use soft release.

I tried putting poor-man's soft release like Oscar suggested; wasted few frames when all I wanted was to check exposure setting. Didn't try shooting slow speed but I've been quite successful shooting at 1/8 without one.

 

[furcafe]

Go w/whatever works for you. Personally, I've never seen the need for a soft release. I mean it's not like it requires a great deal of strength to press a shutter release (if it does your camera is in serious need of a CLA)! 😉 But seriously, I've never had problems shooting any of my cameras w/"nekkid" shutter releases even @ slow shutter speeds (e.g., 1/8th or 1/5th sec.) & my arsenal includes examples of all of the "big 4" system RFs (Leica, ZI Contax, Canon RF, Nikon RF) as well as other assorted fixed-lens 35mm & 120 RFs.

 

[rover]

I have one and don't use it.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The only cameras that I use them on are Nikon F2's and F's with Photomic finders. It places the release within easy reach, ie you do not have to reach around the meter head to get to it.

The RF's: no. They are within easy reach, and all are fairly soft anyway.

 

[Nikon Bob]

I use them on my F2s , S2 and have a homemade one for my screwmount Leicas. I may get on for the M4 also.

Bob

 

[peter_n]

As yet, I haven't felt the need for one. The thing that concerns me is inadvertent firing in the camera bag, as my camera is invariably cocked wherever it is.

 

[RML]

Peter, that is a valid concern. I tend to have about one, sometimes two, blank shots per roll, often due to accidental firing. But I don't worry about it too much. For me, using the SR offers too many advantages.

 

[Peter]

I tend to release the shutter before putting the camera back into the camera bag. Perhaps my bag is rather spacious as I do not remember any incidents of accidental firing of the shutter.

 

[Russ]

Re: Do You Recommend SoftRelease Button?

Any votes for the SoftRelease shutter release button? I feel that the shutter release button on my P has a sort of "snapping" action, not as smooth as I'd like. I'd gladly pay $10 to improve the "trigger pull", but I'm not clear how the SoftRelease button works and whether it reallu helps things.

http://www.rapidwinder.com/#softrelease

I have them on my Nikon's, Vivitar ES & Oly RC. Don't know if it helps, but a little extra "bling" sure is cool....

Russ

 

[existrandom]

i have abrahamsson Classic SR on my Canon L-1 and VI-L, took awhile to get accustomed to the "hair trigger" kind of feel and finger motion when at first using it , and now i cannot do without them... i got good result at 1/8sec, sometimes las low as 1/2 sec with a 35mm

regards!

 

[zuikologist]

Forgive my ignorance - is the "hair trigger" action caused by the apparent reduced travel of the shutter release when using a soft release?

 

[Doug]

Hi there, Zuiko! Yes, we do seem to have a number of testimonials in favor, yet no explanatiion of what exactly it does. There is no mechanism; the soft release is solid metal, no moving parts. It's rather like a cable release without the cable. I have tried them just to see what they're like, but don't have them on any of my cameras.

There are two effects: First, it raises your finger position on the shutter release. Some users prefer a higher release, perhaps dependent on the specific camera. The disadvantage is that the release button is more likely to be tripped inadvertently.

Secondly, it provides a larger surface to press. This can be more comfortable especially if the camera's native release is small, sharp-edged, and/or stiff. Many users claim an advantage in better control, while some find it more difficult to control.

Perhaps there's a third effect too... decorative.

 

[bmattock]

Looks like i'm the only one who doesn't use soft release.

I tried putting poor-man's soft release like Oscar suggested; wasted few frames when all I wanted was to check exposure setting. Didn't try shooting slow speed but I've been quite successful shooting at 1/8 without one.

I don't use them either. I've never had a real problem that a soft release would solve, as far as I know.

I learned to shoot rifles as a boy - later reinforced in the US Marines - and the technique I learned applies to photography as well.

We called it "BRASS." That's an acronym for Breathe, Relax, Aim, Stop, Squeeze.

Take several normal breaths.
Relax your muscles.
Aim (and focus in the case of cameras)
Stop. Just give it all a one-beat rest.
Squeeze (or depress) the shutter release slowly. It should be a surprise when it goes off.

I like a shutter release like a trigger - it should have zero travel from takeup to when it goes off - should sorta feel like a glass rod breaking - SNAP.

This allows me to hand-hold rangefinders like my Bessa R down to 1/8 sometimes, under good conditions, when the wind and my karma are right. Of course, if I can find something to use for a rest, I use it. Otherwise, I use a modified Weaver stance, just like pistol shooting. Quitting smoking helped too. Less hand shake.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

PS - Been off the smokes since June 12!