In praise of the Softie.

[Goodyear]

(I was already titling that in my head before RayPA's thread got bumped into view!)

I recall some debate on here a while back about the usefulness of the (Mini)SoftRelease. Here is a little anecdote from my holiday last week...

I habitually use a Mini on my Bessa R. I was wandering around Cambridge centre at night, when unknown to me I had gradually unscrewed the MSR until it fell off. Next time I raised the camera to my eye, I pressed the shutter, and pressed, and nothing happened. Weird. I checked the shutter was cocked - it was. But pressing the shutter did nothing.

Then I realised my Softie had fallen off, and I was using the pressure I was accustomed to using with it. When I pressed the release harder, the shutter fired!

So, yes. They work. The difference was actually quite remarkable (hence me remarking on it here 😀 ).

 

[f/stopblues]

Mine looks uber-cool on my Bessa 😎 I agree though, it does make for a nice soft touch on the shutter release.

 

[Trius]

This interests me. One of the drawbacks of the Oly SP is that the shutter release is long throw and somewhat stiff, reportedly because of how the AE works. Getting the shutter to trip at exactly the right moment in an action situation is a bit of an adventure. Would the MSR mitigate this?

Earl

 

[ray_g]

It will not decrease the travel, but the pressure required will be lighter. It helps me with my oly sp, too.

One problem I have noted, especially with the regular softie, is as Mark mentioned - it tends to unscrew "on its own." This usually happens to me when the camera is in the bag, but sometimes when it is hanging from my shoulder. I have lost a few this way.

 

[Rico]

On my M4, an unexpected benefit of the mini-softie is the ability to operate the shutter in portrait orientation with one hand. Makes for a casual (and thus stealthy) firing stance. Equally useful is the one-handed wind on (thanks to the M ratchet).

 

[Trius]

Thanks, Ray. I'll order one up and try it out.

Earl

 

[Kragmeister]

Greetings!

I lost a mini-soft that I had on my Bessa R. I was retracing my steps for days in the lot outside my apartment, I was so bummed! I bought a replacement and make sure I check that it is screwed in tight whenever I pull out the camera, it makes a huge difference in the way the Bessa R feels in my hands.

After getting the Bessa I started looking at getting rid of my FSU stuff, one reason being that the ergonomics is not to my liking with the later FEDs. I tried the mini-soft on a FED-5c (the one with bright framelines) and was so impressed with the improved feel that I may keep the camera. 😀 Seriously, there is that much of a difference because normally I have to reach over huge cap on the shutter lever and then down for the shutter release. The mini-soft adds enough height to the button that it practically falls under my finger when I put the camera to my eye.

Later,
Greg

 

[Goodyear]

I figured that the unscrewing is to do with the way I camera a camera when I have it on a wrist strap: kind of cradled in my ight hand with my first couple of fingers curled of the shutter-release area, so as my hand moved around my fingers had been rubbing on the soft release and unscrewing it.

 

[ERV]

I unexpectedly dropped my first softie into the Hudson River on my first day out with it. It just unscrewed itself and made a nice little splash.
I dipped the second one in a mini-drop of super glue and have been happy ever since with it.

 

[Nikon Bob]

I really enjoy using a soft release on my M4 and always check it from time to time to make sure it is not working loose. I like to use a cable release and a more permanent fix is out of the question. I like them so much that I made a home made soft release for my LTM bodies to be able to release the shutter without contacting the rewind knob and moving the camera.

Bob

 

[rbiemer]

When I bought my Bessa r, I got a black mini. And promptly lost it. So when Ray was putting together the bulk order, I jumped! And I got RED just in case it comes unscrewed again. The red also looks very cool on the bessa and the black Kiev.
Rob

 

[Trius]

A Mini Softie was waiting in the mailbox when I got home; I didn't open up the envelope until this morning. I put it on my Oly 35SP and took a throwaway shot (EV3/ISO 400) just to see what it felt like. Wow! I like it!! Much smoother action. And while it probably didn't change the long throw of the SP, it <b>felt</b> like it did.

Thanks to Tom Abrahamson & Stephen Gandy for manufacture/sale respectively. I'll need to order more, I suppose.... sigh, GAS strikes again.

Earl

 

[Goodyear]

At least it's small cheap GAS.

I need to order up a full size one to try on the M2. The mini is fine, but I'm curious about the big one...

 

[Will]

It is nice that you can hold the shutter half pressed and then just that little more pressure...

Anyone using a non-Tom Abrahamson one?

 

[James Burton]

It is nice that you can hold the shutter half pressed and then just that little more pressure...

Anyone using a non-Tom Abrahamson one?

Nikon AR-9 was about $13 in my language (~ $10 in USD)

I'm not sure it makes much difference on my canonet, still can't hold it still.

James

 

[Will]

Nikon AR-9 was about $13 in my language (~ $10 in USD)

I'm not sure it makes much difference on my canonet, still can't hold it still.

James

James, I am using dish (bowl?) shape one, instead of a round one like T.A's...

Just want to know the differences..