Is there a benefit to having a soft release?

mr_phillip said:
The softrelease screws into the remote shutter release mechanism inside the shutter button and provides a few advantages.

First, it physically raises the height of the shutter button, allowing you to use the joint or pad of your finger to fire the shutter rather than the tip. This results in a smoother action, more like squeezing a trigger than prodding a button, which reduces camera shake a little and is (to many people at least) more comfortable. Generally, the cable release socket also has a smoother action than the shutter button, so the softrelease turns it into something of a hair-trigger, which again helps reduce camera shake. The effect seems to vary a little camera-to-camera, but I find them essential items on my M6 and Canon P.

Most users experience a combined benefit of about a stop more usability in hand-held shooting: so if you find that you can normally manage sharp hand-held shots at only 1/30 a softie should allow you to go down to 1/15 and achieve the same results. Personally I find that, with the softie in place, I can manage decent shots of 1/4 second quite easily, and even 1/2 if I'm lucky (I must have steady hands).

The only downside is, as Steve says, you do tend to end up with a few shots of the inside of your camera bag, unless you get into the habit of stashing the camera without winding on first. That said, film's cheap.
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This is true of a cable release which has a central plunger that actuates the shutter without depressing the shutter button, but that is not how the softrelease works. It does depress the shutter button, so the cable release benefit does not apply here.

(Sorry - picky, picky, but I mention it for the sake of accuracy.)
 
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As others have said, it merely puts the shutter button in a better position for me. I find that cameras with a shutter in a depression make it harder to avoid camera shake - pushing the shutter requires an unnatural movement. Using a softrelease makes tripping the shutter a more natural movement, making it easier to do so without affecting the shot when using slow shutter speeds. It's more comfortable all around, as well. I have a habit of not winding the shutter until I know I'm going to take a picture, so I don't have a problem with the release in a bag.
 
I picked up a couple old used ones for cheap and started using them on my Leica M's. After accidently firing off about 3-4 images per roll for a few weeks I removed them. I found they made it way too easy to fire off by mistake---especially putting the camera away or taking it out.
 
I don't understand why these things proliferate either. For those who use Leica M series cameras, the collar around the shutter release seems a perfect place to rest the pad of the finger. It provides subtle resistance and thus promotes a gentle squeeze to force the shutter trigger down to the release point. To me, it is somewhat like the other useful design decisions made when the Leica M was created.
 
mr_phillip said:
Generally, the cable release socket also has a smoother action than the shutter button, so the softrelease turns it into something of a hair-trigger, which again helps reduce camera shake.
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Uh, at least on mine (Canon, Mamiya, Pentax -- I realize this was posted in a Leica forum) they screw right into the shutter button and don't extend down into the cable release mechanism at all. It's just like pushing the button except the button is larger and higher.

One question that I have from this thread is does it really make a difference to get one of the esoteric named soft releases, or will these from Adorama (they come in a baggie, not a tin can) do exactly the same? I've seen a few named ones mentioned here. Are these really that much better?
 
I have a couple of Mr. Abrahamsson's releases and am waiting for the RFF logo-ed ones to be available so I can get a couple more(any news, Tom?).
I have found that the camera you put one on does make a difference.
I had a Canon P which had a very good shutter release feel; on that camera the soft release was a bit redundant.
Tried one on a G-III Canonet and it made the shutter awkward for me.
I use two different FSU cameras(Zorki 3m and FED5) and on those cameras, the soft release makes a big and useful difference.
Two main effects, I think: first the release raises the shutter "contact point" and gets me a more comfortable position for my finger.
Second, by making the"contact point" broader(more surface area), the apparent force required to push the button is less.
I can use my cameras better because of the soft release.
Rob
 
I totally agree. I have the Abrahamsson SR and have taken it off my M7 since it makes the shutter release 'click' more after the AEL bite point. I am able to operate the shutter much more smoothly without it on my M7. On models without that bite point I can see how a SR can really help with a smoother shutter stroke.

BillP said:
I think it depends on the camera. I would never use one on my M7 but I do on my M2. The difference is that I have no meter "bite point" to find on the M2. Using the softrelease on the M7 is a bit like wearing gloves - you lose some of the "feel".

Regards,

Bill
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The Softrelease is now getting on to 10 years in production! When I made the first batch ii wasen't shure if Ii was going to end up with a lot of weird looking thumbtacks or sell any. Well I was wrong - they are selling well.
My initial design concept was a flat top softie, but after some trial and errors I decided on the current version. There was a lot of filing and grinding until the "apex" of the top was right.
I find that with the Classic Sofr-release I can get a consistent 1 stop slower speed, which turns your 50/1,4 into a f1. With some training you can get 1/4 sec, handheld shots repeatedly and sharp enough to print 16x20's. If you shoot a lot in crowded and situations that require a "fast finger" many of my pro customers like the fact that you dont have to "hunt" for the release, you just hit the Softie anywhere and it will trigger the shutter.
For very slow speeds, hook your finger across the Softie and use the "pad" on the second joint of your finger to judge the release point. You can always entertain the family by doing this with an empty camera while watching a DVD! After a while it becomes a natural process.
I did try some of the chinese made releases. They are cheap and plentiful, but they suffer from being made from low grade alloy and they are mostly "pressed" - the thread is coarse and they are prone to snapping off (which leaves you with a threaded "plug" in the release). There was a long and careful selection of material when I started this. I tried stainless steel, but my problem was that the threaded part of the cameras release is plated brass and the thread on the stainless softie becomes very sharp and can easily 'cut" the plating and either promote corrosion in the release part of the camera, or-worst case scenario- jam the threads and make it difficult to unscrew. If you force the softie when it is locked in place, you can actuallty unscrew the whole rlease shaft! The alloy I use is an aerospace alloy with a high tensile strength, but sufficient "give" to avoid cutting through the plating. The alloy also allows me to make them in different colors. I and many other shooters use it to indicate what film is in the camera (in my case -green for TriX, blue for 100 ASA, red for "pushed" film etc) as cameras like the M2 does not have a "indicator" like a meter, or a window showing the cassette marking.
Nothing is perfect of course and there are many a negative of mine (and others) that show the inside of a camera bag or strange views of side walks with fuzzy feet. My feeling is that these "extra" shots are a small price to pay for an added stop or stop and a half (the latter if you stay off coffee for a while before shooting).
 
They look sexy, too:

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Only downside is that they might keep your M6 meter on in a bag.
Put it on B before storage...

Roland.
 
ferider said:
They look sexy, too:

119214516-M.jpg


91957621-L.jpg


Only downside is that they might keep your M6 meter on in a bag.
Put it on B before storage...

Roland.
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Yep, when I grow up I wanna be like Roland. :D

(translation: I just ordered a red soft release)

-Randy
 
"..which turns your 50/1,4 into a f1.."

i have to admit, i never understood such analogy.. a 1.4 is a 1.4, no matter what. maybe this is the rf-crowd equivalent of the dslr-ers equivalents ;)

otoh, i never thought of a softie as a means to improve handholdability.. best i keep mine in the bag, see how slow i can get. i seem to be ok at 1/8th without one, but then i'm not excactly critical when it comes to sharpness...
 
I like the feel of the mini-release on my R3A. I have noticed a couple of drawbacks.
As mentioned, "accidental discharges" are a possibility. Also, I sometimes have a hard time getting just the right pressure to activate the meter without "firing off a shot."
I take this as a hint that I need to sit on my sofa and "dry fire" a few hundred times till muscle memory is programed with the appropriate feel.

I also have one of the larger (red) buttons that I keep on my fed-2. That's a major improvement.

(Just seeing how many firearms shooting terms I could fit in.)
 
pesphoto said:
Hey Tom, are we gonna see that RFF logo soft release? I bet you'll sell a few of those babies.
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The RFF logo can be done, but it would have to through Stephen as he is the RFF owner. On the Bessa Mini it would be small. I would suggest either a black or a red base-color with the laser engraving in silver (base color). There has to be at least 100 ordered to make it feasible. Setting up the laser and all of that is not cheap! The guy who does it for us is good though. The resolution on the laser is 7 micron's. One could probably write down the instructions for using it and the camera in very small text - probably need a microscope to read it thoiugh!
 
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