M8- Gettin' a Grip on it

[NonFiction]

I wonder if anyone else thinks that the tab might be a bit too far to the right?

I say this most respectfully--this is a wonderful innovation and a spectacular and gracious presentation. I also say it as one who does not own an M8 (but who hopes to in the not distant future).

But what I mean is that, with the other M cameras, the wind-on lever at its 'ready' position seems to be something like 5/8 of an inch further leftward (closer to camera centerline). Just as I 'hold' this thing in my imagination, it seems as though its benefit would be greater if it were a bit shorter.

To the original poster, you've got the only one in existence. Can you see any possible benefit to a change such as I'm describing? I'm watching this with eager curiosity, and wish you the very best with it.

 

[TS ISAAC]

The first brass prototype has been made!
It is silky smooth and fits with the precision I had hoped for on my M8.

The machinist handed it over with a big grin, knowing he had done a superlative job. The dimensions and tolerances have all checked out, the surface finish is excellentt.

From here its off to the painter with the first proto in hand. Went through the Pantone color chart today and I selected a match to my black M8. The solid brass Thumbs Up will be cleaned, primered and painted. All lettering will be painted white. This work should be comlpeted in two days, with photos for you all.

We have passed second base in a full stride gentlemen and gentle ladies, and we will see if we can stretch it into a triple. (American baseball jargon) We are havin' some fun now!

 

[ChrisN]

Tim; again congratulations on your progress with this project.

I'm just looking at my M4 and wondering - would this fit?

 

[boilerdoc2]

Been watching this thread closely. It is an amazing piece of machining and corrects one of the few M8 shortcomings for sure. I have the add on front grip and it really helps a lot as well. I wonder if adding this would even further improve the 'grippablity' of the M8. The only downside I see is losing the hotshoe for viewfinders, e.g. 21, WATE and the CV 15. Keep up the good work and you'll sell the heck out of these.
Steve

 

[HAnkg]

Eurostyle extended will give you a match to the M8 on the front of the camera. For the numbers, the very unique 4 would be a way to track it down. Try this forum:

http://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/forum/

You are likely to get a couple of responses that will get you close if not the actual font.

 

[TS ISAAC]

Position of the thumb

Position of the thumb

NonFiction,
Thanks for your detailed observation. In the course of the design work on this project, I have been through many iterations of the design in search of the best fit. Of course, we all have different hands and different styles of holding the camera. To my way of thinking, the winding lever 'ready position' is just that. The backlash is removed from the winding mechanism by partially advancing the film advance lever. We have all become accustomed to using this 'ready position' with a second function in mind, namely, finding a convenient place to put our thumbs. And it works.

On the M8, I tried to clear my habits of that 'ready position', and find a place where my thumb was in a natural position to better hold the camera, while pressing the shutter release, not in preparation for advancing film. I started out with a shorter version of my Thumbs Up and made mockups with designs that stemmed from that ‘resting position’. Those positions were also comfortable, so you are clearly pointing out a valuable design feature. However, as a starting point for this project, I will keep it longer, since discovering that the longer reach seemed to serve the grip I wanted in the best manner.

You may have noticed however, that I have named the current design the Thumbs Up model 2. There is a reason!

Thanks again

 

[aizan]

i found a suitable image. i'll start work on it today. 😀

 

[steenkamp]

I'll take one. Put me on the list. Guido

 

[erikhaugsby]

would it be a copyright violation to copy the typeface leica uses for engravings?

Only if they copyrighted the typeface. If it is in public domain, he has nothing to stop him from using the characters.

 

[Ken R]

Please put down for one

Please put down for one

i would very much like to buy one if you end up making a batch.

Ken

 

[aizan]

i looked it up: typefaces aren't copyrightable.

 

[TS ISAAC]

I would love to find those 8's and 4's and 0's that Leica uses. They are so nice. My Eurostyle 4's dont match. The other letters are close, but the proportions are slightly off, Leica's are a bit wider. You can see on my lenses and the shutter speed dial, they just aren't quite there.

No die cast tooling yet, but I am close to the decision point. I can make a revision to the design with the font, if you find it.

Many thanks to all who encourage this whole process along.

Much thanks for the search and for your time and contribution here Aizan.

The Thumbs Up model 2 Brass prototype is being painted today!
What a hoot !

 

[Fin]

FIN,
The top of the thumb grip is already flush with the top of the M8 body. You can run your finger right across the flash shoe and the grip and onto the body and they are all at the same level. Flat. Perfectly flat. (Well, within 0.04mm).

In fact, you can easily set the camera inverted on a flat surface, with the thumb grip attached. I will make a beter photo of this and attach it below. Seems like you read my mind back a couple months ago when I started the design! Many thanks for your keen consideration and attention to the details. Its what makes this whole idea fly!

I am a bit embarrased at the condition of my camera revealed in my photo here. Even my little point and shoot, which has a mind of its own when it comes to focusing, reveals I need a dusting on my M8!

Aaah! - you read me wrong there buddy - I didn't mean the part of your design that connected to the hot shoe - I could see that was flush and it gives a great look (partly why I'm against the cold shoe idea - but horses for courses as we say).

I actually meant the arm of the "thumbs up" where it leaves the hotshoe and travels long the back of the camera body before ramping up to provide the thumb grip. This arm, on your prototype, is a couple (or a few?) mm below the edge of the top plate - I think if you could find a way of raising the arm of the thumbs up so it was flush with the top plate (not hot shoe!) - it would integrate your design more with the camera body.

If you can't do it - I'm buying one anyway!

 

[Harry Lime]

Brilliant idea.

One suggestion.

Can you countersink the SD card holder, so it's just a flush slot / slit?

I think it would give a more streamlined appearance and would be one less thing to poke you in the forehead, if you are left-eyed.

In any case it's a great, great idea.

HL


PS: Watch out for feature-creep! ;-)

 

[Kyle]

That is absolutely amazing! Well done, and congrats on seeing your idea become reality!

 

[mattmills]

I love the design so far, but I think I've figured out how to make one of these with sheet metal, no machining required, just a little filing/grinding. Tim (edited the name afer I saw it in your sig), would you mind if I mocked something up? I don't want to step on any toes, but I think if it can be made simply and effectively, it'll be good for everyone. I'll probably make mine a little shorter than yours, as my hands are rather large, so my thumb tends to rest a lot closer to where the wind lever is on my m4. that, and I'm used to the M4. Thoughts?

 

[Fin]

Re: My last post:

I committed the cardinal sin of posting without reading the entire thread - especially where TS ISAAC explained the reasoning behind his design - doh! Apologies to all!

I would still however advocate making the arm flush for the following reasons:

This is a truly great idea - one of those "Why the **** didn't I think of this" ideas.

Our friend has taken the intelligent step of sounding out the target market for research.

He has produced excellent internet prototype design images and - demonstrating a commitment to the project - a working prototype.

Therefore I am willing him to succeed.

Oh - and I want one!

The Leica core market can be summed up in the phrase "Quality without compromise" If I'm willing to spend the price of a decent second hand car - on a lens - then I'm willing to spend - whatever - on a device which addresses a serious ergonomic flaw with this, otherwise, excellent camera. Leica is about quality of "feel" (heavy coated brass please with an exact finishing match) and precision engineering -make it snap home with a satisfying "snick" (and pay attention to the sound) - make sure that it is absolutely solid when in place - and finally make it feel integral to the camera as a whole - make everything flush - even if it includes a chamfer down to the back of the camera.

It's a beatiful idea, TS ISAAC, - and transferable to a host of other cameras - let those others have aluminium versions with lower engineering tolerances - I will pass the product you sell me on to my son.

These are merely opinions and you still have a buyer if you want to market your product "as is".

Regards

Fin

 

[vicmortelmans]

And what about using it on my ZOrki 1, which also doesn't have a wind lever and is tough to grip? Wouldn't that be fancy?

Groeten,

Vic

 

[mattmills]

got bored...

got bored...

and decided to go ahead and knock something together. there are a lot of details I'm working on, esp. finish, but it seems to work pretty well so far...

just to be clear, I'm not out to make money, I just wanted one bad enough to go and make my own. if anybody wants to use my design, such as it is, feel free. This was all done with a bench grinder, various clapms, and a pair of channellock pliers. I'm going to go file edges now. If anyone wants nitty gritty details, I'll start another thread with blow by blow instructions.

 

[atufte1@mac.com]

The font is called CorpoS, and can be downloaded various places on the net...

I know because i engraved my M8 (in Solms) with both the Leica classic font which Leica made from scratch, but the CorpoS used for the "Made in Germany" and numbers etc, is easy, just search and you will find it somewhere...

Here you can see both: