M8- Gettin' a Grip on it

Asleep at the wheel

Asleep at the wheel

Fin,
Good sir; if somehow I have overlooked the chance to provide you with a TU in a timely manner, let me suggest, as a way to set things straight, that you order two!

This may help to fill that empty void! Sorry if I missed your message Fin. :)
 
The Thumbs Up is so ergonomic, Tim, that it is now hard for me to think of the camera without it. So, would this be feasible: make a Thumbs Up without the shoe connector? Just the thumb piece. Could this be then epoxied to the camera? The section attaching to the camera could be a bit thinner.

This would be an easy way to free up the hot shoe and put the stress on the body, not the shoe.

jesse
 
Yes, but then you have to count on the user's competence mixing/working/applying two-part epoxy. I can already see the horror stories as someone forgets to put out their cigarette and the mix bursts into flames. Better that Tim design a cold-shoe and passthrough hot-shoe version avoiding explosive scenarios.
 
Besides being messy, epoxy has great compressive strength but much weaker shear strength. A vertical knock against a table ledge could break the bond. Much better would be industrial-strength double-sided adhesive tape. The only downside might be if you had to remove it, it might require Goo-Gone to remove the residue. Shouldn't bother the M8 finish since it's plated, not painted.
 
IMO the TU's tight fit and flush-against-the-body design doesn't *seem* to put any undue torque on the shoe so far as I can tell. The whole thing feels incredibly solid -- as if it had been made as part of the body. There is absolutely NO SLOP or PLAY at all. Kudos to Tim for that.
 
TS ISAAC said:
Fin,
Good sir; if somehow I have overlooked the chance to provide you with a TU in a timely manner, let me suggest, as a way to set things straight, that you order two!

This may help to fill that empty void! Sorry if I missed your message Fin. :)
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Designer, manufacturer, production wizard and now...salesman!

Tim - you're going to be a very rich man!:D
 
tu 3

tu 3

I just received my tu3. Well made and packaged very charmingly. My problem is that the fit is too tight. I was almost unable to remove it and scratched the enamel immediately trying to wedge it off the camera. This is a big concern. I think the fit is too tight on the shoe. I am afraid to place it on the camera again.
It can be placed over my "Luigi Case" and since it does not sit completely flush against the camera, can more easily be removed, but still a major concern.
The idea of epoxying this to the camera is waco
ron
 
Ron, you might not like the idea of epoxy but the idea is not "wacko" ("Waco" is in Texas). I am not an engineer, but certainly the idea of a permanent solution that does not compromise the hot shoe is a reasonable one to explore. If Tim made such a piece, I'd be glad to pay someone who knows how do do a professional job to do it for me. Someone like Sherry Krauter, for instance.
 
Canon g7 grip

Canon g7 grip

etrigan63 said:
3M 4010 tape would fit the bill.
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This tape has proven to be be very durable.
I'm using a 3rd party grip on a Canon G7 that was attached with a doule sided tape. The photo shows the G7 with grip attached. You can see the white tape on the backside of another grip. I could see that working on the M8 if the surface would accept the tape.
689542084_1c873cb70b.jpg


It should probably be designed to not create a leverage as to pull the tape away from the body. I would think something that bulbs outward so that your thumb would always be pushing the thumbrest towards the body. The bulb should probably come out further than what I'm showing but something flush to the back of the M8.This seems to be the case for the G7 grip. It's worked perfectly.
1407166505_14dbe10121.jpg
 
RichC said:
Actually, the black finish is the traditional Leica laquer over brass, not black plating...
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Where are you getting your information? When I was at the Leica factory last October, Ralph Hagenauer described the finish process, which involves a nickel plating on top of the brass and a patented black-chrome plating on top of that. According to him the only black camera that they lacquer is the MP.
 
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Very curious. My M8, bought in March, is black lacquer (I have two M6s in black chrome, so I know the difference) and in my Instruction Book it says p136: "Top panel and bottom panel brass, black lacquered or silver chromium plated." It further mentions the frame selector as "black lacquer or silver chromium plated."

The current PDF from Leica on the M8, though, says "Cover plate and base cover milled from solid brass and silver or black chrome-plated."

So it looks like there has been a change away from the black lacquer to the more durable black chrome...
 
Hi Rich,

That's quite a nice review!

Volcanic ash? I think Leica would be interested to know how well their M8 stood up as well!
 
Hello Tim,

Just finished reading the thread on Thumbs Up. As much as I would like a cold shoe for WA finders - I am willing to look at getting a Model 3 for my M8.

Just need to know the details of cost and how to PayPal you the funds. Tried sending an email but it got bounced back.

Regards

Chip
 
Just returned from two weeks in Italy where the Thumbs Up had a good workout. It makes the ergonomics even better than that of the M6. Mine fit very tight- so tight that I thought it would be near impossible to remove. What would be a good implement to use to remove it without damage to either it or the camera?

A round wooden chopstick! This seemed very fitting, too. But then with a little super fine sand paper I took off a little brass and it goes in and out easier. I don't want to overdo it.

The use of the hot shoe for a flash or auxiliary finder is still an issue. I wonder if Tim will be able to design a retrofit or whether it will mean another unit. in any event it will be totally worth it.

And the chopstick fits easily into my camera bag. Take a second one and be ready for lunch!
 
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Jesse, It is so good to read your report from Italy. Also good you could find chopsticks in Italy...sounds like you found the very last one in the country, if they were not sold in a pair. I am very grateful for you early order of Thumbs Up. It's been a month already. During that first week I sure got my feet wet in a hurry, regarding how to provide the best fit for Thumbs Up, and to avoid the chopstick scenario. Your approach to a remedy is the same as my final fit up check now. Each Thumbs Up is sanded before I box, to insure a good fit. Would love to hear more about your Italy venture, and post some photos.
 
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