TS ISAAC
Established
There are some older posts here, going back to last Sept., talking about the missing winding lever on the M8, even before the camera was released. Now, with a few months of M8 use behind me, I find I really do miss of the film advance levers of my M4 and M6. It was not that the film advance lever prevented me from dropping the camera, but rather, it helped position my hand in the same place each time I prepared to shoot. Comments are most encouraged on this point.
With the M8, particularly in humid conditions, I find I don’t quite get that repeatable positioning of my hand. It slips around just a bit too much. The Sling certainly looks like the most secure of all compact systems, but, when it’s hot and wet, I would be inclined to try something else. Since I am always using my neck strap, I am not worried about dropping my camera, I just want a more secure and repeatable feel, each time I get ready compose a shot. (Now if I could figure out that composition thing………)!
The Leica grip allows an excellent hold on the camera, but that barrel arrangement for my fingers is awkward. When pressing the shutter release and holding the grip, well, it seems my fingers just don’t bend that way! I also find I want something more compact.
With these options considered, I figured I would try a thumb grip design of my own. I have designed castings and injection molded parts for many years, so I am settling on a die-cast design in brass, as both practical and durable, and esthetically matched to the M8. I love the lines of this camera, even its thicker body, and don’t want to detract from the traditional shape the Leica designers preserved so well. But I do want a better and more consistent hold of my M8 when taking photos.
To start, I completely modeled my M8 with 3D software, to build a reliable design platform on which my Thumbs Up grip idea could take shape. That exercise was a real hoot, backing into the M8 design with a clean slate, so to speak. But this virtual method is a great way to manage the precision and the tolerances required to make the part I want, as well as managing the ergonomics and esthetics of the shape on the camera. Brass is the material I am using on my real prototype and it will be painted black.
Another design feature I am considering to include is a slot for an SD card, with a 3rd hand function in mind, while changing out the cards. One of these days I figure I am going to drop an SD card into some water, or worse, down into a hole somewhere. The slot will hold a card for those few seconds needed while a new card is being handled.
Please have a look at the JPEGS of my design on flickr. Stay tuned for the tests of the first Thumbs Up prototype! In the meantime, I most certainly welcome any ideas or comments, good or bad, from the members here. Perhaps I will make more than just one!
With the M8, particularly in humid conditions, I find I don’t quite get that repeatable positioning of my hand. It slips around just a bit too much. The Sling certainly looks like the most secure of all compact systems, but, when it’s hot and wet, I would be inclined to try something else. Since I am always using my neck strap, I am not worried about dropping my camera, I just want a more secure and repeatable feel, each time I get ready compose a shot. (Now if I could figure out that composition thing………)!
The Leica grip allows an excellent hold on the camera, but that barrel arrangement for my fingers is awkward. When pressing the shutter release and holding the grip, well, it seems my fingers just don’t bend that way! I also find I want something more compact.
With these options considered, I figured I would try a thumb grip design of my own. I have designed castings and injection molded parts for many years, so I am settling on a die-cast design in brass, as both practical and durable, and esthetically matched to the M8. I love the lines of this camera, even its thicker body, and don’t want to detract from the traditional shape the Leica designers preserved so well. But I do want a better and more consistent hold of my M8 when taking photos.
To start, I completely modeled my M8 with 3D software, to build a reliable design platform on which my Thumbs Up grip idea could take shape. That exercise was a real hoot, backing into the M8 design with a clean slate, so to speak. But this virtual method is a great way to manage the precision and the tolerances required to make the part I want, as well as managing the ergonomics and esthetics of the shape on the camera. Brass is the material I am using on my real prototype and it will be painted black.
Another design feature I am considering to include is a slot for an SD card, with a 3rd hand function in mind, while changing out the cards. One of these days I figure I am going to drop an SD card into some water, or worse, down into a hole somewhere. The slot will hold a card for those few seconds needed while a new card is being handled.
Please have a look at the JPEGS of my design on flickr. Stay tuned for the tests of the first Thumbs Up prototype! In the meantime, I most certainly welcome any ideas or comments, good or bad, from the members here. Perhaps I will make more than just one!
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