soft release coming off

[existrandom]

after using soft releases on olympus om2 and konica t4, they no longer fasten on my leica m4... the chrome on the threads is worn off, laying bare the darker material; they no longer thread on, they just come loose:bang:

is there a way to use them again?

yes i know the alloy that made the soft releases is meant to be soft, but i never use force... do they wear easily that a few swap between cameras would end its lifespan?

appreciate any comment and thought, cheers!

 

[Tom A]

That sounds strange? The alloy in the Softrelease is a 7075 alloy - hard enough to hold thread but no so hard that it would damage the thread in a camera. Are they chrome colored releases or black? On a chrome release the color is the same through-out - on a black the color is on the surface and could wear off.
Do yo have a picture of it - particularly a close up of the thread part. Please e-mail it to me.
Tom

 

[hans voralberg]

It might not be yours Tom 😉 And stick some double-sided tape on it should work 🙂 just a very thin layer.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I don't think they're Tom's SRs. I have used his and also fell for a cheap look-alike from eBay. Guess which ones are still on their camera bodies and which became useless in less than 24 hours?

BTW, the experience prompted me to go and buy some spares from Tom. I'm covered, just in case something happens to any of my classic soft-release buttons! 🙂

 

[Bill58]

I secure mine w/ blue Loctite.

 

[existrandom]

thanks everyone's replies, here attached the pictures of the thread and the surface wear

i found that i have lost the other one which has the same problem after a few instances of mounting and dismounting on cameras, they just come loose and got lost

i wished it wasn't Tom's soft release, but i remembered writing to Tom and he pointed me to a Hong Kong dealer who carries his product... and i bought those from that person... his name elludes me now though, i went to his shop in Tsim Sha Tsui (near Holiday Inn) to pick up the 2 soft releases, which came with a small plastic zipper bag with a white label that says "T.T. Abrahamsson"

 

[Gumby]

I secure mine w/ blue Loctite.

This is the real solution... as long as one reads carefully. Bill said "BLUE". It only takes a tiny bit to do the job. Whatever you do, use only blue!

 

[meanstreetshooter]

The old...

The old...

thanks everyone's replies, here attached the pictures of the thread and the surface wear

i found that i have lost the other one which has the same problem after a few instances of mounting and dismounting on cameras, they just come loose and got lost

i wished it wasn't Tom's soft release, but i remembered writing to Tom and he pointed me to a Hong Kong dealer who carries his product... and i bought those from that person... his name elludes me now though, i went to his shop in Tsim Sha Tsui (near Holiday Inn) to pick up the 2 soft releases, which came with a small plastic zipper bag with a white label that says "T.T. Abrahamsson"

Switcheroo? Is it possible the dealer did this old-time trick? I'm just saying it's possible to substitute a sub-par item for a quality one like Tom's.
P.S. Old retired street cops, like me, have high doses of paranoia. That's why they are old.

 

[Ronald M]

BLUE is the operative word. Red will affix it forever.

 

[kshapero]

I actually take mine off when I am covering a Chassidic wedding (makes a grunge rock mosh pit look like a mah jong women's club). Because it is too easy to get caught on something and screw up the shutter release. I should know, it happened to me.

 

[Tom A]

I got that Softrelease back and replaced it. The one that kept coming off - actually works on all my M2's.M6's and MP's. Only thing I can see is that a/It has been used heavily - which I like and b/the OP kept switching between cameras - though there is no damage or visible wear to the thread.
To secure it, LocTite Blue works well (and you can still unscrew it without problems) - if you household is bereft of LT Blue - a small dab of nail polish on the thread of the Softie will work too. Just spread it around on the thread, let it dry until it is just sticky to the touch. You can still get it off with no problems.
The cable release thread in various camera brands are different - it is what is known as a "rough" thread and I suspect that many manufacturers just eye-balled it and did it really "rough". Leica has it pretty well standardized, except some really early M3's # 700 001 to 700 400) where the thread is larger and very short depth.

 

[ramosa]

I have been using a Match Tech beep for a few months. No problem with it coming off. I like it. With it, my finger operates much more naturally on the trigger.

 

[meanstreetshooter]

Acid-jazz, techno-rock moves!

Acid-jazz, techno-rock moves!

I actually take mine off when I am covering a Chassidic wedding (makes a grunge rock mosh pit look like a mah jong women's club). Because it is too easy to get caught on something and screw up the shutter release. I should know, it happened to me.

Good tip, and really great photos! Thanks!

 

[existrandom]

thanks tom 🙂for taking time to go about the matter, and replace the softie! it's getting rare to find someone who stand behind his own products (idea and know-how) in the part of the world i live in...i won't be home until end of month, i will check the stacked up mails and report soon

about the "rough thread" issue with manufacturers:
the 2 or 3 softies i had had been put on Konica T3, T4, Canon L-1, Canon VI-L, Leica M4... i don't treat my camera roughly nor do i baby them... but they are all used ones, i wonder what had been put on their cable release threads before, maybe that hold the answer

edit:got the replacement! it's on my m again, i missed it throughout the trip 😛

I got that Softrelease back and replaced it. The one that kept coming off - actually works on all my M2's.M6's and MP's. Only thing I can see is that a/It has been used heavily - which I like and b/the OP kept switching between cameras - though there is no damage or visible wear to the thread.
To secure it, LocTite Blue works well (and you can still unscrew it without problems) - if you household is bereft of LT Blue - a small dab of nail polish on the thread of the Softie will work too. Just spread it around on the thread, let it dry until it is just sticky to the touch. You can still get it off with no problems.
The cable release thread in various camera brands are different - it is what is known as a "rough" thread and I suspect that many manufacturers just eye-balled it and did it really "rough". Leica has it pretty well standardized, except some really early M3's # 700 001 to 700 400) where the thread is larger and very short depth.