[Leica] Re: grips and soft releases

[Jim Brick <jim_brick@agilent.com>]

At 11:51 AM 7/19/01 -0400, someone wrote:

>>There's a grip available for the M as well (Leica part 14 405, usually
>>available for $90, a lot less gray or used); it may seem overkill to use it
>>with the 35, but I keep mine on all the time (I have 35, 50 and 75 lenses)
>>and love it.


I'm not a grip kind of person. I find them very unwieldily and awkward, 
especially when holding the camera vertically (portrait orientation.)

My wrist doesn't bend that way.

I tried and tried. Tom Abrahamsson gave me one of his prototypes to use and 
I tried in earnest to use it. I think it defeats the purpose of a soft 
release as a soft release allows releasing the shutter with various parts 
of your fingers and thumb. Even the base of your thumb. A soft release 
allows you to hold your camera comfortably in both hands, and then release 
the shutter, without any finger contortions attempting to poke a little 
metal plunger down inside a hole. With a soft release, what ever part of 
your fingers, thumb, or hand, is over the soft release, a simple squeeze 
will quietly release the shutter.

This is not possible while attempting to use a grip as a grip was intended 
to be used. And if it cannot be used as it was intended, it is simply in 
the way.

IMHO,

Jim