Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/05/27
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Chris Saganich wrote: "What is a stutter, that little bit of resistance, like it is catching on something slightly as you press down? I thought that may be a defect, and it is true the softies don't improve that a bit. I have seen sharpness improvement between 60th and 15th, no steady hands here." Peter Cheyne wrote: > The shutter releases on the M3 through other Ms to the M6 are smooth and > gentle, but the M7, M8, and M9 have 'stutters' built into them, making them > less than exquisite, or silky. However, at least the M9 can be set to soft > mode. > > It seems to me that softies are best suited to continuous (not stuttered) > shutter release Ms, and to the M9 on soft mode. The M7, M8 and M9 have that slight "catch" in the release travel, I believe because they have an exposure lock detent/switch built into the release travel, necessary with an AE system. The M5 also has a "notch" in the release linked to the match/intersect needle and moving meter cell "semaphore" arm design. I love the M5 meter system, notchy release and all. I also believe that pre-M4-P or M6, the actual release shaft was made out of a heavier metal (chrome plated brass), so there's a kind of dampening effect and the release feels smoother. I've never found the need for any kind of soft release on any Leica RF. They're already the softest mechanical releases on any camera I've tried. The release point can be adjusted slightly by a technician so that it becomes more predictable for the individual user. Emanuel