Although far from mastering the camera I'm starting to get used to the M6 I bought last year. There is one thing that bothers me, I tend to shake the camera when I push the trigger. The "push" is rather long, meaning that the trigger is not released until I have pushed fairly deep. I have read that this can be adjusted to once preference. So, what's your preference, a shallow or a deep press before the shutter is released? Will a too short play make the meter difficult to use? What would be the smoothest?

-- Peter Olsson (peter.olsson@lulebo.se), January 16, 2002

Answers

ever tried a softrelease by abrahamsson?

-- stefan randlkofer (geesbert@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.

Correction: "...I tend to shake the camera when I push the trigger" should be " I tend to jerk the camera when I push the trigger".

-- Peter Olsson (peter.olsson@lulebo.se), January 16, 2002.

Stefan, I didn't notice how fast you answered!

Yes, I have the soft release, but it's still a pretty long push.

-- Peter Olsson (peter.olsson@lulebo.se), January 16, 2002.

I think it can be adjusted by a specialist. People with deeper technical Leica knowledge (like John Collier) should be able to give you a definite answer.

-- Xavier C. (xcolmant@powerir.com), January 16, 2002.

I don't think adjusting the travel is going to help you--it sounds like your own technique is faulty. You should be able to manage holding the camera steady regardless of the travel.

I rest the my finger on the collar around the release, and gently rock the tip into the release to fire the camera. If you hold your finger upright over the release and punch down you have no control over your movement, and the camera's going to shake regardless of the travel.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), January 16, 2002.

Or, place your thumb under the bottom plate, index finger on the shutter, and squeeze the camera between these fingers with equal pressure top and bottom. That way, the camera can't move.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), January 16, 2002.

I tend to "cover" the shutter release button and collar with the middle of the first joint of my index finger (imagine a line through the base of the nail in line with the centre of the button) and then gently tension and squeeze the finger to fire the shutter. This way I have the shutter pressed just to before the point of release and the final tiny movement at the "decisive moment" causes no vibration.

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), January 16, 2002.

I like to push halfway to get a meter reading, or if meter is preset, I still push halfway and ignore the light(s). Then, ram it deep.

-- Chris Chen (chrischen@msn.com), January 16, 2002.

The M6 and the M6TTL have one disappointing inconsistency, or at least only one that I will admit to, release travel. Unlike older M cameras, it seems to vary from camera to camera. I do find that the Tom's soft release does solve the problem for me but I can see how it would annoy others. Here is a posting from the Leica-Users on how to adjust it:

http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/v20/msg03323.html

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), January 16, 2002.

The Leica M6 and M6 TTL have a longer travel than older Leica Ms because of the light meter. We have a Leica MDa downstairs in our tissue culture lab (an old relic sitting on an inverted scope) with a distinctly shorter travel shutter release than either the Leica M6 or M6 TTL. The MDa was an M3 without the rangefinder mechanism for all those concerned. I spoke once to a Leica Microsystems rep about this and all he had to say was "Learn to live with it sonny!"

Get an Abrahamsson Softie... it helps alot.

-- John Chan (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.

I've been using my 2 M6's for 11 and 6 years respectively, I never noticed any problem releasing the shutter. I also use my M4 from time to time and can't say I feel any significant difference. Compared to the R bodies the M's are hairtriggers.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), January 16, 2002.

One of my M-6's indeed "facilitated" camera-shake due to a too-long shutter release throw. As I studied this camera, I realized that the release was occurring just as the rim of the shutter button began to disappear beneath the level of the bottom of the "finger-pad." This meant that I needed to apply extra pressure, as my fingertip had to distort a bit to squeeze through the bottom of the pad to keep the shutter button moving downwards. This extra pressure contributed to camera-shake, and made the release somewhat unpredictable. I like a release at about 1mm above the finger-pad's bottom rim, so the release itself occurs just as my finger is coming into full contact with the pad, which contributes to both predictability and stability. At any rate, Leica repair fixed this under passport warranty.

-- John Layton (john.layton@valley.net), January 16, 2002.

I find the M6 releases beautifully. Can handhold up to 1/15 sec with good results.

Perhaps its just technique. Take a deep breath, calm down, relax and breathe out when you trigger. Plant camera against face for more support , parts of hands also against face. Squeeze gently not jab at it.

-- Yip (koklok@krdl.org), January 16, 2002.

To me, it's a bit like creep in a the trigger of a gun, which might provide a little margin of safety but does nothing to help accuracy. So, I would prefer a shorter push - just a bit shorter, not a "hair trigger". You have to guard against slight accidental pressure on the shutter firing a shot. It would be interesting to learn how well a shortened shutter release travel would work with the M6 motor.

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.

It works fine. I adjusted my M6 about a year ago as per the previous instructions. The motor still causes a slight bobbing up and down of the shutter release, but it's certainly not objectionable. Top it off with a T.A. soft release and it's not bad!

-- sam smith (Ruy_Lopez@hotmail.com), January 18, 2002.

Actually I never felt any differnces between the M-6 and older M's. But I do recommend the Abrahamsoon Softie whole-heartedly. It is only 10 bucks and what it does for you is amazing. How could I have lived without one for so long?

A warning though. The Sofie turns your Leica's shutter release button into a hair-trigger, like James Bond's Beretta. Be sure to turn off your meter when storing. Sometimes the Softie will depress your button every so slightly and you go battery drain. (B on M-6 classics; "Off" or B on the TTL.) My Bessa T doesn't turn off and so I must be careful with the Sofies I custom fitted on it.

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4-u.or.jp), January 18, 2002.

Well this is a pretty big issue for me. I find that very few of the many cameras I have owned have the shutter button in the right place for me. Never mind the issue of the distance pressed to release the shutter.

Sadly, the very best shutter release I ever used was on an old mint condition Contax IIIA Color Dial. It was simply perfect, at least for me. I could shoot very low shutter speeds just because of this ergonomic difference. Leicas shutter release just doesn't compare (I have or have had the M6, M4-2, M6TTL), but the shutter and VF problems of the Contax are simply unnacceptable.

I live with the oh-too-low shutter release of the Leica M's because the rest of the camera is so d***ed good. The modern lenses are just as good as the late 1950's Zeiss lenses I was accustomed to. Well, mostly.

Kevin

-- kevin king (kt66@teleport.com), January 18, 2002.