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Does a Thumbs Up really help?

seakayaker

Active member
. . . . . Some folks wrote that it puts too much pressure on the hot shoe etc...
I have had the opportunity to meet Tim and his wife Lilly. Both have engineering and manufacturing backgrounds and they have designed a product that does not cause any damage to the hot shoe when using the thumbs up. I know that no damage has been caused when using a Thumps up on my M8.2 and now M9.

Tim is a Leica enthusiast who designs and builds accessories for Leica cameras.

You may want to drop Tim an email and ask for a recommendation regarding best fit for a smaller hand. I have contacted him a couple of times with questions and he has always been quick to respond. http://matchtechnical.com/contactus.aspx


Questions about grips . . . . . it is sort of like asking about filters . . . . . a lot of personal opinions . . . . . :D:D:D;)

Good luck with your decision.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
The Thumbs Up look useful ... but I will prefer a Thumbie because it leaves the hot shoe free for a flash radio trigger and performs the same task.

What I've never really understood are the soft touch shutter release gizmos. The shutter release guard is designed to allow you to roll your finger with minimum disturbance to the camera onto the shutter release ... it works perfectly for me. The soft touch releases require that I hold my finger up above the release and press down carefully ... I find that much harder to do. I've tried them a half dozen times and given them away after being frustrated with them.

Diff'rent strokes, eh?
 

Double Negative

Not Available
Here's a review of the Thumbie.

It has a lot going for it over the TU, but if you use a half case, you'll have to be a little careful how it fits. Other than that - what's not to like? Smaller, cheaper, leaves the hot shoe free, etc.
 

cam

Active member
now that i have the case and do use it i guess i should get the thumbs up..there are a couple of models like an ep1 and csep...which one works best with the M9? Also i don't have large hands as I'm a woman (and definitely in the minority here!) so which one to get?
thanks again
i'm a female with a small hand but long fingers and i prefer the CSEP-1.

i bought one for my M8 and loved it so much that i ordered another as soon as i knew i had an M9 coming. i seriously would not consider using either one without a ThumbsUp! (and there has never been an issue with undue pressure on the hotshoe and i have used a ThumbsUp for years.)

Tim is a really great guy (as seakayaker has said) and you can easily email him to ask which model he thinks is right -- based on your hand shape, lenses, needs, etc. he has the patience of a saint and really wants to give you what's best for your personal needs -- talk about customer service!

*********************
Godfrey,

the Soft Releases are a godsend for those of us that don't use flashes or tripods but need help steadying the hand for longer exposures... the idea is to squeeze, not press, and can help immensely if you have an issue with shutter shake (as do i).

whilst the TU gives me the greatest assistance in keeping the camera steady, the BIP (my preferred size) gives me ever so much more of an edge.

i also like that it protects the hole in the shutter release from dampness and the like if i go out in a drizzle... i also have a Luigi case (no grip) to further protect the body (and my fingers) from cold and damp.
 

dubes

New member
Thumbie wraps around the rounded surface on the right hand side. Therefore, the thumbie gets in the way of the half case. If you are planning on using a half case, then it's best to go with a thumbs-up. If you don't plan on using a half case, I recommend a thumbie. I don't use a half case because it adds bulk, so I went with a thumbie.
+1

I started with the Thumbie, but when I added a half case (I appreacieted the built-in grip) I found that the Thumbie made it a bit of a chore to put the case on--have to be careful about the case knocking the Thumbie out of position and gradually weakening the double-sided tape. The ThumbsUp is considerably heavier than the Thumbie, but as SYGTAFOTO says it's really the better option if using a half-case.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
i'm a female with a small hand but long fingers ...

the Soft Releases are a godsend for those of us that don't use flashes or tripods but need help steadying the hand for longer exposures... the idea is to squeeze, not press, and can help immensely if you have an issue with shutter shake (as do i).
...
hmm

I have large hands, but I find it much easier and smoother to gently roll my finger from the finger guard onto the release then to squeeze down from above a soft release with an unsupported finger.

But of course, whatever works for you is good! :)

I shoot without a case most of the time which is why a Thumbie appeals to me. But I might have Luigi customize a half case to one as there are times when I like the additional protection and grip afforded by the case.
 

Double Negative

Not Available
I tried a "soft release" not that long ago. It might work on super smooth mechanical Leicas, but it's crap on the M7-M9, IMO. These shutter releases have multiple positions, which causes a bit of "notchiness" as described by some. A soft release exacerbates this situation; and even makes a loud(er) click when fully depressed.

Glad I got the $10 eBay version! Off it goes - into the crap drawer. ;)
 

Double Negative

Not Available
One way around it is to use the "soft" release method via MENU. However, you lose the ability to use AE lock (which I happen to use a lot in lieu of EC) and you get a really hair-release shutter button... In the end, yeah... Next!

I guess I just didn't have a problem that needed solving in the first place, either. ;)
 

Double Negative

Not Available
i do use the soft release method via menu...can u explain the AE lock? i didn't understand that?
When you press the shutter button down to the second stop, you'll see the "." in the VF turn into ":" indicating that you've locked the exposure ("EL" or "AEL"). Of course, this applies really just to aperture priority (A) mode.

I use this over EC (Exposure Compensation) for more one-off shooting as it's quicker and easier in such cases and only "sticks" as long as you hold the shutter button. Say you're metering something obviously too bright (which would result in a dark photo) - just aim elsewhere that should give a "proper exposure" and lock that (keeping your finger down a bit) as you recompose and shoot.
 

250swb

Member
Tim is a really great guy (as seakayaker has said) and you can easily email him to ask which model he thinks is right -- based on your hand shape, lenses, needs, etc. he has the patience of a saint and really wants to give you what's best for your personal needs -- talk about customer service!
Tim is a great guy, but I'm not really going to bite anybody's head off if they ask a question about the Thumbie either. Email [email protected] and you will get a very civil response, with a discount from the Ebay price ;)

To be clear, the Thumbie is not designed for a half case because I don't agree with adding bulk to the overall shape of the camera. Keep it simple, keep it efficient, keep it light, keep it from interfereing with anything else on the camera. That is where the design came from. But, it will fit with a Zhou half case (designed with a cutout for the 'other' device)to my knowledge, it just needs fitting higher. It is hand cast, hand finished, and ticks a few boxes that may or may not be important to some photographers.

Steve
 

ashwinrao1

Active member
A must have for me and my hands....adds to the ergonomics of the camera...Plus, Tim Isaac is a great guy and a good friend....
 

Chuck Jones

Subscriber Member
+1 exactly what Ashwin said goes for me as well. It's an essential part of the kit, along with the Luigi leather half case for me.
 

racefan

New member
But I might have Luigi customize a half case to one as there are times when I like the additional protection and grip afforded by the case.
I use a ThumbsUp EP-1 with a Luigi half case with "full" grip and the ergonomics are wonderful for my hand (slender, longer fingers). As you note, Luigi will provide a cut-out for the ThumbsUp that works with the shorter versions, but has extra stitching in place to allow you to cut out a little more leather to fit the longer ThumbsUp model (3?) if you have a smaller hand.
 
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