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M240 shutter release threads

thrice

Active member
Hi all,

Rather than bother someone in Germany, I figured one of the beta testers (or new owners) might know.

Are the threads on the M240 different to the M9? Reason I ask is that my soft release fit the M9 and M9p very securely but it does not screw in all the way on the M240.

It could be the loose tolerances on the machining of the soft release so I figured best to ask here :)

Cheers,
Dan
 

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
Yes, the M240, Monochrom and ME have a different pitch to the threads in the cable release. TomA (he has a contributor sub-forum over at RFF) has already addressed this and has manufactured a softie with the new thread pitch. You can also check out his website at rapidwinder.com, if you want to order one.
 
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vickko

New member
Yep. I met with Tom A a couple weeks ago and he told me all about them. Seems like the part supplier for the shutter release decided to change the thread but didn't tell anyone.

So now, no existing cable release will fit the M-240.
 

segedi

Member
So now, no existing cable release will fit the M-240.
That's strange. I've used my fairly generic cable release with the Monochrom and just tested it on the M 240 and it works just fine. It has a tapered thread.

My Match Technical Bip on the other hand doesn't work at all.
 

henningw

Member
As soon as I got my M240, Tom Abrahamsson and I went over to his CNC accomplice's shop and worked out a new Softie.

The soft releases not only have to screw into the threads, they have to mate solidly and seat fully. The old ones don't do that on the M240 (and most MM's, as far as I know). Cable release threads are not manufactured to a standard, but have been 'making do' for well over a hundred years, so variations exist.

Out of the 6 cable releases I tried, 4 worked just fine and the others didn't screw in solidly enough to suit me, so I won't use them with this camera.

I don't think we know exactly why the threads are different, but the 'different subcontractor' theory seems the best one. When Stefan Daniels was asked why the change, he said there was no change and was not aware of the problem at the time.

Henning
 

250swb

Member
I guess what we learn is that Beta testers don't use tripods. Something for Leica to address next time perhaps?


Steve

P.S. I use a tripod and a cable release ;)
 

oliver.lott

New member
I am fairly sure that my brass shutter buttons are actually adaptable into the new threads as they are pitched slightly different already. I am looking into this as we speak and I will have an answer very soon.

Thanks
 

thrice

Active member
It's a design decision.

Oliver, you can cut the thread on your soft release shorter (cut off 1mm or so) and they will screw in securely. I've already seen new M compatible match technical products and this is what they have done.
 

250swb

Member
A 'design decision'?

Perhaps a commercial decision to force people into buying a new over priced Leica cable release, but not a 'design decision'.

Steve
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Although such posts- "a design decision" and such are utterly useless and in fact annoying, you have to hand it to Daniel. He would make a great salesman. :D Spin anything and everything. :D
 

weinschela

Subscriber Member
I just received my M yesterday and tried out soft releases from:
China (ebay -- (mini))
Oliver Lott (brass)
New design from Tim Abrahamsson

They all have fairly shallow threads and they all worked fine. So did my two old cable releases. Unless Leica made an on the fly manufacturing change, this seems like a tempest in a teapot.
 

Andrew C

New member
It's a design decision.

Oliver, you can cut the thread on your soft release shorter (cut off 1mm or so) and they will screw in securely. I've already seen new M compatible match technical products and this is what they have done.


Hi I am a new Member so getting a bit confused about cutting 1mm off to fit when the thread pitch is different
would that not cause damage if you still tried to screw the soft shutter in...if either were of similar hardness it might cause cross threading..
Anyway why have Leica decided to allow this change and sell
Thanks for your replies
Andy
 

JohnBrew

Active member
I ordered one of the supposedly new design thread pitch softies from Leica Miami and it did not work. I have used softies on all my M's up until this one. I think with my first M (M4) I needed the softie due to the step in the shutter release which seemed to throw me off a bit. Maybe it was just my particular M4 but I got into the habit and kept using them on 5 more successive M's. Anyway now I've gotten used to not having a softie and things are just fine. Go figure.
 
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