Issue with Multi-Angle Grip (Mamiya RB67 Pro SD)

[cee_med]

Having an issue with the Multi-Angle Grip that I just bought. When I'm attaching it to my RB67 Pro SD, the shutter release button on the grip presses down slightly on the shutter release button of the camera. That's no issue, it's supposed to line up. The problem happens when I actually fire the trigger on the grip. The camera fires, but I can not advanced the shutter caking lever. This seems to be because the shutter release button on the camera can not return to being fully out, as it is slightly pressed down on by the grip's shutter release button. Does that make sense to you? I can't find any evidence that this grip can't be used on this model. I tried it on my Pro S as well and it has the same issue. I feel like I could swap out the grip's release button with something shorter, but I feel like it should just work out of the box. Any ideas?
Video of the problem here:

 

[MattKing]

I'm not sure, but the part that you describe as a "release button" may be a replacement one.
I use the fixed angle version of that grip, and the equivalent part on mine looks slightly shorter.
There is some small variation across the 645, 6x6 and 6x7 Mamiya cameras that have a shutter release in that location. It may be that the grip you have had been re-purposed for one of the older 645 bodies.

 

[cee_med]

Good call, if it were just a bit shorter it would solve the issue. I'll have to see about replacing it with something shorter.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

What return the pushbutton to its original position? A spring? Is it there and working?

Is the lense in mirror lockup mode?

Does the knurled knob slip into the lock position after releasing the shutter?

 

[Deleted member 88956]

I'm not sure as I never had this problem, but there should be an adjustment to the travel of the trigger and its resting position. Upon mounting there should not be any amount of initial engagement with body release button, plain neutral position between the two. I'll get to mine when I have a chance to see.

 

[cee_med]

I'm not sure as I never had this problem, but there should be an adjustment to the travel of the trigger and its resting position. Upon mounting there should not be any amount of initial engagement with body release button, plain neutral position between the two. I'll get to mine when I have a chance to see.

Oh that'd be super helpful. Not quite ready to start unscrewing the grip to see inside, but also not seeing any way to adjust the travel of the trigger.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Looking at the photo of your set up, you need to reverse the screw on the trigger plate. The slotted flat side needs to face the shutter button. It will give you needed separation. I have two of these and one never used but it had exactly same orientation as yours.

 

[cee_med]

Looking at the photo of your set up, you need to reverse the screw on the trigger plate. The slotted flat side needs to face the shutter button. It will give you needed separation. I have two of these and one never used but it had exactly same orientation as yours.

I've tried that, unfortunately it doesn't work. It doesn't press the camera's shutter button in all the way. Plus, the manuals for the grip show the flat side as I have it.
http://ianbfoto.com/downloads/Mamiya RB67/Mamiya RB67 Multi-Angle Grip.pdf

I wish it was that easy a fix!

 

[Deleted member 88956]

I've tried that, unfortunately it doesn't work. It doesn't press the camera's shutter button in all the way. Plus, the manuals for the grip show the flat side as I have it.
http://ianbfoto.com/downloads/Mamiya RB67/Mamiya RB67 Multi-Angle Grip.pdf

I wish it was that easy a fix!

Well, I said it because that is how I have it on mine and works without any issues. There is a good 3-4 mm separation in neutral position.

So, if this did not work for you, all you need is a washer placed under the flat head to decrease the separation. You cannot be far from being where you need to be.

 

[cee_med]

Well, I said it because that is how I have it on mine and works without any issues. There is a good 3-4 mm separation in neutral position.

So, if this did not work for you, all you need is a washer placed under the flat head to decrease the separation. You cannot be far from being where you need to be.

Ah, a washer under the flat head might not solve the issue here, since the length of the button wouldn't change. I think I'll need to find a new screw and washer combo to replace both parts of the grip's shutter button. But yes, I'm sure I can get it to work. I was mostly originally curious as to why this piece of equipment seems not to work (another person on Facebook had the exact same issue).

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Ah, a washer under the flat head might not solve the issue here, since the length of the button wouldn't change. I think I'll need to find a new screw and washer combo to replace both parts of the grip's shutter button. But yes, I'm sure I can get it to work. I was mostly originally curious as to why this piece of equipment seems not to work (another person on Facebook had the exact same issue).

Screw reversed as in my earlier, so slotted side faces the button, but has a washer under so it gets closer to it. I don't think you need more than 1 mm washer. Any material to make that move forward would be fine for a test if you don't have a washer on hand, even a piece of cardboard or credit card

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Screw reversed as in my earlier, so slotted side faces the button, but has a washer under so it gets closer to it. I don't think you need more than 1 mm washer. Any material to make that move forward would be fine for a test if you don't have a washer on hand, even a piece of cardboard or credit card

In fact you can leave screw orientation as is and washer placed on fwd / button side under that small nut, same effect.

 

[cee_med]

Screw reversed as in my earlier, so slotted side faces the button, but has a washer under so it gets closer to it. I don't think you need more than 1 mm washer. Any material to make that move forward would be fine for a test if you don't have a washer on hand, even a piece of cardboard or credit card

Ah yes, that makes more sense to me. I'll head to the hardware store and see if there's anything small enough to work.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Ah yes, that makes more sense to me. I'll head to the hardware store and see if there's anything small enough to work.

Also look for washers made of teflon or similar material, not a must but it would protect the nice chrome plating much better.

 

[cee_med]

Problem solved.... added 1 single washer, with the screw reversed. Thank you for your help!

 

[Deleted member 88956]

G

Problem solved.... added 1 single washer, with the screw reversed. Thank you for your help!

Great.

 

[barzune]

The original problem that you described is likely one of lubrication.
You stated that the shutter plunger was at a comfort distance from the shutter button on the camera, when you first installed the grip, but that it did not retract all the way after the first ( or subsequent) triggers.
I'd suggest that you clean the cable link between the thumb-trigger and the shutter plunger, and lubricate it with a dry lubricant, such as is used for bicycle cables.
Reassemble the unit to the original configuration ( as in the photo that you included) and exercise the unit a bit before re-attaching it.
MAMIYA designed the unit well, and you do not need to re-design their assembly.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

The original problem that you described is likely one of lubrication.
You stated that the shutter plunger was at a comfort distance from the shutter button on the camera, when you first installed the grip, but that it did not retract all the way after the first ( or subsequent) triggers.
I'd suggest that you clean the cable link between the thumb-trigger and the shutter plunger, and lubricate it with a dry lubricant, such as is used for bicycle cables.
Reassemble the unit to the original configuration ( as in the photo that you included) and exercise the unit a bit before re-attaching it.
MAMIYA designed the unit well, and you do not need to re-design their assembly.

I wish what you said is true. I have two RB67 Pro SD bodies in near new condition or hardly used before I got them. I also have two multiangle grips in similarly great condition. Just by looking at both I see significant discrepancy how each lines up with camera body. So no, Mamiya did not do as well as they should have.

One of these grips had screw the other way around (from what apparently Mamiya is showing in their literature) and that's the one I've always used and with no trouble. Second one, with seemingly correct way on that screw did not engauge with the button correctly, just like in OPs case. And getting more picky on Mamiya's QC here, the trigger plates of the grip that sits in front of the shutter button are not lining up the same way. While there is an intended elongated slot to make the adjustment right so they face each other as they should, the discrepancy in the line up and the difference in adjustment each requires only means it was not so swell at the engineering level. And no, neither grip is showing any signs of having been dropped or any part bent out of shape. They look as pristine as one would have ever hoped for. I gather experiences will very for many users on this issue, which only further questions how they came out of the factory.

These grips are fine, nearly solid and I like them better then fixed ones as they can be adjusted quickly for different situations. But they do have some play in the pivot pin so not as rigid as I would have liked.

 

[cee_med]

I will add that I posted on the Mamiya RB67 Facebook group as well with this problem and two other people who had recently purchased this grip had the same problem. The one I bought looked brand new, still in the box.

 

[MattKing]

I've seen a fair number of the trigger grips over the years, and many of them show signs of having been adjusted in different ways to fit different cameras.
I also had a grip that has been damaged internally, and as a result the lever that pushes the shutter release doesn't spring back when it should.
And I've also seen lots of them that worked perfectly.
I don't think you can count on any of them being un-modified and undamaged, no matter how clean and new they may appear.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Matt, I can guarantee what I have is unmodified and made to fit the camera I am using them for. They are also, by themselves working perfectly. When one considers that they have registration pins to match the body, it is somewhat astonishing that trigger plates are not in exact same spot with different combinations.

To be clear I am not slamming them down, just stating what I have in front of me. I still think they are great and very helpdul handling RB67.

 

[MattKing]

I've seen a few that were modified o work with the older Mamiya 645 cameras, which use the same pin system, and have a front shutter release that is positioned in almost the same location.
I've also seen pistol grips that were designed for the afore-mentioned older 645 cameras and have been modified the other way.