"Release Me" from Crappy Cable Releases

[JWMster]

At the current rate, I'm going through my cable releases like toilet paper. The seem to have the half life of a fly. I don't think it's me. I'm not hard on equipment, but these things seem to annoyingly fall apart right when you need them.
I've got an air release that works until it decided to run out of air. I think I fixed it, but it's not my fav. Fact is, all the heavy duty looking things seem to be the most prone to falling apart. I imagine a LOT of them have spent a decade in a drawer somewhere before getting to me. Maybe that's the problem? Seems the life time is inversely related to the cost, too. Try getting a "European" release.... it's probably been outsourced to China ? and therefore ain't really worth the squeeze you'd think it might be. I buffaloed. Anyone got a secret solution for analog wonderland?

 

[AnselMortensen]

Wow... I thought I was the only one who had issues with cable releases failing!

 

[abruzzi]

I don't think I've had one fail on me. Most are brand new, the cheapest one B&H sells. $6. I do lose them occasionally, but thats my fault, not the releases fault. I'm not sure what you're triggering, but mine are mostly on Copal, Compur, or Compound shutters. I never use them on 35mm, and almost never on medium format.

 

[chuckroast]

At the current rate, I'm going through my cable releases like toilet paper. The seem to have the half life of a fly. I don't think it's me. I'm not hard on equipment, but these things seem to annoyingly fall apart right when you need them.
I've got an air release that works until it decided to run out of air. I think I fixed it, but it's not my fav. Fact is, all the heavy duty looking things seem to be the most prone to falling apart. I imagine a LOT of them have spent a decade in a drawer somewhere before getting to me. Maybe that's the problem? Seems the life time is inversely related to the cost, too. Try getting a "European" release.... it's probably been outsourced to China ? and therefore ain't really worth the squeeze you'd think it might be. I buffaloed. Anyone got a secret solution for analog wonderland?

ProTip: Use 3M heat shrink tubing of appropriate diameter and shrink around the metal body of the release where it meets the flexible portion - both at the top- and bottom of the release.. I typically put at least a 2-3" piece of tubing in place to shrink.

Also, if necessary, you can use Lok Tite to make the threaded button at the top stay in place.

I buy cheap releases by the dozen and do the shrink tubing thing immediately.

 

[JPD]

Try getting a "European" release.... it's probably been outsourced to China ? and therefore ain't really worth the squeeze you'd think it might be. I buffaloed. Anyone got a secret solution for analog wonderland?

Have you tried a Gebr. Schreck cable release? They are still made in Germany. https://gebr-schreck.com/en/

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

Try Nikon's cable releases.

 

[Laurent]

+1 for the Nikon ones, I never had one fail on me.

I have to admit I have non-Nikon that qre good also, can't even remember the brand since I bought them so much time ago.

 

[Dirb9]

Try Nikon's cable releases.

All of my 'OEM' cable releases have held up well; Canon, Nikon, Minolta, Pentax, Mamiya, Konica, etc. The Nikon AR-3 was available brand new until quite recently, maybe 2021, and can be found easily as NOS. Gepe also makes good cable releases.

 

[koraks]

Use 3M heat shrink tubing of appropriate diameter and shrink around the metal body of the release where it meets the flexible portion

Good advice. High-quality duct tape will work, too, but heat shrink tubing looks better.

Also, don't coil up the release cables and don't buy longer ones than you need.

Having said that, just buy a bunch from China, carry one or two spares and treat them as the disposables they've become. Cherish the few NOS Nikons etc as long as they last - ultimately, these too will fail, but it tends to take longer.

 

[JWMster]

LOVE love love the heat shrink tube shielding idea. Hadn't thought about that. Will give it a try because yes, those are the stress points. The Loctite for the useless cable lock is also a great idea. Thanks for both of these. All good to know.

Will look for Nikon and GRE.

 

[snusmumriken]

+1 for the Nikon ones, I never had one fail on me.

+1

 

[guangong]

If what I’m reading in this thread is true, all I can say is that I bought most of my releases in the 1970s (Leitz, Nikon, and a very long quality lens that ran up my sleeve down my jacket front to camera used for “discrete “ photography” and all are still functional. I used almost exclusively with 35mm and LF. Somehow never with MF. Also, just as old, a cable release for Minox.
If buying now, I would probably buy by the dozen and, as mentioned above, treat as disposable. If I remember correctly, back then the better cable releases were not cheap.

 

[Rob Skeoch]

The Ebony large format camera company made a great release. I've used them for decades. Most be some used ones around.

 

[JensH]

Have you tried a Gebr. Schreck cable release? They are still made in Germany. https://gebr-schreck.com/en/

+1 for the Schreck brothers.

 

[Chan Tran]

I have several cable releases. None failed. 2 of them are Nikon and made in Japan.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Mine tend to unscrew just when I'm ready to fire. I;ve got one in each of my four lenses. Maybe I don;t screw them in tight enough? I;m afraid of stripping the threads or breaking the lens's end.

 

[xkaes]

I started out with cheap cable releases, and they were trash. Then I met the Minolta cable release. It was used and just as inexpensive. Never had a problem. The good news is that the great cable releases (see above) are easy to find and get -- and cheap if you buy them used.

Tip -- there are several different types of handles with pluses and minuses. I like the Minolta approach instead of the separate twist/locking screw type. Some have tabs for the fingers of different sizes and shapes.

 

[chuckroast]

LOVE love love the heat shrink tube shielding idea. Hadn't thought about that. Will give it a try because yes, those are the stress points. The Loctite for the useless cable lock is also a great idea. Thanks for both of these. All good to know.

Will look for Nikon and GRE.

You can also use clear nail polish to lock up threads in a more reversible way than Loktite (also cheaper) ... I guess it doesn't HAVE to be clear ...

 

[BAC1967]

I just had one fail but it was a very old cloth covered one. It seems like the cloth was rotted or something it tore so easily. I bought tons of cable releases when people were practically giving away film camera gear to switch to digital. some of the strongest ones I have are Bolex, they have a metal coil instead of cloth or plastic tubing.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

I have a drawer full of cable releases I've picked up over the years. The manufacturer releases are almost always the best. Canon, Nikon, Pentax Minolta. Some are slightly better than others, but you can't really go wrong with those like others have said.

 

[images39]

The biggest issue I've had is with the locking cable releases. Some of those have nearly driven me to drink when they gave me problems in the field. I've had some Gepe locking releases that were terrible, among others. I don't know how such a simple function can be seemingly hard to execute.

Dale

 

[titrisol]

I have a drawer full of cable releases I've picked up over the years. The manufacturer releases are almost always the best. Canon, Nikon, Pentax Minolta. Some are slightly better than others, but you can't really go wrong with those like others have said.

Yes to this!
Nikon, Pentax and Leitz cable releases are outstanding, Polaroid branded cables are very good but the locking is super finicky.
From the off brands I have a few that are metal braided (Hama, Vivitar, Soligor) that have lived for a very long time; the ones that have failed have been mostly cloth ones

 

[Kino]

Surprisingly the Prontor shutter releases made in Germany are not good. Cloth covered with a plastic head and plunger, they stick and bind, causing panic at the end of a short bulb exposure.

Avoid them...

 

[JWMster]

Guess I had no idea how common the issues with these rather simple devices. Good to know I'm not alone. Yes, mine fall out just when I"m reaching down to take the shot. Game of chicken?

 

[JPD]

Surprisingly the Prontor shutter releases made in Germany are not good. Cloth covered with a plastic head and plunger, they stick and bind, causing panic at the end of a short bulb exposure.

Avoid them...

I have a bunch of older ca 20 cm Prontor cable releases, cloth and metal, and they work fine. I think the longer cable releases are the greater risk of them getting sticky.