Shutter release cable for Lubitel 166B?

brainmonster · Sep 30, 2019

I'm sorry if this seems like a silly or trivial question.

I've got a Lubitel 166B, I haven't developed any photos yet. However I find the shutter release a little clumsy, you've got to press a button that's located on the lens. Is it better to use a shutter release cable with these types of cameras? I'm worried my pictures will come out all shakey looking because I'm moving the lens as I press the shutter.

On the other hand, the shutter release cable will hang down from the camera as it's around my neck, and I'd have to tape it to the side of the camera, which seems a little unprofessional or makeshift.

Is there any solution to this problem? Perhaps a very short shutter release cable (I haven't found any) or some sort of button that presses the cable release port?

Any help on a solution to this would be helpful, I'm new to these types of cameras.

mshchem · Oct 1, 2019

Find a 6 inch cable release. When we had camera shops these were very common. Be careful, not to snag the cable and damage your shutter.

MattKing · Oct 1, 2019

In the old days it was easy to find a right angle camera bracket that had a slot for a cable release.

Here is a photo of one:

brainmonster · Oct 1, 2019

Perfect! That's exactly what I need. It'd be a lovely noire accompaniment to my Lubitel, I'll have to purchase one tout suite. I think it'll really help keep the camera steady as well. Really, fantastic and much thanks!

QUOTE="MattKing, post: 2215647, member: 6437"]In the old days it was easy to find a right angle camera bracket that had a slot for a cable release.
[/QUOTE]

tezzasmall · Oct 1, 2019

Brainmonster, I've just quickly checked ebay and to get the most suitable number of useful grips, type in 'pistol grips' and search in the 'camera and photography' section and that will bring up products like above but also some other varieties that you may be interested in as well / instead of. Not doing the latter word search will bring up lots of actual gun related items! And putting in the full name of the item in post #3, will give you only a small amount of items, but more if you use the more generic words suggested. Just looking, there are a number available in the US just now. Happy spending!

Terry S

Dali · Oct 1, 2019

I am with mshchen here. Keep it simple and only buy a short cable without lock. This is what I use with my Lubi and it is a great improvement.

AgX · Oct 1, 2019

Fixing a release cable to the camera is counterproductive, unless the free part is much longer than the fixed part.
A free but short cable release may be a benefit in handling, but likely not much of a benefit concerning camera shake.

Dali · Oct 1, 2019

Well, the Lubitel being so light that improving the handling plays a big part on avoiding the camera to shake.

AgX · Oct 1, 2019

What makes me think of those fake SLRs that got a metal weight incorporated to make them feel at least somewhat decent...

spark · Oct 1, 2019

Lubitel 3 kit came with a 6 inch cable release. That was the most reliable part of the camera!

brainmonster · Oct 1, 2019

spark said:
Lubitel 3 kit came with a 6 inch cable release. That was the most reliable part of the camera!

Well at least it was cheap. Should get me started on medium format, it's better than buying a Holga, and probably more reliable.
It's supposed to be CLA'd by the seller, seller has a good reputation, lenses look clean and clear and body looks clean as well. Hopefully the pictures come out OK.
Do you guys recommend getting CLA'd copies of older cameras? Seems like a good idea since they eventually need it anyway. But sometimes, those CLA's cameras can cost a fortune, even for some crappy USSR camera! Thankfully mine wasn't too bad.

Also I don't want fungus on my lens, that's just nasty and I'm worried it'd spread to my other cameras and lenses I'd be storing it with. You basically construct a petri dish with dust and skin oils that the fungus is probably feeding on in there. From my biology class memory, the mycelium of fungus produces spores which are launched into the air from tiny little branches and forcibly ejected into the air. I wouldn't want that special kind of lens fungus that feeds on skin oils and tropical moisture here in Hawaii spreading at all into any of my equipment.

macfred · Oct 1, 2019

There's a nice Brasilian site dedicated to the Lubitel Universal 166 - lot's of interesting stuff about the other models too http://www.novacon.com.br/lubi.htm
Another link from the same site is about the Lubitel system; there's a nice wooden pistol grip (though I never saw one for real) http://www.novacon.com.br/lubip2b.htm

brainmonster · Oct 1, 2019

macfred said:
There's a nice Brasilian site dedicated to the Lubitel Universal 166 - lot's of interesting stuff about the other models too http://www.novacon.com.br/lubi.htm
Another link from the same site is about the Lubitel system; there's a nice wooden pistol grip (though I never saw one for real) http://www.novacon.com.br/lubip2b.htm

Thanks, some good info there. That's cool than the Lubitel 166+ has a detachable viewfinder, so it can we switched out for different ones. It looks like that version is manufactured by Lomography, so it is basically a modern recreation, but at $350 it's too rich for my blood. You could get a used Mamiya for that price.

"Lubitel" means "Amateur" which is interesting, I guess this camera is meant for amateurs, which explains the low cost, and making medium format available to the masses.

But, perfect for me, since I've never used the format before, in order to try it out.

Amazingly enough, the 166B even has a PC cable so it can be used with flash. Anyone know if this flash would work as a wirless trigger?

https://www.amazon.com/Godox-Blueto...odox+sony+flash+trigger&qid=1569957254&sr=8-6

It seems to have a 3.5mm jack in it, I'm assuming that using a 3.5mm to PC cable connector it might work to trigger a flash remotely. That would be great, and amazing if it does, it would be like Joseph Stalin riding in a Prius.

But I'm not sure if that's what the 3.5mm jack is for or if it's the correct protocol, it just says "3.5mm sync", it's not clear if PC since means 'personal computer' or the old manual camera PC flash port.

Shutter release cable for Lubitel 166B?

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