Usage: Gepe 3.25" Flexible Cable Release

[Justin Medlock]

This is probably a crazy/uninformed question, but
I came across the Gepe 3.25 Flexible Cable Release on the B&H website (also saw a similar/same device on the Calumet website).



I understand this device is mostly intended for recessed lensboards, but is there an advantage to attaching one of these devices per shutter, and then buying only one cable release? I'm referring to the debates between those who keep a cable release permanently attached vs those who do not for fear of damaging the shutter release, or stripping threads, or damaging the cable release from constant wrapping/unwrapping from around the lens during travel.





B&H only mentions Copal 0 shutters, but would it also work on Copal 1 shutters?





Are there better alternatives to this idea?





Thanks

[Bob Salomon]

It works on any shutter that has a cable release socket. It is not only for 0 shutters.

[David A. Goldfarb]

The flexible extension is really well made, and is great for recessed lensboards (particularly Linhof, which have a tight fit), but I don't really see a need to keep one attached to every lens. I leave it attached to the one lens I have on a recessed board that requires one, and if you have other lenses that may be mounted in such a way that it is hard to attach a cable release, there might be a reason to leave them attached for such lenses. It works on all lenses that have a normal cable release socket.

Otherwise, I just attach the cable release when I mount the lens. It's a good idea to carry a couple of spare cable releases anyway, in case one breaks. The same goes for flash sync cables.

[Ernest Purdum]

An alternative would be the deGroff 90 degree air release. This is also available from B&H amongst other sources. I like the bulb releases because the extra length they provide lets you get further away from the front of the camera.

[Bryan Willman]

Both the Gepe and the deGroff look like appealing solutions to the problem of recessed lens boards.

There is another one that works well, but is specific to Linholf.

There is an attachment for Technica recessed boards, which I don't know the name of (Bob Salomon might?). It consists of a little bushing that screws onto the board, and stiff wire "arm" that attaches to the shutter release. I ended up making a different "arm" out of stiff clothes wire.

The cable release screws into the top of the bushing, and when you press the release, presses onto the wire, which can exert force on the shutter arm in a quite convoluted path.

It's much simpler in reality than it is to describe. I was able to trip a 35mm apo grandagon mounted on a such board on an MT2000. However, couldn't get the base plate out of the picture, so went on to other things for that lens. But the shutter release "adapter" or "bushing" worked fine. If you have any doubt, a 35mm grandagon stuffed into a technica recessed board is a very tight fit. (Yes, I know it doesn't cover 4x5....)

[Gem Singer]

Hi Justin,

I have two Gepe Flexible Cable Release Extensions, as well as Gepe 20 inch and 40 inch cable releases . I purchased the extensions to use on my lenses, that were mounted in Copal 0 shutters, on Toyo recessed lensboards, on both a Toyo 45AII and a Toyo 45AX. They worked just fine. They also worked on the 4X5 Shen Hao camera, which used Copal 0 shutters and Linhof Tech recessed lensboards.

These little flexible extensions seem to work on all of my Copal 0 and Copal 1 shutters that are mounted on flat lensboards. However, I have a lens mounted in a Copal 3 shutter on my 8X10 camera. The flexible extension reduces the throw length of both cable releases to a point that the shutter will not fire at all. Without the extension, the shutter works fine with both cable releases.

I have also found that when using the flexible extensions with my Gepe cable releases, there seems to be a slight resistance when I push the plunger on the cable release. This causes an annoying momentary delay when I fire the shutter. It does not happen when I use the cable releases without the flexible extension.

[Dan Fromm]

Justin, I use a Gepe release extension on my 2x3 Graphics with lenses that make infinity with the front standard NOT in front of the struts that support the front door. This includes very short lenses that make infinity with the front standard inside the box. "Conventional" releases aren't flexible enough to clear the struts.

The Gepe extension has very a short throw. It won't fire shutters that require a long throw cable release.

Cheers,

Dan

[Gem Singer]

P.S. I always allowed the flexible extensions to remain attached to the shutters, that were mounted in the recessed lensboards. It did not cause any damage to the extensions, or the shutters. I purchased my Gepe Flexible Extensions from Jim, at Midwest Photo Exchange. His price was lower than both B&H and Calumet.