cable release

[John Kasaian]

I find that Gepes aren't very expensive (and I am a tightwad.) There are far more expensive cable releases out there. Gepes really earn their worth if you have a double action shutter like an Ilex Universal, as they have a longer "throw" needed to cock and fire the shutter in a single depression.
That lock 'at the top' is a Zeiss Disc-lock. The cheaper locks have a little knurled screw to hold the cable (and shutter it's attached to) open.

Nearly two decades ago I followed Bob's advice and tried a Gepe. I'm glad I did since most of my shutters are double action.
You can look for Gepes and other cable releases with a track record for service in used baskets---if found they'll represent quite a bargain.
Until I started large format I bought cheap cable releases---they'd work for awhile then I'd wear them out and get a cheap replacement. That can certainly work for you until you run into double action shutters or go on trips where your cable release takes a dirt nap 8 miles from the trail head. Then quality (notice I said quality, not expensive or trendy) becomes more of a consideration to be taken seriously.

I built my 8x10 kit on a woefully tight budget. After awhile, once a year I'd treat myself to upgrading a piece of sorry equipment (preferably purchased either used or on sale)---loupe, light meter, filters, dark room stuff, etc...and for a couple of years it was a Gepe release. I have to say my modest assortment of Gepes have and continue to serve me very well.
Thank you Mr. Salomon!

[Alan Gales]

I used to buy monorail kits to part out and sell on Ebay. I ended up with a bunch of German Prontor cable releases which I kept. They are high quality and have a long throw which works great on old Ilex shutters. You can't buy them new but you can find them used on Ebay. Prices are all over the place so you have to be patient.

I like the cloth Gepes too. I'm a cheapskate like John but sometimes you get what you pay for and it's worth a little more to get something good. You have to decide for yourself if it's worth it to you.

Don't buy the elcheapo crap though. I've run across those and I would just include them in a camera that I was selling. It was either that or the trash bin.

[Keith Pitman]

I've bought Nikon AR-3 cable releases on Ebay recently. There are well made and very smooth. About $11-12.

P.S. Old Jim: You need to carry more than one cable release. They are easy to lose and some times break. I usually have one for each lens I carry.

[Old Jim]

Thanks all,
Keith, I had just ordered a release from B&H before I got all the posts. So I turned around and ordered another, simply because I believe in having a spare if I am trying to shoot waterfalls or such that require some travel. I think it would be foolish on my part not to have an extra.
Jim

[John Layton]

I dedicate a cable release to each lens - basically keeping them permanently attached so I'm not constantly attaching/detaching (inviting wear) and/or misplacing them. Cloth (Pentax) cables wrap conveniently around lenses when not in use. Definitely worth the investment!

[Jac@stafford.net]

[...] I believe in having a spare if I am trying to shoot waterfalls or such that require some travel. I think it would be foolish on my part not to have an extra.

We grow our own. Here's a freshly picked bouquet of releases. They are planted by the dental floss and spaghetti crops. I'll try to get a picture of our tripod trees next.

[Richard Wasserman]

Jac, do you use the same pygmy pony to harvest the dental floss and cable releases? Zircon encrusted tweezers?

We grow our own. Here's a freshly picked bouquet of releases. They are planted by the dental floss and spaghetti crops. I'll try to get a picture of our tripod trees next.

[Richard Wasserman]

Jac, do you use the same pygmy pony to harvest the dental floss and cable releases? Zircon encrusted tweezers?

For those of you who don't know Frank Zappa— https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ialhaxhr7iA

I'll leave this discussion alone now...

[Jac@stafford.net]

Jac, do you use the same pygmy pony to harvest the dental floss and cable releases? Zircon encrusted tweezers?

I did until black-ops from Linhof, Rodenstock, et al conspired to make my hardware garden illegal, and when they could not they sprayed my garden with bio-chemicals containing Asian DNA from which sprouted inferior copies. I gave up with an angry letter to some guy with the initials of BS.
.

[ben_hutcherson]

Threads like this make me enormously grateful for having a wonderful "old timey" used camera store locally.

Were I in the OP's situation, I'd take the lens in and root around in one of the many boxes of releases until I found one that fit. I'd probably keep looking until I found a second, then maybe grab a couple of nice looking standard ones to add to it. I'd then dig through the filter drawer, the darkroom shelf, and the expired film. All said and done, I'd end up with a nice pile of stuff then pass a $20 bill over the counter to pay for it(usually what I end up getting charged when I put together a pile of odds and ends).

BTW, I visit that store weekly.