Cable release wth am I doing?

[Zaitz]

I first bought a cheap cable release locally that broke within 3 hours. It stopped plunging far enough. I figured it was a bad one and got a replacement. A few days later the same thing happened. So I bought an Adorama cloth one and it had been working well for the last few months until today. I drove 4 hours to the North Shore and after two shots it wouldn't extend far enough. Yes, I know I should have had more than 1 especially considering I have about 3 of everything in my obese pack. But I want to know if I am doing something wrong or are these just cheap cable releases?

[cdholden]

It's a good rule of thumb (but not always accurate) that you get what you pay for.
On the other hand, have you considered that the shutter might be the problem? What do you have?

[Zaitz]

It's a good rule of thumb (but not always accurate) that you get what you pay for.
On the other hand, have you considered that the shutter might be the problem? What do you have?

I did think about that but it has happened on two! Xenar 135mm in Copal 0 and Caltar 75mm also in Copal 0 but different shutters.

[vinny]

Gepe. Never had a problem in ten years. I get the special order 20" vinyl covered model from b&h. Much more flexible than the standard ones.

[lenser]

I doubt that this is your problem, but who knows.

You've got relatively modern shutters, but in some older ones, you actually need a long throw shutter release...essentially one that has a longer tip when extended...in order to completely depress the shutter action. You can always use a long throw release even on modern shutters, but can't use a common shorter tip modern releases on the shutters that need the longer tip. Might be worth looking into as you could be just on the border of needing the longer one and what you have only actuates part of the time.

Like CD says, it could also be the shutter itself. Do you ever have the shutter refuse to fire if you use it without the release?

[John Koehrer]

I learned pretty much the same way as you have.
It's false economy to scrimp on a cable release when there's so much invested elsewhere. You and I have both gone the 3 or 4 cheapies when one good one at the outset would have at least saved the newer additions to your vocabulary. = )

[Ash]

Never had a cable release break. However, I've managed to lose a couple.

[Zaitz]

Well I ordered two new ones - one is the Nikon ar-3. I thought about the long throw ones but when these cable releases were new they worked perfectly. It was like yesterday the throw was cut 1/4 of it's usual length. I fiddled with it a bit and it will now trip the shutter but it's still clearly shorter than it was. I am just going to have to make sure to take good care of them I guess. And have extras! Thanks.

[picker77]

Well I ordered two new ones - one is the Nikon ar-3. I thought about the long throw ones but when these cable releases were new they worked perfectly. It was like yesterday the throw was cut 1/4 of it's usual length. I fiddled with it a bit and it will now trip the shutter but it's still clearly shorter than it was. I am just going to have to make sure to take good care of them I guess. And have extras! Thanks.

You will really like the Nikon AR-3. I went through several cheapies (stiff, rough action, poorly cut tapered threads, etc.) from the photo store's rack stock before I got a couple of AR-3's. Wow, what a difference! Soft, flexible, smooth as greased silk, and the nicely machined threads actually hold solid when screwed in just lightly finger-tight. Now I have to go buy a couple or three more.