Thursday, October 29, 2009

Invisible Cable Release Holder

You can not see my new design cable release holder, but it is right there!
I don't like to spoil the simple style and outlook of camera body, so what I design for a cable release holder, is an innovative way, way beyond I myself could imaging! I really am proud about it! simple but elegant!
It is for your left hand, for your index finger......
Will show you how it works later, I need to buy a little parts for it now.

(02/11/09 Add)
In fact it is a typical ergonomics study, in product design. We try to gain the best results in compromising between operation functions and outlooks of product, in a cost effective way.
Here shows three possibilities for holding the shutter while taking pictures.
1. Cable at the side of body, in front of the strap
2. Cable at the side of body, at back of the strap
3. Cable beneath the view window, by side of door lock
No matter which position we put cable, index finger is the only candidate for pressing release.

Now we found out that position 1 & 2 makes index finger raise high for release, we will feel tired if keep that way for long time, and thus weaken the stability for holding camera, it seems the third way is the best choice. We should install a cable release holder just beneath the view window, according to the conclusion of the ergo study.
But the question is how a holder should be, and at which position?
Well, as I mentioned before, I am trying to keep the outlook as simple and neat as possible, in the reason of aesthetics, as well as cost effectiveness.
Another consideration is the trap that product designers often step in without awareness. They tend to treat themselves as a standard human body measure, when they feel comfortable on prototype, they think the size is right to everyone, but that is not true, they are not qualified representing as average people. This is why Ergonomics exists. I decide the position for holder according to my palm size, what about the user with smaller/bigger palm size, will they be feeling comfortable?
So you know the paradox, it seems I never got a chance to install a cable release holder, to satisfy every user. That puzzled me for a while, I am in a dead alley.
Months later, I reviewed the purpose of this holder, must it be stayed in a fixed place? how about a holder with some flexibility for different palm size?
That broaden my thought and I know how to solve it!!
I found a tiny product, made in stainless steel and spring, it is a pen clip, for holding a pen in shirt pocket.
 Let's use it as a cable release holder, looks like this:
Now this clip becomes a "cable release holder", but how to make this holder fixed on camera body, and fits everyone's palm size?
The answer: strong magnets
These magnets are very powerful when they attracted together, you have to use some force to separate them, I glue one in the clip with AB glue, and put another two inside the door lock.
So when you use cable release, put the holder near the door lock, two magnets will attract each other, your cable release stays on the door lock.
And since the holder is attracted by magnetic power, it is not dead-fixed on the door lock, means you can hold the release in any angle you like, according to your palm size.

Magnetic power makes holder stayed on camera body well, but keeps flexibility, and when you take off the cable, you take off the holder too, keeps camera outlook neat and simple. A tiny part of the camera, but took me two months to set.
Did I mention that a chamber is in the camera body for cable release/holder storage? No? well, it has.

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