I got pretty excited to receive an order from www.artisanobscura.com (or instagram) to outfit my cameras with these wooden hotshoe covers and soft shutter releases that I’ve always been curious about. And who doesn’t like to get stuff in the mail?
Now far be it for me to post any “camera pron” because I’m a firm advocate that it doesn’t really matter what camera you shoot with. In fact when anyone ever asks, ‘mirrorless digital’ is my response so you know I’m not walking around with a huge DSLR or camera phone to shoot street. Everyone’s needs are different and I say don’t trust anyone who tells you what camera to buy without knowing what you shoot… and don’t take candy from strangers because, reasons.
What is important to me is how responsive my cameras are. This means more to me when capturing the moment than anything else. I got these because they’re supposed to modulate your finger pressure, thus improving your timing and it also makes you really cool (as if I wasn’t already…pff - well at least that’s what my mom tells me;)
Anyways, I’ll be shooting with these on both cameras to see if the rumours are true, and let you guys know what I find sometime next couple weeks.
Artisan Obscura: Artisan Impressions
After a couple weeks with these neat wooden shutter buttons and hotshoe covers by @ArtisanObscura I’ve come to the conclusion that they.. will have a conclusion at the end of this review :)
I received two versions of these cool contraptions, one with a threaded bottom to fit into shutters with holes for cable releases, the other their newest ‘sticky back’ for those buttons found on most DSLRs,mirrorless, and.. well pretty much most cameras (even your smartphone if you’re so inclined to have a giant button sticking out - impractical as it is, I wouldn’t recommend it other than the cool factor of saying you have a wooden shutter release on your phone;)
*Cool products need cool packagingDurability and cool factor aside, these things are solid pieces of wood that stand up to the test of every day shooting and throwing into one’s camera bag. Also if you feel like stepping on it, I can confirm it would survive too as I kinda accidentally did just that when I dropped it on the floor with the thread getting stuck under my sole. I won’t mention how I thought I lost it under my foot because that would be embarrassing.
*It’s all good, I found itThe biggest question is whether the sticky adhesive is sticky enough to keep sticking. With the danger of overusing the word sticky so many times that the word loses all meaning, the short answer is yes, yes it is (super sticky). I lifted my camera by the button and it was perfectly fine (good thing too because I don’t have carpet to cushion its fall). It was only by really prying the hell out of the thing did it come off and as it did, it took the entire foam interior along with it. Think of a bee stinging you and leaving the majority of its inner torso behind.
*underside of button resting on shutter-speed dial/foam still on shutter)Residue? Resi-don’t worry about it. The stuff comes off provided you have fingernails and an itchy trigger finger. Oh and they give you 3 extra replacement foam sticky backs so you don’t have to worry about preserving the foam if you’re reckless as I am in removing tape from wrapping paper. The downside - you’ll have only 2 more chances to change your mind on whatever camera you want to use these on. The upside, if you get one for each camera, your decision will be limited to which button goes on which camera.
*underside of button, residue on shutter, foam innards.Performance-wise, the hotshoe covers do their job perfectly… they cover your hot shoe. (with style). I was worried about it scratching up the contacts but I’ve come to the realization that the contact pins on your flash would probably do more in that department than anything else.
With the shutter-buttons being more responsive, I’d say they do feel a lot nicer to shoot with them on. Really nice. By lifting them up above a little higher, you arch your finger much like correcting your finger positioning in playing piano but I’m not a great piano player so take that analogy with a grain of salt ;) Within the time I’ve had them, I’ve had more accidental misfires of the shutter while pointed at the floor so if I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to catch what’s going on around my feet, it would be perfect. That being said, I’d rather have a more sensitive shutter to catch the opportunities than a less-responsive one and miss the shot.
*used foam and extra foamy sticky backy goodnessCost-wise, well they’re not the cheapest accessories out there but these are well-made premium products so you get what you pay for in terms of fashion and functionality. They’re packaged in a nice wooden block, come with a useful lens cloth, and they’re sent to you fairly quickly so if you feel like treating yourself to some sweet shoe-covers and shutter buttons, then I’d say this would be the better than a box of chocolates (though some chocolate-lovers would argue that).
Conclusion: I like them.