# ProDot Shutter Button Upgrade



## vlad (Nov 14, 2013)

Anybody ever used this?
http://www.customslr.com/products/prodot







For the record, I supported their kickstarter for the C-Loop, and i use their glide strap. I love both and will likely get the new strap (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/customslr/air-strap-a-camera-strap-that-does-more-with-less)

The dot seems like a gimmick though. Is it?


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Nov 14, 2013)

The hype seems over the top silly! So is the price. These might cost all of $5 cents to make, you can make hundreds of them with a tube of silicone.
$11.95 for two with shipping!!

I was interested because I have a severe los of feeling in my fingers and can't find the shutter button by feel. I might have bought the product for the over priced $8, but they add on $4 for shipping that costs between 40 and 78 cents for postage. They are trying to get rich and won't get my money.
I have long added a drop of hot melt adhesive to the top of micro switches in digital scales to compensate for poor tolerances and to give ease of operation for the user.

I am good at making things like that, I might make a mold and give it a try. It couldn't cost me anything but 30 minutes of playing around. Of course, I only have clear or white silicon on hand, white might work well on that new SL1 that's rumored.


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## lion rock (Nov 14, 2013)

Spokane,
You are very inventive. I like the hot melt glue idea, may be make hot melt glue in a mold to give a little nice shape.
You're source of idea.
-r


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## jsexton (Nov 14, 2013)

I got some early prototypes when I ordered a c-loop (which I really like) and they didn't stick for very long. One came off first time I took my 7d out of my camera bag. The one on my 5D came off after about 30 shutter activation's in warm summer weather. Unless they fix the adhesive and make the price a lot more attractive (I've got experience with mold costs) and change their shipping methods I don't see these taking off.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Nov 15, 2013)

jsexton said:


> I got some early prototypes when I ordered a c-loop (which I really like) and they didn't stick for very long. One came off first time I took my 7d out of my camera bag. The one on my 5D came off after about 30 shutter activation's in warm summer weather. Unless they fix the adhesive and make the price a lot more attractive (I've got experience with mold costs) and change their shipping methods I don't see these taking off.


 
Since these are not injection molded, just silicone, soft tooling is not expensive. You could even print them.

I have a roll od adhesive dots, I think I'll experiment with using them to hold on a elevated button. At a penny each or less, I would not care if they fell off occasionally, but they would need to stick for a reasonable time.

3M makes some good primers for silicone, we used it in some Aerospace applications, the test is that it must stick better than the strength of the silicone, so we tore up a lot of silicone verifying that its possible.

Cost is the issue, its only practical in a production environment.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Nov 15, 2013)

After doing some chores, I spent 10 minutes and made a test sample with a leather punch, a rubber furniture pad and a adhesive dot just to see if the concept was workable. The button actually stands up a little too high, I could use a piece of thinner material, maybe even leather. The adhesive dots I happened to have were 1/2 in diameter, and I used the punch to cut them to the same size as my button.

The photo was taken with my 5D MK II and the test button. It seems to stick pretty well, I'll play with it and try making one thinner.
Update, I tried to peal it off, but the flimsy rubber pulled apart instead, so I'll find some more durable rubber or leather. At least the adhesive is stronger than the material.

I think I could stamp out these for well under 5 cents each.


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## TAF (Nov 15, 2013)

jsexton said:


> I got some early prototypes when I ordered a c-loop (which I really like) and they didn't stick for very long. One came off first time I took my 7d out of my camera bag. The one on my 5D came off after about 30 shutter activation's in warm summer weather. Unless they fix the adhesive and make the price a lot more attractive (I've got experience with mold costs) and change their shipping methods I don't see these taking off.




I too got a couple free when with an order.

I am sorry I applied it to the camera. The adhesive smeared all over the area around the shutter button, and it is very difficult to remove this material. Then I noticed that the shutter button now spins freely (it did not before I applied the disk), probably because as the camera is put in and out of the bag the little knubs grab the bag.

It's a really nice idea (and I do like the feel), but overall not a very well executed item.

I absolutely love their C-Loop, so this one is a surprising disappointment.


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## Rienzphotoz (Nov 15, 2013)

In India we get a dozen of these for less than 20 cents ... women use them to decorate their foreheads, in my country its called a Bindi ... I think this so called "Pro" dot is a bit of a rip off.


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## Sporgon (Nov 15, 2013)

Upgrade or downgrade ?


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## eLroberto (Nov 15, 2013)

Does someone watched the video? Makes me laugh .


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## RAKAMRAK (Nov 15, 2013)

After looking at the video I have a question about my photographing technique. I generally always keep my forefinger (of right hand) on the shutter button. It always touches the button and when I am about to take the photo I press it (once, since I generally use back button focus). But the video show that the forefinger is kept far away and at the moment of the capture it looks like it "hits" the shutter button rather than gently press it. I hope my technique is correct and not the one shown in the video. Yeah, me from India too and a thich swede type or velvet bindi will do the trick as well.


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## 1kind (Nov 15, 2013)

TAF said:


> jsexton said:
> 
> 
> > I got some early prototypes when I ordered a c-loop (which I really like) and they didn't stick for very long. One came off first time I took my 7d out of my camera bag. The one on my 5D came off after about 30 shutter activation's in warm summer weather. Unless they fix the adhesive and make the price a lot more attractive (I've got experience with mold costs) and change their shipping methods I don't see these taking off.
> ...


The shutter button spins even without the button. We just don't notice it because its low.

I didn't have any issue with smearing. If there was, a little rubbing would do just fine.

Here are additional images of it - http://www.1kindphotography.com/2013/01/review-custom-slr-prodot-shutter-button.html


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## 1kind (Nov 15, 2013)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> After doing some chores, I spent 10 minutes and made a test sample with a leather punch, a rubber furniture pad and a adhesive dot just to see if the concept was workable. The button actually stands up a little too high, I could use a piece of thinner material, maybe even leather. The adhesive dots I happened to have were 1/2 in diameter, and I used the punch to cut them to the same size as my button.
> 
> The photo was taken with my 5D MK II and the test button. It seems to stick pretty well, I'll play with it and try making one thinner.
> Update, I tried to peal it off, but the flimsy rubber pulled apart instead, so I'll find some more durable rubber or leather. At least the adhesive is stronger than the material.
> ...


Great idea but your theory only raises the shutter button. With the ProDot, they're marketing is also raising the button but with less camera shake when pressing the button due to the little cushion.


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## mackguyver (Nov 15, 2013)

Sporgon said:


> Upgrade or downgrade ?


+1 on that! I customized one of my shutter buttons with a wet finger covered in DEET. My fingerprint was permanently etched into it and the new texture gave it a better grip. It's not recommended, but it really "personalizes" your camera


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## Rienzphotoz (Nov 15, 2013)

eLroberto said:


> Does someone watched the video? Makes me laugh .


Unfortunately I did ... it did not make me laugh, but I was shocked


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## Grumbaki (Nov 16, 2013)

mackguyver said:


> Sporgon said:
> 
> 
> > Upgrade or downgrade ?
> ...



Makes me think of the new iphone's fingerprint reading system. Would be of no use on a DSLR but that ade me chuckle.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Nov 16, 2013)

1kind said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > After doing some chores, I spent 10 minutes and made a test sample with a leather punch, a rubber furniture pad and a adhesive dot just to see if the concept was workable. The button actually stands up a little too high, I could use a piece of thinner material, maybe even leather. The adhesive dots I happened to have were 1/2 in diameter, and I used the punch to cut them to the same size as my button.
> ...


Sorry, but the button is silicone rubber, the cushion bit is for those who will believe anything. The hype is so overblown as to be silly. 
My reason for being interested is simple, I can't feel the shutter button. The simple test that I did in 10 minutes was a feasibility test to see if a small button would stay put, and to determine the height. I have no issues with camera shake due to the hardness of the shutter button, it has a built-in spring to absorb shock.


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## NYCPHOTO (Nov 18, 2013)

I used the dots for the first time this weekend....Shoot over 1600 images at a wedding...they stayed on...kinda like them

Got the at B&H so i didn't have to pay shipping.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Nov 18, 2013)

NYCPHOTO said:


> I used the dots for the first time this weekend....Shoot over 1600 images at a wedding...they stayed on...kinda like them
> 
> Got the at B&H so i didn't have to pay shipping.


That's good to know. 

I expect that hot and humid weather can do marvelous things to the adhesive. Silicone can revert to a liquid under these conditions if not cured perfectly, hopefully it is.. Most of you don't remember the mess in Vietnam when the silicone insulators on the back of the electrical connectors in fighter planes literally liquefied and when everywhere. There is nothing worse than liquid silicone for making a mess of things. It was found to be caused by heat and humidity.


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## Rocky (Nov 19, 2013)

RAKAMRAK said:


> After looking at the video I have a question about my photographing technique. I generally always keep my forefinger (of right hand) on the shutter button. It always touches the button and when I am about to take the photo I press it (once, since I generally use back button focus). But the video show that the forefinger is kept far away and at the moment of the capture it looks like it "hits" the shutter button rather than gently press it. I hope my technique is correct and not the one shown in the video. Yeah, me from India too and a thich swede type or velvet bindi will do the trick as well.


You technique is right. Shutter release button should be squeezed, not to be hit , to minimize vibration. Just look at the M series camera from Leica. A dish is built around the shutter release for the trigger finger to be rest on for squeezing, not hitting.


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## JonAustin (Nov 19, 2013)

CustomSLR included a couple of these ProDots (white/clear) at no charge with my purchase of a C-loop strap mount and glide strap. I'm not too keen on attaching inexpensive things to my expensive camera bodies with adhesives, so they've been sitting on my equipment shelf since I received them. I should go ahead and toss them into the trash.

That said, I don't "diss" CustomSLR for manufacturing and marketiing these things. Maybe they work for some people; quite possibly there's someone out there who swears by them (not at them).


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