Can a little silicone dot which attaches over your camera's shutter button really help you take better photos? That's the claim from the makers of the ProDot, a tactile shutter release button which is currently doing the rounds on Kickstarter, and it appears many photographers think it could live up to the promise … because it sailed past its funding target in a matter of days.
ProDot is an adhesive silicone dot which attaches to the shutter-button of your camera, and is said to make it more tactile while providing more precise control and vibration dampening. This is claimed to allow more accurate shooting and less camera shake, meaning better quality photos, especially when shooting at slower shutter speeds.
Offering functionality similar to the soft release buttons favored by many rangefinder-shooters, the ProDot from Custom SLR features a raised textured surface for your trigger finger, and attaches to the camera thanks to a 3M adhesive. It can be re-applied several times before losing its stickiness.
Other benefits of the ProDot are said to be that, because of the molded textured surface, you're less likely to see your finger slip on the shutter button even in moist environments. It should also offer more comfort for long shooting sessions – likely to be welcomed by wildlife and event shooters – acting like a cushion for your shutter finger.
While the ProDot was designed with photographers in mind, it's also suggested it could be used on any number of items – from iPads and computer mice, where it could give users a more comfortable no-slip grip, to devices used by the elderly, where it could be used to make buttons easier to find.
A pledge of US$15 on Kickstarter gets you three ProDots (one red, one black and one clear) with delivery expected in the second half of December 2012.
Here's the Kickstarter video from the ProDot team.
Source: Kickstarter
