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Cable Switch You Can Drink From
An accessory for Pentax ZX Cameras
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(second edition)

Many pentaxoids prefer to use homemade cable switches for their ZX/MZ cameras. The only reason they do so is that the corresponding original accessory from Pentax is unreasonably expensive. Like many others, Pentax wants to make big bucks on accessories.

Well, the Cable Switch F is truly a very simple device. The required 3 wire cable with a suitable connector can be made from a computer CD audio-cable. Any available toggle switches or push buttons can be used to close the necessary camera contacts (see the picture).

Note: ZX-L/MZ-L cameras have release sockets of a different type. Please see the Appendix to learn how a homemade cable switch can be connected to ZX-L/MZ-L.

The distinctive feature of my device is its housing. Actually, it is a plastic container Russia-made chocolate eggs are placed into.

It must be confessed, the Russian drinking tradition is deep-rooted. When following it, photographers often use lens hoods with lens caps as suitable containers for drinking. This solution is both unhealthy and clumsy. Plastic film containers are even more harmful. To solve the problem, I suggest a photographer should have an accessory that can easily be turned into a safe container for drinking.

The bottom part of my cable switch is an example of such a container.

Note: It is your responsibility to choose liquid to pour and to drink.

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Appendix
How to connect a homemade cable switch to ZX-L/MZ-L

You can connect your homemade cable switch to ZX-L/MZ-L cameras via a standard 2.5 mm stereo audio jack (see the picture). Be careful not to confuse it with a larger 3.5 mm stereo jack.

The CS-205 switch operates as follows. When the release button is pressed halfway, contacts 1 and 2 are closed, and the AF and exposure-metering systems are activated. When the release button is pressed completely, all of the contacts are closed (1, 2, and 3), and the shutter is tripped.

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