Help required for shutter release cable/switch

[carregwen]

I want a cable release for both my 50D and 5DMk1. Never used one before (I know, it's bad). I've tried one of the infra-red thingees but I really want a cable type. Anyone suggest anything? What do you use?

[PopsPhotos]

I have a couple for those cameras with the threaded fitting in the shutter release button. My problem at the moment is that they are not long enough for a particular set up I desire. I'm going to have to find a longer one, like 24 inches minimum.

They are so cheap, one doesn't (in my opinion) have to shop around much. Adorama has a cloth covered one with lock for $15.

Pops

[rick55]

I use the Canon remote switch (RS-60E3) with my 500D, and it works fine, but it is a little short. It's perfect for locking up the mirror and doing a long exposure. That specific switch isn't compatible with the 50D or 5D: the equivalent appears to be the RS-80N3. For me, one of the most useful things about wired instead of wireless is that the shutter button still works normally. The better cameras may be different, but on the 500D, the shooting mode setting for IR remote is "self-timer/remote." So when I have it in remote mode, if I suddenly see a shot and hit the shutter button by mistake, it goes into a 10-second beep mode while I think about kicking over the tripod. With the wired switch, you just leave it whatever shooting mode you want, including self-timer, and the wired switch acts just like the shutter button.

I've also made a remote release, based on the circuit diagram here, but judging by the picture of the RS-80N3 on the Canon site, it doesn't use a standard audio-style connector, so that may be a problem for making your own.

Cheers,
Rick

[carregwen]

I use the Canon remote switch (RS-60E3) with my 500D, and it works fine, but it is a little short. It's perfect for locking up the mirror and doing a long exposure. That specific switch isn't compatible with the 50D or 5D: the equivalent appears to be the RS-80N3. For me, one of the most useful things about wired instead of wireless is that the shutter button still works normally. The better cameras may be different, but on the 500D, the shooting mode setting for IR remote is "self-timer/remote." So when I have it in remote mode, if I suddenly see a shot and hit the shutter button by mistake, it goes into a 10-second beep mode while I think about kicking over the tripod. With the wired switch, you just leave it whatever shooting mode you want, including self-timer, and the wired switch acts just like the shutter button.

I've also made a remote release, based on the circuit diagram here, but judging by the picture of the RS-80N3 on the Canon site, it doesn't use a standard audio-style connector, so that may be a problem for making your own.

Cheers,
Rick

Thanks Rick, very useful.

This is the RS-80N3 from Canon. Its about £44 http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-...witch/p1002794

But Amazon seem to have something similar (at £38) which also has a timer. Might go for this.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Timer-Remote...0486847&sr=1-8

[Wirefox]

Rob

I have gotten into the habit of trying the cheap and cheerful first and then going for the branded stuff if that doesn't work. I use this release on the 40D it works absolutely fine for what it is. Construction is not as per Canon as can be well imagined but given that I only use it one in a blue moon it does the job

http://www.digitalmediastore.co.uk/c...000__JJC-MRA-D

[carregwen]

Rob

I have gotten into the habit of trying the cheap and cheerful first and then going for the branded stuff if that doesn't work. I use this release on the 40D it works absolutely fine for what it is. Construction is not as per Canon as can be well imagined but given that I only use it one in a blue moon it does the job

http://www.digitalmediastore.co.uk/c...000__JJC-MRA-D

Thanks, Steve. It certainly is cheap at £9.99, but as you say - if it does the job! I might give it a go.

[arith]

Thanks Rick, very useful.

This is the RS-80N3 from Canon. Its about £44 http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-...witch/p1002794

But Amazon seem to have something similar (at £38) which also has a timer. Might go for this.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Timer-Remote...0486847&sr=1-8

I think that is great; if amazon can do it for £38 I definitely can get the same thing cheaper. I didn't like to say I use cheap Chinese crap, it works but you have to have an illuminated watch. I don't know why Canon charge so much, all you need is something that works and don't break the camera. cheers

[Colin Southern]

Hi Rob,

I use one of these - wouldn't be without it!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-TC-80N...0503543&sr=1-1

[carregwen]

Steve/Colin

Thanks for that. It's always the way isn't it. Canon make something and it costs a lot, then some outfit in HK do it at half the price. The quality often isn't the same but you think "It's only a....".

[Snapfast]

I recently purchased a remote cable release for my Nikon D200 on Amazon. It is made in China by Satechi, costs less than half of the Nikon product, and works fine. They have releases for Canon also. Hope this helps.

http://satechi.com/

[Colin Southern]

Steve/Colin

Thanks for that. It's always the way isn't it. Canon make something and it costs a lot, then some outfit in HK do it at half the price. The quality often isn't the same but you think "It's only a....".

I tend to avoid the "clones" - if for no other reason than I don't like to see someone (like Gary Fong) put a lot of effort into a product just to have someone else come along and blatently steal their design.

[rick55]

I tend to avoid the "clones" - if for no other reason than I don't like to see someone (like Gary Fong) put a lot of effort into a product just to have someone else come along and blatently steal their design.

I generally agree with you about this, Colin, and definitely agree about the Gary Fong products: that was an innovation.

But a wired remote is one or two buttons, a cable, and a connector. The only design is meeting the camera's interface. If Canon charges a premium for one with their name on it, I'll go elsewhere.

Cheers,
Rick

[carregwen]

I tend to avoid the "clones" - if for no other reason than I don't like to see someone (like Gary Fong) put a lot of effort into a product just to have someone else come along and blatently steal their design.

I have a Gary Fong rubber band (it has the words 'Gary Fong' on it) on my Canon 24-105L. When people ask me why it's there I say 'It's to constantly remind me what a mon...' I can't say the rest or I'll get into trouble. I had a Gary Fong Whaletail diffuser. Actually I had several, some were replacements. I also took tranquilizers while I was trying to get back the £78 I paid for a bit of plastic.

I still have the rubber band, and life is a series of short painful lessons. Here endeth the first lesson.

[Colin Southern]

I generally agree with you about this, Colin, and definitely agree about the Gary Fong products: that was an innovation.

But a wired remote is one or two buttons, a cable, and a connector. The only design is meeting the camera's interface. If Canon charges a premium for one with their name on it, I'll go elsewhere.

Cheers,
Rick

In this case it's a countdown timer - exposure timer - interval timer and shot counter all rolled into one. Perhaps I'm getting a bit more "straight-laced" in my old age, but if I buy "clones" (aka a product produced by stealing someone elses ideas and designs) then I feel that I'm encouraging theft and discouraging innovation; supporting the bad guys, and abandoning the good guys.

In a way it's perhaps a bit like child porn in that it only exists because there is a demand for it. If nobody touches the $200 counterfeight copy of Photoshop then it's just cost the counterfeighters a lot of time and effort for no return - same with lightspheres - same with counter/timers. A bit like someone I know (who's not on here) - processes his shots with cracked Photoshop & lightroom - puts other peoples music as soundtracks on his slide shows - has no qualms about using illegally obtained training materials - and make a LOT more money from photography because of it - I'd like to think that I sleep better at night, but who the heck knows. I certainly feel a lot better doing it the honest way than I would doing it his way.

[rick55]

In this case it's a countdown timer - exposure timer - interval timer and shot counter all rolled into one. Perhaps I'm getting a bit more "straight-laced" in my old age, but if I buy "clones" (aka a product produced by stealing someone elses ideas and designs) then I feel that I'm encouraging theft and discouraging innovation; supporting the bad guys, and abandoning the good guys.

In a way it's perhaps a bit like child porn in that it only exists because there is a demand for it. If nobody touches the $200 counterfeight copy of Photoshop then it's just cost the counterfeighters a lot of time and effort for no return - same with lightspheres - same with counter/timers. A bit like someone I know (who's not on here) - processes his shots with cracked Photoshop & lightroom - puts other peoples music as soundtracks on his slide shows - has no qualms about using illegally obtained training materials - and make a LOT more money from photography because of it - I'd like to think that I sleep better at night, but who the heck knows. I certainly feel a lot better doing it the honest way than I would doing it his way.

I probably agree with you more than I disagree, Colin. I've never cracked commercial apps, even though (like you) I'm a software developer by trade.

But even a multi-firing remote seems to me to be pretty obvious. It's the kind of thing that the US Patent Office shouldn't patent, but probably does. If I put a device on the end of a cable that's going to "press the shutter for me," the things it will do will occur pretty quickly to anyone who's used a camera for a couple of years, I think. I'd be unhappy if I were buying one where they had taken apart Canon's version to design theirs.

I put this more along the lines of a wrist strap or bag: it's obvious how it works, and there's no reason to buy something more expensive from Canon.

Cheers,
Rick

[carregwen]

But even a multi-firing remote seems to me to be pretty obvious. It's the kind of thing that the US Patent Office shouldn't patent, but probably does. If I put a device on the end of a cable that's going to "press the shutter for me," the things it will do will occur pretty quickly to anyone who's used a camera for a couple of years, I think. I'd be unhappy if I were buying one where they had taken apart Canon's version to design theirs.

I put this more along the lines of a wrist strap or bag: it's obvious how it works, and there's no reason to buy something more expensive from Canon.

Cheers,
Rick

Good reply

[Terry Tedor]

I use the Canon RS-80N3 with my 50D. According to the B&H Photo website, the 80N3 is compatible with "5D-series". Other than the cord being short, I'm happy with it. I guess there is one advantage to the short cord: you don't end up with a lot of cord dangling around to get caught in the legs of a tripod. I do believe the length can be extended with the Canon ET-1000N3 Extension Cord, which is 33' long. One thing that I think is nice about the 80N3 is the fact that it has a latching mechanism so you don't have to keep your finger on the button if you're using the "bulb" setting. Not that "bulb" is used a lot, but the feature is there if you need it.

In a way it's perhaps a bit like child porn in that it only exists because there is a demand for it. If nobody touches the $200 counterfeight copy of Photoshop then it's just cost the counterfeighters a lot of time and effort for no return - same with lightspheres - same with counter/timers. A bit like someone I know (who's not on here) - processes his shots with cracked Photoshop & lightroom - puts other peoples music as soundtracks on his slide shows - has no qualms about using illegally obtained training materials - and make a LOT more money from photography because of it - I'd like to think that I sleep better at night, but who the heck knows. I certainly feel a lot better doing it the honest way than I would doing it his way.

I find that people like this usually get their just deserves in the long run. It may take a long time, but I believe "karma" has a way of catching up sooner or later. Me, I play by the rules because it's the right thing to do and that's just how I am.

[agaace]

I use this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...ss_Remote.html

I think I chose it over the Canon thingy cause it was cheaper with the same functionality that Canon gives you. I wanted a wireless solution for one reason - apart from image stabilization it is great for self-portraits/group portraits (including the photographer) - better than running when the self timer is counting and half people have their eyes closed I can't say if it's better than Canon stuff, I bought it with the camera long time ago and never paid attention to it. Honestly, I only use it for bulb exposures and group shots, and it does its job. For landscapes I'm usually lazy and use the 2s self-timer. Now however, I would like to try some star trail shooting, so I might end up getting something more advanced.

[carregwen]

I use this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...ss_Remote.html

Agata

I just took delivery of something very similar to that, here http://www.amazon.co.uk/meters-Chann...1021819&sr=1-6 It seems to work well, although I only tried it once so far. Cost about $35. Not bad for a wireless unit. Thanx for the advice everyone.