Remote control of cameras

• see also:

  • Olympus E digital

  • Canon

  • Nikon

  • Live Preview

  • for those who do not have live preview (ie. don't own the E330, etc) but would like one:
    • Zigview live preview LCD attachment to viewfinder - ~$US299
  • see also: http://www.steves-digicams.com/digsoftware_cameractrl.html 
  • general camera controllers:
    • Pinetree Computing - Olympus digicams
    • Cam2Com - Olympus digicams
    • InPhoto - Olympus digicams via TWAIN so can control from within Photoshop (also have a Canon digicam version)
    • DSLR Remote Pro - Canon
    • Olympus software developer kit (SDK) for programmers 
  • designed mainly for astrophotography:
    • Mike Unsold's Images Plus - controls Canon & Nikon dSLRs
    • Deep Sky Lab's EOS controller for Canon 300/350D
  • remote triggers for lightning, etc:
    • http://www.lightningtrigger.com/ 
  • for cameras that are restricted to IR remote control:
    • http://www.gentles.ltd.uk/gentled/options.htm#IRauto 
    • http://maxmax.com/shutter_controls.htm 

Introduction:

• remote control of your camera may provide the following capabilities depending on your camera & controller:

  • remote triggering of exposure:

    • this helps reduce camera shake in critical situations such as astrophotography

    • enables you to shoot without being in contact with the camera:

      • camera mounted in difficult to access situations eg. mounted high above you

    • this can be achieved in a variety of ways:

      • NB. the old mechanical cable release used by film SLRs is no longer used in digital cameras.

      • electric cable release

      • computerised cable release with additional controls

      • infra-red wireless remote - may also allow zooming and start-stop for Bulb exposures

      • WiFi wireless remote

        • third party solution which also controls wireless TTL flash for some newer cameras when matched with a Quantum QFlash, but no intervalometer or auto-sequencer:

          • FREEXWIRE digital transceivers or receivers

      • laptop control via USB cable or WiFi

  • intervalometer:

    • enables the taking of a sequence of photos at a given frequency eg. every 5 minutes

    • this can be very handy for automating photos of sunsets with one camera whilst you operate another camera, this is even better if it can be combined with AE bracketing and mirror lockup

    • this can be achieved in a variety of ways:

      • computerised cable release with additional controls

      • laptop control via USB cable or WiFi

  • auto-sequencer:

    • a more advanced form of intervalometer that additionally allows creating a programmed sequence of differing ISO, shutter speed and aperture, and potentially focus, exposure bracketing

      •  see http://www.pinetreecomputing.com/camctl_snapins.asp 

  • direct transfer of image to external device bypassing memory cards ("tethered shooting":

    • this can be handy in the studio during a long shoot

    • this requires either:

      • laptop control via USB cable or WiFi

      • external hard disk drive attached to camera (eg. Canon 1D Mark III with WiFi option has a USB connection) 

    • and software such as:

      • camera manufacturer's software

      • Bibble Pro

      • many other software solutions

  • tethered imaging with live preview on remote device:

    • this enables more critical assessment of focusing, etc but usually requires a live preview capable camera.

    • this requires laptop control via USB cable or WiFi

• in addition, some cameras can output live preview to an external video monitor:

  • although with this alone, you cannot control the camera remotely, it may allow you to critically assess focus, etc.

  • the output monitor could be a TV, laptop with video inputs, or PDA with video inputs.

Olympus dSLRs:

• all new Oly dSLRs have live preview (E410, E510, E330, and the E-3)

• via a PC or laptop:

  • wireless control:

    • not available yet

  • via USB/AV cable:

    • Pinetree computing (PTC) software - see below.

    • Olympus Studio 2 software:

      • currently does not support live preview but should do in next version.

      • insists on re-focusing the lens between each frame

      • it can be downloaded for a free 30day trial:
        http://www.olympus-europa.com/consumer/205_OLYMPUS_Studio_2.htm

      • http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympuse1/page14.asp
        and http://www.olympus-esystem.com/dea/products/software/olympus_studio2/

    • Olympus SDK:

      • designed for programmers to create third party software solutions

      • inexpensive (~29 Euros) but you need to know how to program

      • http://www.camedia-shop.com/

      • http://developer.olympus.com/cameras_25.html

    • Cam2Com:

      • lists point & shoots but does not list Oly dSLRs as being supported (2007)

    • live preview options (with dSLRs with live preview):

      • Pinetree computing (PTC) software:

        • requires:

          • a video input into your laptop as well as the USB input - both from the AV/USB cable which can supply concurrent analogue video and USB digital data.

          • PTC Camera Control Software

          • PTC E Series CSM

        • BUT seems manual focus is not currently supported, and AF will refocus between each shot if using an AF lens and not in My Mode which is set to MF.

        • see http://www.fourthirdsphoto.com/vbb/archive/index.php/t-12606.html

        • http://www.pinetreecomputing.com/camctl_eseries.asp

        • http://www.pinetreecomputing.com/camctl_cameralist.asp

        • you can use one of their snap-ins or make your own in Visual basic 6.0:

          • http://www.pinetreecomputing.com/camctl_snapins.asp 

• via a remote cable:

  • Olympus RM-CB1 remote cable:

    • only compatible with E-1 & E-300 (with battery holder), C8080 & C5060 (with battery holder), E-10, E-20N

  • Olympus RM-UC1 remote cable:

    • connects to camera's USB connection 

    • compatible with SP-510 UZ\SP-550 UZ\E-410\E-510 (and ? other E dSLRs)

• via infrared remote control:

  • Olympus RM-1 multifunction IR remote control:

    • allows triggering of exposure (and terminating of a Bulb exposure), and zooming of lens.

    • compatible with all E dSLRs and most other Olympus digital cameras (see here)

• live viewing via external video output:

  • any analogue PAL or NTSC video device that can accept the analogue video feed via the AV/USB cable - remember to set PAL or NTSC in the camera menu for video out.

    • live preview image from E330 at 10x magnification in indoor lighting is not easy to focus on a plasma TV though as quite pixelated - presumably it sends the same image output as the camera LCD ie. approx. 535x400 which then gets interpolated up to your TV's resolution

  • Olympus Studio v2 can view live video feed but only when camera set to CAMERA SHOOTING - it gets turned off when set to PC SHOOTING so cannot use this software to live preview then trigger the exposure.

Canon dSLRs:

• NB. currently, only the Canon 1D Mark III, 40D & 450D has live preview.

• see remotes for Canon 5D 

• via a PC or laptop:

  • wireless control:

    • Canon 1D Mark III when coupled with its WiFi wireless adapter WFT-E2A (~$A2099) :

      • can be used tethered wirelessly from a laptop with live preview images as well as remote control of the camera.

      • direct WiFi transfer of images to laptop or a web server via internet FTP protocol

      • http://www.sportsshooter.com/news/1752 

  • via USB cable:

    • Canon remote control software:

      • allows live preview on the PC with the Canon 1D Mark III and manual focus but no AF control.

      • long exposures limited to 30secs on most Canon dSLRs - hence astrophotographers use N3 based remote control.

    • third party remote control software:

      • see below for astrophotography

      • Breeze Systems DSLR Remote Pro:

        • allows remote Live View with AF (via PC contrast detection) or MF for Canon 1DMIII and Canon 40D

        • see http://www.dpreview.com/news/0710/07100201breezeremote.asp 

        • $US95 (2007)

  • via third party N3 plug or standard 2.5mm plug remote cables to connect to serial ports:

    • see http://www.beskeen.com/projects/dslr_serial/dslr_serial.shtml#cameraconnect 

    • Shoestring Astronomy DSUSB Canon  port cable

    • Hap Griffin's astrocables 

    • OPT style IR cables 

    • can be connected to laptop via serial port or a serial to USB adapter for use with remote control software such as:

      • special astrophotography software:

        • CCDSoft 
        • MaxIm DL 
        • FocusMax freeware works with CCDSoft or MaxIm DL and requires a compatible motorised telescope focuser such as RoboFocus
        • ImagesPlus! http://www.mlunsold.com
        • DSLRFocus http://www.dslrfocus.com/
          • ImagesPlus! and DSLRFocus will not give real time feedback due to the nature of most dSLRs, but they incorporate focusing algorithms to help achieve critical focus.
        • AstroPlanner
          • with DSLShoot, requires serial port control of both Canon dSLR and GOTO telescope but then can automate your night's photography by sequentially moving telescope to each desired object then triggering camera.

• via a remote cable:

  • the N3 Canon connector is available on 10D, 20D, 30D, 5D, 1D series and 1Ds series dSLRs

  • other dSLRs (eg. the Rebel series) without the N3 plug have a standard 2.5mm remote socket

  • Canon RS-60E3 remote switch:

    • for EOS film Rebel & Elan cameras made after 1993 & Digital Rebel / XT / XTi

  • Canon RS-80N3 remote switch:

    • half & full press shutter & shutter lock $A109

  • Canon TC-80N3 Timer Remote / Remote Switch:

    • $A309

    • allows one to set how often a photo is taken (intervalometer), how many photos to take (exposure counter), and when to take them (timer)

    • illuminated LCD panel

    • this can be combined with the cameras AE bracketing to provide automated sequences of bracketed exposures BUT you cannot set the mirror lockup with current dSLRs.

    • http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/tc-80n3.shtml 

    • http://eosdoc.com/manuals/?q=TC-80N3 

    • http://www.dangl.at:80/ausruest/tc_80n3e.htm - intrinsic details

• via a wireless remote:

  • Canon LC-4 radio wireless controller:

    • $A929

    • Canon LC-4R wireless receiver:

      • $A499

    • Canon LC-4T wireless transmitter:

      • $A489

  • Canon LC-5 radio wireless controller:

    • $A929

    • range ~100m line of sight; introduced in 2005;

    • attaches to a compatible camera's accessory shoe or can be separately attached to a supplied bracket and connected to the camera's three-pronged N3 Remote socket with the supplied 15-inch receiver cable. The unit is triggered with a pocket-sized transmitter that sends an infrared pulse-modulated strobe signal to the receiver. Powered by 4 AA alkaline batteries.

    • 4 control  modes:

      • Single-Shot mode which captures one shot each time the transmitter button is pressed

        • this is improved & now allows pre-setting of focus and waiting for the shot, then a full press will wake the camera and take the shot. In other modes, you need to half-press to focus first.

      • Continuous mode which signals the receiver to keep firing the camera (until the transmitter button is pressed again or until the camera's buffer memory limit or maximum storage card capacity is reached); 

      • Test mode, which illuminates a red LED on the receiver to confirm that the unit is operating properly before shooting;

      • Delay mode, which fires a single shot approximately 3.5 seconds after the transmitter button is pressed.

    • three channel settings to avoid setting off other controllers.

    • compatible with 10D, 20D, 30D, 5D, 1D series, 1Ds series, EOS-3, EOS-1v film & presumably all EOS dSLRs with N3 sockets BUT this excludes Dig. Rebels and XTs.

  • FREEXWIRE radio digital transceivers or receivers

  • old remotes:

    • Canon RC-1 infrared remote:

      • for some EOS film SLRs

      • http://eosdoc.com/manuals/?q=RC-1 

    • Canon LC-1 radio wireless remote for EOS film cameras; 60m range

    • Canon LC-2 IR wireless remote for EOS film with T3 socket but also via Remote Switch Adapter N3 to N3 cameras; 5m range; 

    • Canon LC-3 radio wireless remote for EOS & T series film cameras with 3-pin T3 sockets but also via Remote Switch Adapter N3 to N3 cameras; 100m range;

• viewing via external video output:

  • presumably this is only possible with live preview cameras such as 1D Mark III

   

Nikon dSLRs:

• via a PC or laptop:

  • wireless control:

    • Nikon Wireless Transmitter WT-3a does not allow wireless control of the camera but it does allow WiFi transmission of images to a PC or server.

  • via USB cable:

    • special astrophotography software:

      • see under Canon above.

  • via third party cables to allow Bulb exposures remotely with D40, D80, D70, D50 series of Nikon dSLRs:

    • Shoestring Astronomy DSUSB-IR Nikon IR port cable

    • Hap Griffin's astrocables NIRP/NIRS Nikon IR port cable

    • OPT style IR cables 

• via a remote cable:

  • NB. not all Nikon dSLRs have a port for a remote cable and you will be restricted to using an IR remote device

  • Nikon MC-36 multi-function remote cord

  • Nikon MC-22 motor remote cord

    • Blue, yellow and black banana plug terminals to connect to a shutter triggering device

    • remote control via sound or signal is possible

• via wireless remote:

  • Nikon ML-3 compact IR modulite remote control set

    • can fire the camera when a subject moves between the transmitter and receiver units

  • FREEXWIRE radio digital transceivers or receivers

• viewing via external video output:

  • only on playback of images eg. via EG-D100 video cable

Comparison of wireless remotes: