Remote shutter activation. What's best?

mickledore

mickledore

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I want to fire the shutter on my 5DII from anything up to 15 feet away from it, most likely towards the front/side. I have an infra red button but this needs me to be directly in front of the camera, which I won't be. And it doesn't seem to work over the distance I need. My off camera cord is only about a yard long, which is nowhere near enough.

How do I fire the shutter from this position? I've seen some triggers, but they fit on the hot shoe, and the ones that still allow flash to be used will only do so in manual. I want, if necessary to be able to retain ETTL on my 580EX.

Is there a radio trigger that will allow me just to activate the shutter, i.e. a remote version of my cord? Would I be right in thinking that if I had a trigger just for the shutter then that would still allow my flash to work, as with my cord or IR button, just as pressing the shutter button does.

I presume that there is no such thing as a 15 ft long cord?

Does that make sense? Can anyone help?

P.S. I'm not a techy and get lost when specifications are quoted!!!
 
There is plenty of remote shutter releases. Just look on Amazon for remote shutter release for 5Dmk2 and take your pick.

There is a Canon official one thats about £20 I think, it's very simple and very effective. Canon cameras have built in IR receivers, so almost any IR remote will work.
 
Set of RF-602s. The sender has a push button that will fire the receiver and hence the shutter if connected to the camera remote in the correct way.
 
I don't know any wireless shutter triggers that need to be on the hot shoe, something like the Yongnuo RF-602 uses a cord to connect the receiver to the camera when used as a wireless shutter trigger. Whilst it can be put on the hotshoe for convenience in this mode, it doesn't need to be there.
 
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I must be missing something here. I've looked on Amazon and WEX, and things like the Hahnel need to be on the hotshoe, but only allow the remote flash to be used in manual.

The RF 602 sits on the hotshoe and triggers the remote flash once the camera button is pressed. Not what I want.

I want to activate the shutter only. I want to do this some distance from the camera.

Most of the time my flash will be activated by a separate flash trigger, not connected to the camera in any way, completely stand alone. This will be sound/vibration activated, and will cause the flash to fire completely independantly of the camera. Although, I would like to retain the ability to use my STE2 if need be, which cannot be done with the RF 602, or any of the other senders sat on the hotshoe.

I've looked at the Youtude videos, but they all concentrate on using these triggers solely to activate the flash, from the camera. I want to activate just the camera.

Is there anything that does that, or have I misunderstood how things work?

Is there a way on plugging some sort of receiver into the remote cord socket, to be used with some form of handheld sender?
 
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mickledore said:
Is there anything that does that, or have I misunderstood how things work?

Is there a way on plugging some sort of receiver into the remote cord socket, to be used with some form of handheld sender?
Click to expand...
Yes, that's exactly what you do with the 602's. The transmitter is hand held, the receiver is wired to the remote shutter release with the appropriate cable. The hotshoe can be used to mount the receiver but if you want the STE2 on, just let it dangle.

You need one of these cables for a 5D2: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RF-602-RF...78533518?pt=UK_Photography_StudioEquipment_RL
 
mickledore said:
Is there anything that does that, or have I misunderstood how things work?
Click to expand...

The RF-602 can work as either a remote flash trigger or a remote shutter trigger.
  • As a flash trigger the transmitter normally sits on the hotshoe and activates from the hotshoe (but doesn't have to, it could activate via a synch cord). The reciever sits under the flash (or could be connected via a synch cord).
  • As a wireless shutter trigger it connects via a cable to the shutter release port on the body. The reciever in this mode could be anywhere as long as it's still connected by the cord to the camera. The hotshoe can be convenient, but it doesn't take a connection from it and does not need to be in the hotshoe. The transmitter is wireless and handheld.
 
Right guys, I'm reading it like this, correct me if I'm wrong!

The trigger that is used on the hot shoe for flash is hand activated with the button that seems to be there. The receiver that the flash unit sits on is connected by one of those cables mentioned to the camera remote socket.

Am I right? I accept I'm a bit thick:bonk:
 
I have a 10ft long cord that I found on ebay, so I presume you can get a 15ft long one :lol:
 
http://www.hahnel.ie/index.cfm?page=dslrremotecontrols&id=64&pId=64

Just got a Hanael Combi TF a few days ago.

The receiver sits on the hotshoe just for security. There is no direct electrical connection with the camera hotshoe. The receiver just has a plastic mounting shoe and plastic securing thumb wheel. Connection the camera is by cable. Letting it dangle from a camera socket is not best practice.

It is a much tidier and safer setup than having long cables attached to the camera.
 
mickledore said:
Right guys, I'm reading it like this, correct me if I'm wrong!

The trigger that is used on the hot shoe for flash is hand activated with the button that seems to be there. The receiver that the flash unit sits on is connected by one of those cables mentioned to the camera remote socket.

Am I right? I accept I'm a bit thick:bonk:
Click to expand...

Basically, yes. It will work as you require.
 
mickledore said:
The trigger that is used on the hot shoe for flash is hand activated with the button that seems to be there. The receiver that the flash unit sits on is connected by one of those cables mentioned to the camera remote socket.

Am I right?
Click to expand...
Yes.
 
mickledore said:
Is there a radio trigger that will allow me just to activate the shutter, i.e. a remote version of my cord?
Click to expand...

Yes, you want a Hahnel Giga T Pro... LINK

mickledore said:
Would I be right in thinking that if I had a trigger just for the shutter then that would still allow my flash to work, as with my cord or IR button, just as pressing the shutter button does.
Click to expand...

Yes, you are correct.
 
I think that value for money and reliability, the YN 602 or 603 will fit the bill nicely for you. Put a straight bracket on the bottom of your camera and mount it on that. Thats what I do and i put a flash trigger in my hotshoe. Plug the lead into the port on the side of the camera (remember, it needs to be the correct plug for your camera) and your hotshoe is still free for your flash (or trigger). HTH
 
Haven't bothered to read anything above buy pocket wizards, it will fire every time
 
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