re: remote shutter trigger-WITHOUT cable or timer

[Serge J-F. Levy]

I have been doing some self-portraiture for a while now and have come up against an issue: while the small walz and other brand timers are great, they still require that you run into position and get "ready." Also, I want to shoot myself at a distance that may not even be reachable within the 15-20 allowable seconds of these timers or reachable by a 32' Kalt bulb release.

Has anyone found and/or made some sort of remote trigger release that I could make or purchase. The idea would be something like this: I have a transmitter that I can push a button on and it would somehow depress the shutter lever.

Thanks for your thoughts.

-Serge

[Bob Salomon]

It would be very easy to do if you use a modern electronic shutter like the Rollei or the Horseman. Either could be fired via IR or radio releases as well as long cables that you could just step on to close a switch.

Unfortunately it would also be very, very expensive for the first shutter and the controller, battery, charger. It would only be very expensive for each additional shutter.

How badly do you want to do this?

[dan nguyen]

I remember...it was long long ago I had (not any more) a mechanical device of the size of my thumb, with a winding knob on the side to activate a plunger rod whicht trigger the shutter, time is about 30 sec. The device needs to be screwed in the shutter via a small thread end similar to the one we have on the cable release....Too bad I can't remember the brand (Canon..?) but I know it was from Japan...

[Jorge Gasteazoro]

They are still in existence Dan, they are called prontor shutters (not to be confused with the prontor brand of shutters) and can be found on E bay pretty regularly. Mine goes up to 2 minutes before it trips the shutter.

[James E Galvin]

Speed or Crown graphics often had a little solenoid mounted on a ring that fit under the shutter. The idea was to shoot by pushing a button on the flash, so two flashlight batteries activated the solenoid (and the flashbulb.) The solenoid pulled a hook that pulled the shutter release. Easy to hook it up to long wires. Look at Graphlex.org, should be some info there.

[Charles Forde]

Try these, though rather expensive but still very impressive.
www.kapturegroup.com/kap_htmls/electronic_cable.html (http://www.kapturegroup.com/kap_htmls/electronic_cable.html)

[Conrad Hoffman]

An off the wall idea- you might be able to rig something up using RC stuff from the hobby shop. A used solenoid, actuator, or whatever they call it, plus a low end control unit, would be good for any reasonable photographic distance.

[Herb Cunningham]

why not one of the rubber bulb activated cable releases? You can still get em with a spool that must have 15 ft or more of fine rubber tubing, and the other end fits a cable release socket on any modern lens.

they used to cost about $15.

looks like ebay to me, although I think they are still made somewhere.

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

Let me second the idea of using a model airplane or model boat remote control.
The arm of the servo-motor is strong enough to depress a conventional mechanical cable release.
The whole system can be found quite cheap nowadays if you do not insist on the smallest possible servo-motors.

[Bob Salomon]

The problem with servos or solenoids is that they can't recock the shutter.

The electronic shutters are always ready to fire at the press of a switch.

[Darin Cozine]

Speaking of self-portraits..
I've been having a serious technical issue with my self-portraits. I was hoping one of you creative problem-solving types could help me out... I think I have everything done right. I used studio lights with large softboxes. Carefully read the exposure for the highlights and shadows. The sheets of film were developed with precision.

And on every sheet of film I have the same issue.. my ugly mug is staring back at me.

I was thinking maybee I should get one of those purple-dot Ubergons I've been hearing about.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Darin Cozine]

"The problem with servos or solenoids is that they can't recock the shutter.

The electronic shutters are always ready to fire at the press of a switch."

The problem with the electronic shutters is that they cant advance the film.

[Bob Salomon]

"The problem with the electronic shutters is that they cant advance the film."

That is also possible. Although one solution is the Linhof Aero Roll Film Back for 5" film.

[Darin Cozine]

"That is also possible. Although one solution is the Linhof Aero Roll Film Back for 5" film."

Cool! Where can I get a 5" roll of velvia?

[Bob Salomon]

You would contact the aerial markets division. NASA was shooting that from the Shuttle with their Aero Technikas but they indicated that it was being spooled specifically for them. That would be a lot of film that you would have to buy.

[Los]

an assistant, maybe? they can recock, reload, and release.