Intervalometer for Canon and Nikon cameras

This instructable is teaches you how to make an intervalometer that can be used with virtually any camera.  It has been tested with Canon and Nikon cameras, but making adapter cables for other cameras is just a matter of figuring out the camera pinout.

This intervalometer has the following features:

• Intervalometer mode with options to change delay time and exposure time
• Sensor mode with built in light sensor and connector for external sensor input
• Manual mode allows intervalometer to act like a simple remote cable
• Integrated 2x12 LCD display
• Fully optically isolated interface to camera
• Total package is roughly 1" x 2.5" x 3" finished
• Electronics small enough to fit in a mint box
• Source code is available for download so that you can change programming as desired
• Available as a kit from www.ottercreekdesign.com

Below are some pictures of the intervalometer.  They show the regular case, the intervalometer in a mint case (Mintervalometer), some various pictures, and then the last three pictures are early prototypes of the project.

Step 1 Schematic

Below is the schematic for the project.

Comments

[dkelley]

I think this project is great! I was going to use the general design and try to build one using an arduino. Some addtional parts information would be nice such as partnumbers or exactly what to buy for the 2 postion tact., same for the phototransistor and the mini connector. Most of the other information is available on the schematic although kinda hard to read. I would also be interested in the kit but as already noted it does not seem to be available.

[branhamr]

I am interested in purchasing the kit, but the link leads to an "unavailable" notice at Amazon.  What's up?

[Mister_Caipirinha]

Canon owners may be able to take advantage of CHDK (Canon Hack Development Kit) a firmware add-on for Digic II, III and IV cameras which enables time lapse, motion detection, advanced bracketing, and much more. Free. http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK

[Joshatdot]

I was going to post the same thing.  I love CHDK! I've made a few Interval/Time Lapse vids with my Canon A570 & A720.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pTBk1D_vzc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIs8pMkK-X0

[zphaze]

Just finished building this kit and I must say that Peter did an excellent job. This little intervalometer works great with my Canon G11. I guess it uses the same plug configuration as the Canon Rebel.  I dig the backlit LCD screen. That was a bit of a surprise.

[zphaze]

Assembly details are missing for the red led on the front of the board.

[zphaze]

In order to get the placement right for the red led I first inserted the led into the pc board. Orientation is important on this part. The long lead (+) needs to be at the bottom. I then placed the board face down on the front panel with the screws and spacers in place. Once the board was in place I was able to push the led into it's correct location on the front panel and solder it in place.

[Mark Rehorst]

 Great project!  I have had parts sitting around to make a PIC based intervalometer for a while but you beat me to it.

Can you post a summary of the ranges for the values such a min and max interval, max frame count, etc.?  I can't find it anywhere in the article.  Also a little about the behavior would be nice- does it allow the camera's auto focus to lock before tripping the shutter?  

[peterdr]

Check out step 10 of the instructable - it describes the operating modes of the device.

[Divemaster]

Can i use this intervalometer on a Nikon D40?

[Jayefuu]

Replacing the labelled pictures in steps 3 and 4 with ones without labels then adding instructables tags would make this guide a lot easier to read. The text on the pictures is far too small to be useful.

[lemonie]

Most of the pictures are easily identified as coming from www.ottercreekdesign.com. Since you must have a camera - why so few of your own?

L

[Scott_Tx]

They probably are affiliated with ottercreekdesign, a bit spammish.

[lemonie]

Mmm, I guess the ones not displayed on the web-site are the less impressive looking ones. It's usually the done thing to acknowledge where you're coming from, but you'd expect a link-back from the site to this "under how to build". Unless that's in the kit?

L

[peterdr]

I don't think it's too spammish.  Ottercreekdesign was basically set up for this project.  I've seen too many of these sorts of projects that look really cool, but are nearly impossible to build because the qty:1 parts prices are too high.  There's also the problem that if the project contains a custom PCB - which this one does - it's very expensive to replicate.

The price for the kit reflects pricing based on small order quantities - trust me there's not a lot of profit built into the numbers.  I just wanted a way to get a project that I thought was cool out to as many people as I could - and make it so they had a reasonable chance of success on the project.

[Personman]

 I don't find this spamish at all.  Everything you need to know to build this w/o the kit is in this post, even where to get source code.  Your not strong armed into purchasing anything to complete  this project though if you want the convenience of a kit it's available.   The most people must give is foot traffic to  www.Ottercreekdesign.com for the code and IMHO that more then fair. 
Great instructable.

[Jayefuu]

I thought it was VERY focussed on someone buying a kit through ottercreek. It would be nice for the instructable to teach more to people reading it. For example I don't think it explains HOW an intervalometer works by shorting two of the pins of the camera. Nor does it say that a screen isn't necessary and someone could do this easily with a 555 timer, a rotary switch and several resistor values. But then this seems to me like one of those ibles trying to generate traffic and sales, not a purely instructive one as the author claims.

As a guide to building the ottercreek kit though, it's detailed and well written. Well done.

[lemonie]

No I didn't either, the guide to build is quite comprehensive & here's quite a good place to put it. But as the build isn't on the site you could point from here to there and back and update your profile?

L