Olympus Evolt E510 Remote Cable Release (Version 2 with Auto Focus on Remote)

Yesterday I built a simple one button remote for my Olympus E510. Most cameras have a shutter release button (the one you push to take a picture) that has two modes. If the button is gently depressed, the camera will auto focus and meter the light without shooting; this is sometimes referred to as a half press. If the button is depressed fully, the camera will typically auto focus, meter and shoot all in one step. This is usually reffered to as a full press'.
Yesterday's instructable only supported full press shooting. Version 2 supports both half press and full press shooting modes as well as a BULB switch for timed exposures.

This instructable will build on the previous remote and add the functionality of auto focusing (half press) and shooting from the remote.

I find this to be a great replacement for the $57 Olympus RM-UC1. My total material cost for this project was about $9 (including the disgusting gum). This is a very fine deal.

This should work for the following cameras (thanks Lori!):
E-410, SP-510UZ, SP-550UZ, SP-560UZ, E-410 and E-510

For those unfamiliar with a Remote Cable Release, this device allows a photographer to shoot a picture without directly touching the camera. Using the remote ensures that the camera does not move during the exposure. This is especially useful for taking macro photographs, photographs with long exposure times or photographs in odd positions.

Standard Disclaimer
Your camera is probably pretty nice. You probably spent a lot of cash on it. If you are afraid that you might hurt it and that hurting might make you sad, don't even think about trying this project. I'm not an electronics expert, but I'm fairly certain that none of what I'm about to tell you can possibly hurt you or your camera, but I could be terribly mistaken. This project should leave you with an excellent remote and a satisfying feeling. There is a small possibility however, that following my directions could lead the sun to burn out, your house to fall down or cause your medical insurance rates to go up. Use these instructions at your own risk. Your mileage may vary.

Cheers!
Aaron

Step 1 Gather Your Materials

For this project you will need:

• A prepared 12 pin remote cable. Follow the Olympus Evolt E510 Remote Cable Release instructions through step 8. Then return to this Instructable to complete the release. Check ebay for cables. I have found that most Olympus cameras use the same 12 pin connector as the Evolt series.
• An enclosure for housing your project such as Herseys Ice Breakers Sours Gum
• Two SPST Momentary push button switches Radio Shack PN 275-1571
• Radio Shack Multi Purpose PC board PN 276-150
• One DPDT slide switch Radio Shack PN 275-403
• Hookup Wire (22 gauge works well)
• 2 6-32 1/4" machine screws and nuts (for securing the switch)
• Small zip tie
• Dremle Tool or similar high speed rotary cutting device with ceramic cutting blade for cutting PC board
• Drill
• Utility knife
• Soldering iron with pencil type tip
• Solder
• Screw drivers
• Needle nose pliers or forceps
• Implements of Destruction (As this was made on Thanksgiving, an Arlo Tribute was necessary.)
• Patience

Comments

[edzo]

Thanks for your clear and simple story!!
With this and some other stuff on the Inet I managed to make a triple-way connection for the Olympus E-420 . It works absolutely fine!!!!!

This connection is I think you can get the most out of an E-420 , for the other models I m not sure.

It is USB (Studio 2) / S-video (live view) / and wired Remote control on the same plug.

I can use it now with Studio 2 , external screen (for liveview ) , and wired remote all at the same time , and use all the functions of the camera.

For the 420 I discovered al slightly different pinout ?? the only difference was the video shield also needs to be connected to the shell of the plug.

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!

[edzo]

as you see on the second image, it was still in 'test' condition, now I finished it neatly off.

[NiekZ]

Great instructable. I'm planning on making it, probably with the 555-interval-o-meter (waiting for the instructable for that...), UNLESS:

Does anybody know a way of using a PDA with windows mobile for operating a DSLR?
I found this: http://www.astromist.com/palmdslr.html
But that's for a Palm PDA (and some other camera) Too bad I'm not a software engineer.

1. The cable mini-usb to olympus-usb isn't difficult to make.
2. Using a windows-operated pda would be the easiest solution for operating your camera, as a remote release thing and as a remote interval/timer.
But who's going to write the code?

Anyway, keep up the good work!

[txoof]

I just recently wed my an intervalometer and this project into one box. Here's a link to everything I used in the building of the Intervalometer.
http://www.txoof.com/2011/04/time-lapse-intervalometers-and-555.html

I ended up removing the focus button and pulling both focus and fire to the same button. I found that most of the time I use this remote, I shoot with the camera on manual focus.

[nightscape_98]

I have an E-520 and it works fine, except it is pin 4 on the E-520, seems that there is some interpitation on weather it is #3 or #4 and an other site it is Pins # 4 and 10. trial and error worked for me. turned out nice and works sweet. I skipped the pc board and used wires instead and the box is from radioshack for 3.99 and i used my dymo label maker I plan later to pute usb in it and video as well, and i think if you put a switch on the double grounds of the video it should be able to be switched between cam and monitor. I will try it sometime in the future, if someone else does let me know. TYVM

[JackAZ]

Great instructable. Sure beats spending money on the RM-UC1 and after a bad experience with a generic IR remote I wasn't going to repeat that mistake with a release cable. I modified it slightly by installing a RJ-45 connector in the housing so I can use CAT5e networking cables to extend the length whenever need be but not have to always have a lot of cable to deal with. Thanks for putting this together and sharing it with us.

[txoof]

The rj45 jack is a great idea. It leaves room for making a wireless remote using the same camera cable. Those cable ends are hard to come by without shelling out bucks to Olympus. I'm sure I could find some on Ebay, but your solution makes a robust physical connection and leaves room for growth in a really smart way. Thanks for sharing!

[NormMonkey]

If the E-510 sees ground on both 4 and 11 simultaneously will it fire? i.e. if SW2 (shoot) were tied to SW3 (focus) so that pushing SW2 is the same as pushing both SW2 and SW3, would the camera fire? Or does it have to have some delay between half-press to full-press?

[NormMonkey]

Oops, I guess this would also result in SW3 doing both, too. Nevermind.

[bygolly]

Would this work with an E-500?

[txoof]

I think it probably will. Olympus doesn't mention the E500 on their support site, but the E510 is just an update of the E500, so it should work just fine. An easy way to tell would be to try a RM-UC1 at a camera shop. If it works, then my remote should work.
My setup uses exactly the same pin outs as the RM-UC1, it just isn't as pretty.
Let me know if it does work so I can include that in the instructable. Thanks!

You can check out the Oly remote here: http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_support_accessories.asp?id=1294&ct=48

[deeejay]

Unfortunately, the RM-UC1 does not work with the E500 (see below)

SystemChart_E-500_300

Fourthirdsphoto_Forum

[txoof]

Do you have an E500? If you do, and you're willing to chop up the 12 pin connector, you can probably hack out which pins release the shutter. It's a shame the E500 and E510 aren't compatible.

[lgwapnitsky]

Has anyone done this yet? Does anyone know the codes that Olympus uses when their Olympus Studio software is tethered to the camera to trigger the shutter? This would be great to have and try to program into an Arduino

[txoof]

I'm thinking about making a time lapse controller with a arduino. I have no idea what goes on behind the scenes though...

[lgwapnitsky]

That's exactly what my plan is. I'm waiting for my first kit. I'll learn to use it, and I've just picked up some guidelines. If I figure it out, I'll be sure to make my first Instructable

[cornz]

Fantastic little hack..Just made mine and set it up as i wanted it. Only other thing i might do is get some white letraset and label the switches. Well done for posting this.Ssaved us Oly users a small fortune.

[txoof]

Yeah, it'd look more professional with some labels. The "finishing touches" have never really been my specialty tho. What is your enclosure made out of? I'm always curious to find new boxes to put my hacked junk into.

[cornz]

It was a small project box from "maplins".
I should have bought a narrower box but its no big deal.
It works and it works well....

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=43710&doy=25m1

Cracking little mod....

[cornz]

Completed remote shutter..

[Lori C]

Great project. Should the last sentence of the 'Test your circuit...' be amended to : 'Press SW3 to focus and then SW2 to release shutter when ready.'

[txoof]

Very astute. You're right, I flip-flopped the two switches. Have you built one of these? I'd love to hear how things worked out.

[Lori C]

It took a while but I finished the project and it works just great. I found a number of suitable containers in the electrical dept. of the local thrift store. Small transformers that can be opened ( some are sealed and not screwed together), game consoles, etc. I used a 'Mad Catz' (whatever that is) for my remote. One additional diagram (attached) that could be given is a pin numbers one of the rear of the Olympus connector in relation to the front pins. Many thanks, Lori

[txoof]

Wow! Yours looks way better than mine! It almost looks like it came out of a shop! Nice work on the enclosure. How was the cable disassembly and reassembly? That was probably the hardest part for me. Thanks for picture, the pin-outs are helpful.

[Lori C]

To remove the boot on the Olympus video cable I placed it in boiling water for a minute or so and it was easy to slide off. I did not even bother to de-solder the two video pins - I just gripped the wires and pulled them out. The two missing pins make no difference to the remote operation as pins 5 and 9 are not required. The video cable was discarded and two wires and the ground in an ordinary USB cable, which I purchased for $3 at a thrift store, was used. Soldering the wires to the connector was done very slowly and carefully. I did not use Gorilla glue (I didn't have any on hand) but used a glue gun for insulation purposes and then heated and replaced the connector boot anchoring it also with the glue gun.

[txoof]

The boiling water is a much better idea than the open flame. I wish I would have thought of that before filling my kitchen with burning plastic smell. Also, the hot glue gun is probably easier than the gorilla glue. I don't have one, but it might be worth the investment for insulating all the little projects I cook up. I'm kind of tired of zapping myself. I'm glad the whole thing worked for you. Post some shots when you get a second.

[Lori C]

I forgot to mention I use an E-410 but the Olympus version (RM-UC1) also works for the following cameras : SP-510UZ, SP-550UZ, SP-560UZ, E-410 and E-510. I don't know about the E-500. Lori

[txoof]

Thanks for the additional camera info too!

[gamer]

hey!! i like that gum. i just finished a pack, too. nice use for the box, though. -gamer

[txoof]

The boxes are freaking awesome. The gum, not so much. They're just the right size for projects and way cheaper than the ones Rat Shack.

[GorillazMiko]

you are seriously so smart. this is version two, awesome! i have one of these boxes, maybe ill do this. we'll see :-)

[txoof]

The hardest part is preparing the cable. Once you're past that, the rest is pretty easy. Be patient with the desoldering and soldering.

[marc92]

Nice Instructable and great Arlo tribute... You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant Walk right in it's around the back Just a half a mile from the railroad track You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant..... :)

[txoof]

Glad you liked the Arlo tribute. I was hoping that somebody would find it amusing.