Remote shutter trigger for Digital Cameras

Make a remote shutter release for your canon digital camera (and some other brands such as Pentax, sony, and some nikons) for about 3 bucks in under 5 minutes, even a 1st grader can do this. This is great for getting the perfect exposure, and enables you to go past the 30 second exposure offered with canon cameras. I use this on my Canon Digital Rebel SLR and it works every time...

Step 1 Hands free phone headset $3

First you'll need a "hands free" headset for phones, Make sure it is one of the kinds with a button about 8 inch below the ear piece. And make sure its a 3/32-inch (2.5-mm) plug (like the plug on a pair of Regular headphones, but one size smaller). I took a pic next to a quarter so you can make sure its the right size. Usually anything for Motorola phones should have this

I found one for $3 at a store called Big Lots (its like a step up from the dollar store) and better yet my g/f works there so i got 20% off!

Comments

[joyelectricity]

Don't pay more than $1 (well plus sales tax). They sell these at 99 cents only stores. Just make sure you buy the blue-box one for samsung phones, the pink-box nokia one has 3 stripes on the headphone jack and it wont work. The samsung only has two stripes on the headphone jack and works like a charm after you chop off the mic and ear peace.

[alocart]

thnks

[sfa46]

I have a Canon PowerShot SX10IS. It has ports that say DC in and AV out. Can this be adapted to my camera without a degree in electronics?

sfa46

[sriramthirumalai]

Brilliant stuff.. GOt mine working for Canon 1100d within five minutes.And yes,you do have to knock off the microphone in order for it to work.
Am super glad.Thanks!

[fparra]

Got the first one to work in less than 5 minutes... Just to add a comment, most of times (I made 3 remotes with 3 different head sets) you have to remove the mike because it acts as a trigger too.... Thanks for sharing this knowledge...

[lfassetta]

i have a panasonic fz100, that i searched a lot and i almost gave up, because the fz100 is not in the argentinian market.
once i get the fz100 from an importer, i noticed that the only accesory available here, is the battery replacement. big deception.
i heard that my lumix can be used in bulb mode whith one of this, but i dont find any comercial remote shooter. does this one works with an fz100? it has the 2.5mm jack, for the remote, and also for the microphone, but i don't know how this stuff works. if you answer me "yes", i start right now to build one! sometimes i have to set the ISO to 1600 (over 800 the noise is brutal!).
thanks, and if the shooter works on my lumix, you'll be my new god! :P

[mdavis31]

can anyone tell me if this works for a canon 1000D, it would be greatly appreciated

[petulantfem]

Can anyone tell me if this would work with a Kodak Easyshare Z1012 IS? There is a DC IN 3V port, and an AV OUT port, but the AV OUT port is a USB style port. I have a feeling I am out of luck, and I will be so disappointed if it won't work for my crap camera ... but I thought I would check with people who know what they are talking about.

[Shtev21]

Thanks a lot for this instructable. I bought a hands free kit from a shop near me for just £1,  When I took it apart, i noticed that the plug was connected to just the speaker and microphone, and the switch wasn't even wired up at all!

Would have been useless for what it was built for i guess, in the end, simply snipped the wires, the speaker made no difference, but the microphone was obviouslyalowing the circuit to be complete constantly, so after removing that, plugging it in and touching the two wires, it worked.

I then just needed to solder the two ends of the wire to two of the points on the switch and it worked a treat! Money well spent, and got me back in to soldering!

For the record, I use a Canon EOS 450D and the plug needed was a 2.5 mm jack with 2 black bands.

Thanks again for the great instructable. Im going to buy another cable and make one for my GF,and possibly see about moding the casing so that it can make the button stay down without holding it.

[smcgee]

A remote for your GF, that would be good;;)

[atomicbum]

confirmed to work with Canon T2i/550D/Kiss X4. i used a sony ericsson earphone/handsfree for the button part but had to replace the plugs with 2.5mm from another earphone. I had to remove the mic for it to work flawlessly. Thanks for this tip!

[rghosh-1]

Is this works for canon 1000D

[amateurvisionary]

I always thought that this would work, but i was afraid i would somehow fry my camera, that's my sort of luck. but NO! it works perfectly! Thank you, my friend. And mine was free :) found a body glove brand headset in my headphone stuff drawer. works like a charm. now i can take pics with my Canon Digi Rebel XTi on my gorillapod without shaking the camera when i press the shutter release :)

av

[shellyangle]

Good. I tried it and it works nicely with my Nikon Digital. Thanks.

[xbox650]

I have a Kodak and a HDcam, and they dont have head phone jacks. so is thair a why to change the input ? (please show me)

[xbox650]

can you use it to just take normal pics??

[gregal]

Works great on my Digital Rebel. Mine cost a little more than the $3 but still under $10 well below what they want for the "official" version

[DemonSpawn]

dont you hate it when manafutuers have custom plugs fr remotes to stop you from doing this... DAMN YOU SONY

[Breakingdecency]

Any ideas on how this can work with a canon eos 30d? The only stereo jack on here is for video out. It looks like the plug for the remote shutter speed is a recessed 3 prong input.

[paplaukias]

Hi, I have a Sony dsc v1 which has this small jack port. I cut the earpiece, and took out the mic, but the remote doesn't work. Has anyone tried this remote with a Sony camera? thanks

[kuyax101]

where do i plug the jack in my camera? i have a d60...

[paul1407]

i have d60 too , the plug is on the top of the usb connector on the side of the camera, but for our d60's you'll need a bigger jack suck as the one on ipod earplugs

[davegoossen]

this looks really cool! will it work for a powershot S5 IS? If yes, I'm stumped as to where i would plug it in. thanks, dave

[kglong]

Dave, this remote will not work with the S5 IS, or most (if not all) point and shoot cameras.

However, you can make a remote shutter release for the S5 IS.  I have built one for my S5 IS.  You can see a photo and description of my remote release at http://www.flickr.com/photos/29608783@N06/4119413715/.

Most Canon point and shoot cameras, and all modern ones, can use a software enhancement called Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK).  It is a free, open-source, non-permanent enhancement to the camera firmware (the program that gives you menus and takes a picture when you press the shutter release button, for example).  You do not have to take the camera apart.

To use the remote shutter release, which plugs into the USB port on the camera, you have to install CHDK and select "enable remote" from the appropriate CHDK menu.  The CHDK website explains how to do it.  Start with the FAQ.

The CHDK website is http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/.

By the way, CHDK does much more than just allow the remote shutter release.  Some are full time battery indicator, Raw file, shutter speeds shorter and longer than normal.  See the CHDK website for details.

[derek82]

Hi. Are there any pre-built ones by you that are available for purchase for use with my S5 is? I have a neuromuscular problem with my right hand that makes pressing the shutter release button difficult and the resulting photos are quite blurry

Regards

[jef713]

there is usually a little jack on the side or somewhere on the camera i don't know about your camera but my jack is labeled ACC i assume for accessory

[drumz0rz]

It only works on camera's that have remote shutter port, that has a 2.5mm jack. My Digital Rebel XT has one, so it works, my PowerShot G9 however only has USB to computer, and 3.5mm A/V out jack, so it doesn't work with that.

[adamtj]

i have a sd1000 and am wondering the same thing. does it plug into the headphone jack next to the usb connector?

[micklevin]

Worked great on my Canon 450D, thanks for the instructable!

[sfe-co2]

Great idea. Wow a $ saver. Thanks dude.

I made one after a few attempts using different branded remotes. I eventually found one with a plug that has 3 layers of black insulation sections. And this one works on my DSLR Canon 400D (Rebel XTi?), though it does take an automatic shot the first time I plug into the camera....fine afterwards. Cooolllll...

[jeffyurgen]

The hardest part of this hack was finding an old hands free headset.  I just saved $30!

[j0hnnnyyy]

i made one and it takes a picture right when i plug it in, then when i try to press the button it wont take a picture.... help!?

[pr3tard]

This problem was taken care of on my build by removing the microphone.  The mic on my rig was part of the board, so I just pried it off with a knife and tried it out and it worked like a charm.

[bosscar]

 Works with my Canon Rebel T1i... And the 2.5mm headset costs only 99cents in 99cents store :)

[aksaks]

To deth2all:
Dude your idea was awesome, you saved my trip!! We were planning on hiking inside a lava tube, needless to say there would be total darkness and I realized I needed a remote shutter release at 10 PM the previous night. I jumped on the net, saw your incredibly simple tutorial, went to a dollar shop the first thing in the morning, bought a hands free with 2.5 mm jack meant for Motorola and Nokia, cutoff the ear piece, tried it on camera (Canon Rebel Xsi), didn't work, opened the little black pod like thing that has the switch, cutoff the wires to the mic, put the cover back, tested on the camera and WOOAALLLAAA it worked ......... and I did all this in the car while my wife was driving!! Your idea was soooo simple and wonderful :)
As a tribute to your idea here is a sample pic.
Thanks a tonne.
PS: I recently started astrophotography too. Plz share some pics and ideas with us.

[The Dark Ninja]

Just wanted to say thanks for the instructable. I had to hack my hands free a bit more than you, but it is going to work just fine. I need to solder it up and get some shrink tube, but it looks great. Even sports the "nokia" logo! LOL!! If you want I'll post a pic when it's all done.

[deth2all]

No problem dude, glad i could help, would Digg a pic..... j

[The Dark Ninja]

The first one is the entire unit, you can see on the left where I used shrink tubing. The second is a close up of the button. I would show you the insides, but it's hard to get back in it now.

[deth2all]

Nicely done...

[thissecretjedi]

what's the point of making this if there's nothing to keep the button held down? i thought that was the whole point of a shutter release?