"scott" <sco### [at] laptopcom> wrote in message 
news:46d4276d$1@news.povray.org...
> On my camera (Canon 300D) the remote shutter release is just a stereo 
> 2.5mm jack, easy to pick up from electronics stores and wire up 2 simple 
> switches if you can solder.

Hmmm, <looks at camera>.  Pentax *iST DS here.  I can see it is a coaxial 
socket, but my impression is the bore is too small for a 2.5mm jack. 
Squinting into it with a magnifying glass, I think I can make out sleeve, 
ring and tip contacts.  I think I have some in my old electronics junk box, 
so it won't be too hard to check.

> I suppose another alternative would be to use some sort of clamp to hold 
> down the shutter button, then you can use the black card trick while 
> attaching it and removing it.

Uh-oh, carpentry and metalwork were my two worst subjects!  :-D

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"scott" <sco### [at] laptopcom> wrote in message 
news:46d4311a$1@news.povray.org...
>>> On my camera (Canon 300D) the remote shutter release is just a stereo 
>>> 2.5mm jack, easy to pick up from electronics stores and wire up 2 simple 
>>> switches if you can solder.
>>
>> Simple way of getting around spending what they want for a remote. Might 
>> want to look for a switch that closes one contact on a half press, and 
>> another on full press to emulate the way the shutter button works. I 
>> don't know how easy or difficult it would be to find a SPDT pushbutton 
>> switch, though.
>>
>> (Searching...Aha, found one!)
>>
>> http://tinyurl.com/323qqz
>
> For mine I used two toggle switches.  I found ones where you could flick 
> them either way, to the left and they stay there (for long exposures) or 
> to the right and they spring back (for repeated fast shots).  I just 
> mounted them side-by-side in a small box and another 2.5mm socket, 
> connected them up with a pre-made 2.5 mm stereo lead (I hate soldering 
> those tiny plugs and they always come unstuck after a few weeks), and it 
> all worked fine.

Soldering the plugs is never easy.  Not only are they small, but the 
stainless finish on the tags often resists bonding with solder.  It can take 
a lot of heat and time with the iron to get a metal bond.  By then your 
cable insulation is damaged.

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"Sabrina Kilian" <"ykgp at vtSPAM.edu"> wrote in message 
news:46d429c3$1@news.povray.org...
> Brian Elliott wrote:
>>
>> And for any exposure longer than a few seconds, I'd need a tracking
>> mount. 1 degree Earth rotation per every four minutes -- bah.
>>
>
> http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/09/on-assignment-how-to-light-comet.html
>
> They have some nice guides to cheap camera tricks. I think they left out
> the required distance from the center of the screw to the center of the
> hinge, 11 and 7/16 inches, but it's there in the comments some place.

Sabrina, thanks!  Even with my limited ability, I should be able to put 
together a barn-door mount.

Brian

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"M_a_r_c" <jac### [at] wanadoofr> wrote in message 
news:46d437c6$1@news.povray.org...
>

> 46d3f86a@news.povray.org...
>> Tried taking a pic when it was fully in shadow but was too dark to find
>> thru camera.  :(
>>
> We like the moon
> coz it is close to us
> we like the moooon!
> but not as much as a spoon
> 'cause that's more use for eating soup
> and a fork isn't very useful for that
> unless it has got many vegetables
> and then you might be better off with a
> chop-stick
> unlike the moon
> it is up in the sky
> it's up there very high
> but not as high
> as maybe
> dirigibles or zeppelins
> or lightbulbs
> and maybe clouds
> and puffins also I think maybe
> they go quite high too
> maybe not as high as the moon
> coz the moon is very high
> we like the moon
> the moon is very useful everyone
> everybody like the moon
> because it light up the sky at night
> and it lovely
> and it makes the tide go and we like it
> but not as much as cheese
> we really like cheese
> we like zeppelins
> we really like them
> and we like kelp and we like moose
> and we like deer and we like marmots
> and we like all the fluffy animals
> we really like the moon
>
>
> Sorry I can't resist

You read tha book, now see tha show.  :-)

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Attachments:
Download 'we_like_the_moon.swf.dat' (424 KB)

46d4a68d@news.povray.org...
> Soldering the plugs is never easy.  Not only are they small, but the 
> stainless finish on the tags often resists bonding with solder.  It can 
> take a lot of heat and time with the iron to get a metal bond.  By then 
> your cable insulation is damaged.

You can scratch the tags finish with a cutter blade before soldering.

Marc

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>> On my camera (Canon 300D) the remote shutter release is just a stereo 
>> 2.5mm jack, easy to pick up from electronics stores and wire up 2 simple 
>> switches if you can solder.
>
> Hmmm, <looks at camera>.  Pentax *iST DS here.  I can see it is a coaxial 
> socket, but my impression is the bore is too small for a 2.5mm jack. 
> Squinting into it with a magnifying glass, I think I can make out sleeve, 
> ring and tip contacts.  I think I have some in my old electronics junk 
> box, so it won't be too hard to check.

A quick google seems to suggest it actually uses the same 2.5mm plug as 
mine...

http://www.digicaminfo.btinternet.co.uk/hmcablerelease.htm

Seems like you can pick ones up on ebay for £5-£10 anyway.

>> I suppose another alternative would be to use some sort of clamp to hold 
>> down the shutter button, then you can use the black card trick while 
>> attaching it and removing it.
>
> Uh-oh, carpentry and metalwork were my two worst subjects!  :-D

Or just get a small clamp from a DIY shop.  Like this one:

http://www.roger-russell.com/cameras/clamp.jpg

Depending on how much the shutter button is recessed you might need to 
blu-tak something on to it so that the clamp works - but shouldn't be too 
hard.

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>> Soldering the plugs is never easy.  Not only are they small, but the 
>> stainless finish on the tags often resists bonding with solder.  It can 
>> take a lot of heat and time with the iron to get a metal bond.  By then 
>> your cable insulation is damaged.
>
> You can scratch the tags finish with a cutter blade before soldering.

The key to soldering this sort of thing is to use hollow core
solder with acid flux, or use paste flux. It doesn't hurt to rough
it up either, or to tin the end of the wire with solder first.

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"scott" <sco### [at] laptopcom> wrote in message news:46d5299b@news.povray.org...
>>> On my camera (Canon 300D) the remote shutter release is just a stereo 
>>> 2.5mm jack, easy to pick up from electronics stores and wire up 2 simple 
>>> switches if you can solder.
>>
>> Hmmm, <looks at camera>.  Pentax *iST DS here.  I can see it is a coaxial 
>> socket, but my impression is the bore is too small for a 2.5mm jack. 
>> Squinting into it with a magnifying glass, I think I can make out sleeve, 
>> ring and tip contacts.  I think I have some in my old electronics junk 
>> box, so it won't be too hard to check.
>
> A quick google seems to suggest it actually uses the same 2.5mm plug as 
> mine...
>
> http://www.digicaminfo.btinternet.co.uk/hmcablerelease.htm
>
> Seems like you can pick ones up on ebay for £5-£10 anyway.

Yeah, I found this today:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Shutter-Release-For-Pentax-ist-D-DS-DS2-DL2-MZ-6-ZX-L_W0QQitemZ230164995316QQihZ013QQcategoryZ43443QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
$8.99 Australian plus $6.99 postage.

>>> I suppose another alternative would be to use some sort of clamp to hold 
>>> down the shutter button, then you can use the black card trick while 
>>> attaching it and removing it.
>>
>> Uh-oh, carpentry and metalwork were my two worst subjects!  :-D
>
> Or just get a small clamp from a DIY shop.  Like this one:
>
> http://www.roger-russell.com/cameras/clamp.jpg
>
> Depending on how much the shutter button is recessed you might need to 
> blu-tak something on to it so that the clamp works - but shouldn't be too 
> hard.

If either one costs basically just a few dollars, then might as well pick 
the one designed for the job.  Besides, as I look at my camera sitting next 
to the keyboard, I can see potential difficulties with a clamp, possible 
scratch or damage to the camera, etc.

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And lo on Tue, 28 Aug 2007 11:26:36 +0100, Tim Cook  
<z99### [at] bellsouthnet> did spake, saying:

> Tried taking a pic when it was fully in shadow but was too dark to find
> thru camera.  :(

Thanks for the inspiration  
http://flipc.blogspot.com/2007/08/hello-autumn.html

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered

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Phil Cook wrote:
> And lo on Tue, 28 Aug 2007 11:26:36 +0100, Tim Cook 
> <z99### [at] bellsouthnet> did spake, saying:
> 
>> Tried taking a pic when it was fully in shadow but was too dark to find
>> thru camera.  :(
> 
> Thanks for the inspiration 
> http://flipc.blogspot.com/2007/08/hello-autumn.html

Oh noes, my NAME is on the internet, in plain public view! *puts on 
tinfoil hat*

-- 
Tim Cook
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-empyrean

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