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Building a remote trigger for Canon Digital Rebel — Parallax Forums

Building a remote trigger for Canon Digital Rebel

RagtopRagtop Posts: 406
edited 2010-10-27 18:05 in General Discussion
I want to use a propeller to be the remote trigger for my Canon Digital Rebel camera. I found an article for making a button remote.

http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/19/07645965/0764596519.pdf

It is a passive circuit with no electricity flowing into it. Don't want to fry my camera!!!

How would I use the propeller to close this circuit? A transistor?

Comments

  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2010-10-10 19:33
    There is a lot of information in that document. Could you tell (or show) us just how you plan to connect to your camers, and what it is you plan to do with the circuit. As a replacement for a switch you could use a relay.
  • Clock LoopClock Loop Posts: 2,069
    edited 2010-10-10 21:14
    Ragtop wrote: »
    I want to use a propeller to be the remote trigger for my Canon Digital Rebel camera. I found an article for making a button remote.

    http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/19/07645965/0764596519.pdf

    It is a passive circuit with no electricity flowing into it. Don't want to fry my camera!!!

    How would I use the propeller to close this circuit? A transistor?


    On page 24 of that pdf file, it shows a RELAY!!! Just replace the 555 timer with the prop, and make sure to use a relay that can operate off 3.3v. (as the entre circuit should be 3.3v, instead of 5v)

    You could also possibly use an optoisolator in place of the relay.
  • TubularTubular Posts: 4,717
    edited 2010-10-10 21:58
    You really want a plain relay contact to trigger these cameras, and to provide good isolation.

    And once you're ready for some real fun,...
    http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK

    cheers
    tubular
  • LarsELarsE Posts: 4
    edited 2010-10-11 00:13
    Tubular wrote: »
    And once you're ready for some real fun,...
    http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK
    Nice but this hack software isnt usable on a rebel.

    Go with relays.

    I actually had this very project of making an automated remote trigger for a digital Rebel as a training task for a friend of mine who started digging into the prop.
    We used two small relays just to make sure nothing ugly happened to the camera.
    Worked fine.
  • Clock LoopClock Loop Posts: 2,069
    edited 2010-10-11 00:23
    Tubular wrote: »
    You really want a plain relay contact to trigger these cameras, and to provide good isolation.

    And once you're ready for some real fun,...
    http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK

    cheers
    tubular


    I have a camera that can use this, its totally awesome!!!

    This is why open source EVERYTHING should be the LAW.
    (it opens up technologies and lets everyone access the full capabilities of the items they purchase)
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2010-10-11 00:34
    I trigger my EOS 1D MK2 with a opto coupler as its easy to drive off a BS2 or what not . unlike a relay's nasty coil . and provides 7.5 KV Iso..
    heads up you may need to make the focus button happy too.

    my old 10D would need both a focus and then a shutter pulse .
    the 40D I had needed it too the 1D can be set to only need a shutter release ..

    in MF mode shutter only should work too .

    Peter
  • RagtopRagtop Posts: 406
    edited 2010-10-11 07:41
    Peter KG6LSE wrote: »
    I trigger my EOS 1D MK2 with a opto coupler as its easy to drive off a BS2 or what not . unlike a relay's nasty coil . and provides 7.5 KV Iso..
    heads up you may need to make the focus button happy too.

    my old 10D would need both a focus and then a shutter pulse .
    the 40D I had needed it too the 1D can be set to only need a shutter release ..

    in MF mode shutter only should work too .

    Peter

    Would this work?
    http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=314
  • RagtopRagtop Posts: 406
    edited 2010-10-11 08:01
    I am hoping to use this with my Haunted Trail project. After the laser tripwire is hit, a spotlight goes off leaving the victims in the dark, then an air cannon goes off. It is here that I would like to trigger the camera to get the reactions and to provide a flash for the air cannon.

    The autofocus concerns me as I was planning on putting the camera on manual focus since even with flash assist autofocus
    doesn't do well in the dark and many times keeps the picture from even being took.
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2010-10-11 08:27
    An opto isolator should work with most camera trigger circuits and as Peter noted has no coil/inductance to create hv noise pulses. The optoisolators typically require from 5 to 20 mA to trigger the camera.
  • Clock LoopClock Loop Posts: 2,069
    edited 2010-10-11 09:04
    Ragtop wrote: »
    Would this work?
    http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=314


    This devices maximum forward voltage shows 1.4v so it should work.

    The internal schematic that the datasheet shows, looks like it should work.

    But the schematic that sparkfun shows, looks like it won't.

    I would say go off the datasheet schematic.

    Perhaps a few more people should chime in.
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2010-10-11 09:39
    canon300d_cable.gif
    From Pinouts .RU ..

    I did NOT tie the Cam GND to the Opto input sorce GND as I wanted total isolation .

    your lucky the rebels use a Headphone jack those Pro cam 3 pin thingys are imposable to find .. I ended up gutting a cheap trigger for rhe plug and cord ..
    Like Kwinn said 5-20 mA its a small LED inside( IR or red I will guess) ... easy to drive ....
  • lardomlardom Posts: 1,659
    edited 2010-10-11 10:42
    I built a remote shutter release based on a design I saw online. It may have been the same website since I also have a Canon Rebel. It fried the display that you see when you look through the eyepiece. Fortunately my camera was still under warranty. I paid $600. for that camera. I now have a Canon D50. I would not think of taking that chance.
  • RagtopRagtop Posts: 406
    edited 2010-10-11 10:46
    remote.jpg

    I am lucky cable-wise as I already own a remote. Connecting it with a pin header will allow me to easily put it back together when I need a button remote.
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2010-10-11 15:01
    some remotes have a 2.5mm jack on them to make it easy to hack without cutting wires
  • RagtopRagtop Posts: 406
    edited 2010-10-27 18:05
    Thanks for all the help on this one.

    Here is a video of the photographs that I captured on the
    third night of the Haunted Trail.

    I took pictures in the sequence of events controlled by the propeller
    program and I also triggered it by a remote.

    http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150106952440550
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