remote shutter release?

I have an old 35 mm camera with a threaded hole in the top of the shutter
button which I assume is for some sort of remote shutter control. I would
like to make a simple device out of stiff wire and rubber bands or
something to take a couple of photos with a remote shutter control but
can't figure out how to do it. There has to be a force pushing down on the
shutter button but I can't see how to get the leverage. There isn't room
on the camera body to attach something for leverage. Any suggestions?
Would there be any descriptions, pictures, or diagrams online?

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William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
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William R. Watt wrote:
I have an old 35 mm camera with a threaded hole in the top of the shutter
button which I assume is for some sort of remote shutter control. I would
like to make a simple device out of stiff wire and rubber bands or
something to take a couple of photos with a remote shutter control but
can't figure out how to do it. There has to be a force pushing down on the
shutter button but I can't see how to get the leverage. There isn't room
on the camera body to attach something for leverage. Any suggestions?
Would there be any descriptions, pictures, or diagrams online?


Do you just want a shutter release cable? You should be able to see a wide
range in various lengths at any good camera shop.

Nick

As others have written you can find cable releases at any good camera
store up to 40". If you want more than that there are "AIR" releases at
20'. the air release is a short cable release with an air cylinder and a
hose with a bulb at the end. You squeeze the bulb the air is compressed
and the cylinder activates the mechanical release.

Francis in VT




William R. Watt wrote:

I have an old 35 mm camera with a threaded hole in the top of the shutter
button which I assume is for some sort of remote shutter control. I would
like to make a simple device out of stiff wire and rubber bands or
something to take a couple of photos with a remote shutter control but
can't figure out how to do it. There has to be a force pushing down on the
shutter button but I can't see how to get the leverage. There isn't room
on the camera body to attach something for leverage. Any suggestions?
Would there be any descriptions, pictures, or diagrams online?

--
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William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
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thanks for the replies. I'm not interested in buying a new one from a
camera store. I want to see if I can make my own. From what I've read so
far a cable off a bicycle will work for a remote trigger. Maybe several
could be chained together to make one as long as needed. I actually have
2-3 I've taken off discarded bikes to have as spares for reparing my bikes.

What I can't figure out is the bit at the shutter button. If you think
about it it has to push down on the button. Screwing it into the button
won't work because all it can do resting against the top of the camera is
pull up on the button. All I can think of at the moment is bend a sheet
metal box to put the camera in and then push down from the top of the box.

I'd like to read or see how to get the leverage for pushing down on the
button. There must be some devilshly clever way of doing it and that is
frustrating my curiosity.

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William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
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BTW I remember seeing in a movie a timer attached to a camera shutter, an
ordinary follding holiday camera of the Brownie(?) sort. It was an old
movie. Would that sort of attachment be currently available for 35 mm
cameras with the threaded hole in the top of the shutter release button?

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William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
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William R. Watt wrote:
thanks for the replies. I'm not interested in buying a new one from a
camera store. I want to see if I can make my own. From what I've read so
far a cable off a bicycle will work for a remote trigger. Maybe several
could be chained together to make one as long as needed. I actually have
2-3 I've taken off discarded bikes to have as spares for reparing my bikes.

What I can't figure out is the bit at the shutter button. If you think
about it it has to push down on the button. Screwing it into the button
won't work because all it can do resting against the top of the camera is
pull up on the button. All I can think of at the moment is bend a sheet
metal box to put the camera in and then push down from the top of the box.

I'd like to read or see how to get the leverage for pushing down on the
button. There must be some devilshly clever way of doing it and that is
frustrating my curiosity.


Go to the shop and LOOK at one. You don't need to buy it just look. While
somebody might be able to describe one in 10,000 words you'll get more from
looking at one.

But the parts are basically:

1) a threaded fitting that screws into the shutter release button. This
will be a problem for you since I doubt anybody sells them. So you'll
either have to find a broken cable or buy a new one.

2) a plastic,cloth or metal sheath that attaches to the fitting. You could
use a length of rubber tubing for this. Just needs to be big enough to
attach to the fitting and allow the wire to slide inside.

3) The wire that goes into the sheath.

The wire doesn't attach to the button at all. Normally it's recessed inside
the fitting. Now when you push the wire [usually you'll find a plunger at
the opposite end] the fitting stays put but the wire pops out pushing the
shutter button down.

I guess you could try and look up some old patents but just getting an old
cable and taking it apart will tell you exactly how they work. Plenty of
broken cables in the world.



Nick

(William R. Watt) writes:

What I can't figure out is the bit at the shutter button. If you think
about it it has to push down on the button.

No, it doesn't have to push down on the button. Buy/borrow a an ordinary
cable release and try it out. You will see how it actually works. It
uses the button as leverage to push down on the switch that is underneath
the button. (At least this is the case for every 35mm camera with a
mechanical shutter button and cable release I have owned.)

--
Mark Cudworth

"William R. Watt" wrote in message
...
I'd like to read or see how to get the leverage for pushing down on the
button. There must be some devilshly clever way of doing it and that is
frustrating my curiosity.

Gaffa tape.

Nick Zentena ) writes:

3) The wire that goes into the sheath.

The wire doesn't attach to the button at all. Normally it's recessed inside
the fitting. Now when you push the wire [usually you'll find a plunger at
the opposite end] the fitting stays put but the wire pops out pushing the
shutter button down.

thanks. that did come to mind because there is a hole in the top of the
shutter button but when a wire was pushed through the hole the shutter did
not release. I'll investigate that angle some more.

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William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
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Most normal people would start with a readily available cable release
and then work out the remote part from there..

Francis in VT

William R. Watt wrote:

BTW I remember seeing in a movie a timer attached to a camera shutter, an
ordinary follding holiday camera of the Brownie(?) sort. It was an old
movie. Would that sort of attachment be currently available for 35 mm
cameras with the threaded hole in the top of the shutter release button?

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William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
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