[clyde]

I have a wired shutter release. It plugs into a female socket at the bottom of the right side of the camera body, underneath the slot for the memory card. Bought the release new from one of the NY places—B & H or Adorama.

It worked OK for a few uses. Then it quit. Pressing the button causes NOTHING.

First thought—the release is a piece of cheap junk. Then I think—it's only a switch, a simple contact! No microprocessor, no fancy program—a simple switch.

Second thought—it’s operator error.

Next I checked the camera manual—Drive Mode. The Drive Mode menu has five options:
1. Single frame shooting
2. Continuous shooting
3. Self-timer
4. Remote control
5. Mirror up

Knowing no better, I choose Remote Control, then press OK.

Must try it with Drive Mode set to Remote Control. Works OK a few consecutive tries with no failures. Press the button on the wired remote, the shutter is released—IT TAKES A PICTURE!

Now to try it in action. Put the camera on a tripod, connect wired remote, press button on remote. NOTHING—NO ACTION AT ALL!

I’m thoroughly disgusted and have wasted time, but still think the problem is me—operator error.

What am I doing wrong??

[savoche]

Sounds like a wobbly connection somewhere, might be the wire that loses contact when bent in a certain way.

I have never had any problems with my remote, a cheap $2 thing from eBay.

[Andy123]

I'd test the switch first .. Hook alligator clip wire to each contact on the plug and the other ends to an ohmmeter. The meter shoul read zero when switch is pressed and infinity when not pressed. If that works hold the switch down and wiggle the wire near the switch and plug to see if it holds at zero if it does then the problem is likely in the contact between switch plug and camera female plug. If it blinks or reads other than zero then it is the switch.

Andy

[clyde]

I'll do as Andy says—check the switch and wires.

But I suspect something's goofy with the menus, OR there's major operator error.

I thought that when Drive Mode was set to Remote Control, it would work correctly. After choosing Remote Control I pressed OK in the hope, vain it seems, that the camera would recognize that it should accept input from the remote switch.

Sometimes it will, but if I want to take a picture the effing thing won't obey the remote switch! It's like a VW "clean diesel" that will pass the test but doesn't work when it's supposed to.

[jatrax]

It is just a switch. Nothing to do with the camera or menus. Some of those connectors are a little sloppy. I had one that worked fine as long as I held it against the camera, when i let go it worked intermittently.
Try looking at the connector and make sure it is making firm contact. The rubber part on mine was poorly molded and would not sit flat.

[originalwinger]

I totally agree with jatrax, having made several of these from scratch, the tolerances of the 2.5mm male plug can vary a lot. I've opened a package of 2 plugs and found 1 good and the other flaky.. A trick you could try is to scuff up the plug with steel wool or a scratch pad for washing dishes, just be sure you wipe it off afterwards with a damp cloth and dry it.
Dave

[commongrounder]

I also agree with the above specifically concerning the plug. Mine worked intermittantly until I figured out the plug was molded a tad bit short, so it wouldn't quite insert completely into the camera remote socket. I shaved a bit of the molding at the base of the metal pin off with a utility knife and it has worked perfectly ever since. I believe the wired remote behaves just as the body shutter release does, and no special settings need be set to use it.

[Arjay Bee]

I have the Pentax one and it has had no problems since new. I didn't change any settings and can use the remote or the shutter button even while the remote is plugged in. Is the remote control setting for use with the IR cordless remote?

[pentaxus]

Yes. The remote control setting is for the IR remote. All Pentax IR remotes speak the same language so you can even use the remote from an old 90WR point and click.

[Canada_Rockies]

The wired remote needs nothing special to work. I use one that was C$2.50 or so including shipping. It has worked fine for over two years now, including on a windy and wet beach plugged into a K10.

The wired remote is just a parallel device to the shutter release. Don't do anything in the menus. Test using the [GREEN] box on the mode dial and see what happens. If it still acts up, mail it back to B&H for a replacement.

[WPRESTO]

Contacts inside the camera body can go bad. Could not believe it happened to my K3, but after trying three different corded releases, all of which worked on the K5, none on the K3, I finally sent the latter in for repair. Works fine now. BTW: don't remember what it cost, but had a sensor cleaning done at the same time.

[jack002]

I have an off brand wired remote. It works fine most times, but once it failed and I just twisted the connection at the camera and it was fine. Dirty contacts I guess. By the way, no need to set your camera to remote, thats for an IR remote.

[WPRESTO]

BTW - V-A-V off-brand wired cable releases. I had one that kept making/breaking contact (triggered AF & shutter, then would not). Reason (if I can describe it clearly): the camera plug on the release has a right-angle bend; the port on the camera is recessed to allow the rubber cover to fit except on the back side of the camera body where the rubber cover is hinged; at the bend of the plug on the cable release, if there isn't a little extension before the start of the metal contacts, when the plug is turned downward it will be pulled out enough to break contact. Can you visualize that? So long as the wire and the part of the plug in line with it points back, the plug can be inserted far enough to make contact and it works fine. But if the wire and part of the plug in line with it is pointed down, then that part of the plug hits the edge of the recess for the rubber cover and the part of the plug bent at right angles cannot be inserted far enough to make contact inside the camera body.