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Motoservo · 02-15-2012, 08:46 PM

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I just got my K5 a few days ago. The Remote WP that I also ordered came in today but it doesn't seem to work. I set the drive mode to Remote and the blinking light comes on but when I hit the button on the remote nothing happens and there's nothing visible (to my naked eye) on the front beam (LED?) on the remote.

Anyway, Pentax is going to give me a full refund so that's not my problem. Now my problem is that I'm leaving in the morning for a week of shooting night shots up in Big Sur and I don't know if there's a way to take long (30 minutes+) exposures without a remote.

Can somebody tell me if there's a way to do this without holding the button the whole time?

tzeentchiangod · 02-15-2012, 08:51 PM

tape a rock down on your shutter button. old school.

Motoservo · 02-15-2012, 08:54 PM

I'm a little surprised with all the bells & whistles it's got we can't just program how long we want the exposure to be.

Baffling, really.

Tonto · 02-15-2012, 09:06 PM

With my K7 I just set the drive mode to 2 sec delay, press the shutter and it will stop when I hit the shutter again (I dont like that last bit as it can introduce shake) so maybe its a menu option, my K7 isn't here so I can't check for you. .
However if the long exposure is 30 secs or less you can just use dial in the length and it will finish automatically.

mikeSF · 02-15-2012, 09:16 PM - **1 Like**

watch an episode of MacGuyver on youtube to put you in the spirit.
I am thinking just grab a pair of airplane-type cheapie headphones and use scissors to clip the wires just upstream from the plug. hot wire a switch for long exposures by twisting the wires closed to complete the circuit, pull apart to break the circuit. i havent done this, but wouldnt it work for simple bulb exposures??

also, another poster mentioned the camera shake from touching the button. You can still overcome this when triggering with your finger by holding a piece of card(black is best to prevent any reflection) in front of the lens, pressing the shutter to open it and then sliding the card away to begin exposing. reverse the process to close the shutter without any camera shake. This is the way the old school photogs did it before the shutter was invented.

Motoservo · 02-15-2012, 09:20 PM

Tonto, that's a workable solution. How do I program the shutter to stay open after the shutter button is released?

Brooke Meyer · 02-15-2012, 09:30 PM

It works. Had mine for few years. Have bought other stuff from this guy, he's okay. Wireless Remote Switch/Shutter Release for Pentax | eBay

Philoslothical · 02-15-2012, 09:37 PM

Originally posted by Motoservo

but when I hit the button on the remote nothing happens and there's nothing visible (to my naked eye) on the front beam (LED?) on the remote.

FWIW, this is expected behaviour. The IR beam from the remote isn't visible to the human eye, there is no visual indication it has worked. Same goes for TV remotes, or anything else using IR emitting diodes.

I'd suggest you double check your camera settings before forsaking the remote as dead. In a pinch though, some (many?) TV remotes will also trigger your camera. You'll have to play around to see what buttons or settings (e.g. for universal remotes) will work for you.

ThonasDay · 02-15-2012, 09:47 PM

Are you sure there are batteries in the remote?

**SCGushue** · 02-15-2012, 09:55 PM

Originally posted by Brooke Meyer

It works. Had mine for few years. Have bought other stuff from this guy, he's okay. Wireless Remote Switch/Shutter Release for Pentax | eBay

Just a query. I am assuming that this works with the k7 and k5 even though they are not listed on the Pentax list.

mrjamesabels · 02-15-2012, 10:04 PM

get a cheap cable release at nearest camera store. Get the canon version with the headphone jack end. 1/8" Bring your K5 to test it. But double check that you are using correct settings with ir remote. Makes sure the battery is installed correctly. 30 minute exposures? Thats pretty long! I guess there isn't much light pollution out there. Big Sur? Wow what a beautiful place! Grab some nice shots. I wish I lived around Cali.

Tonto · 02-15-2012, 10:10 PM

Sorry don't have my camera on me but i'm sure it is in the menus somewhere

Tonto · 02-15-2012, 10:16 PM

Having re-read your post in regards to 30min exposures it would be pretty hard to keep the shutter pressed down that long with an IR beam.
What you want is something like this:

Philoslothical · 02-15-2012, 10:32 PM

Originally posted by Tonto

Having re-read your post in regards to 30min exposures it would be pretty hard to keep the shutter pressed down that long with an IR beam.

You don't need to keep it pressed. You can set the IR remote settings to allow one press to open the shutter, a second press to close it.

rawr · 02-15-2012, 11:10 PM

Originally posted by Philoslothical

You can set the IR remote settings to allow one press to open the shutter, a second press to close it.

Indeed. p116 of the K-5 manual mentions this.

The setting is under Menu > C > 3 > 19: Remote control in Bulb.
Choose 'Mode 1'.

02-15-2012, 08:46 PM	#1
Motoservo New Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 15	Long exposure with no remote? Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. I just got my K5 a few days ago. The Remote WP that I also ordered came in today but it doesn't seem to work. I set the drive mode to Remote and the blinking light comes on but when I hit the button on the remote nothing happens and there's nothing visible (to my naked eye) on the front beam (LED?) on the remote. Anyway, Pentax is going to give me a full refund so that's not my problem. Now my problem is that I'm leaving in the morning for a week of shooting night shots up in Big Sur and I don't know if there's a way to take long (30 minutes+) exposures without a remote. Can somebody tell me if there's a way to do this without holding the button the whole time?

02-15-2012, 09:30 PM	#7
Brooke Meyer Guest	Buy one of these It works. Had mine for few years. Have bought other stuff from this guy, he's okay. Wireless Remote Switch/Shutter Release for Pentax \| eBay

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02-15-2012, 08:51 PM	#2
tzeentchiangod Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Photos: Gallery Posts: 34	tape a rock down on your shutter button. old school.

02-15-2012, 08:54 PM	#3
Motoservo New Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 15 Original Poster	I'm a little surprised with all the bells & whistles it's got we can't just program how long we want the exposure to be. Baffling, really.

02-15-2012, 09:06 PM	#4
Tonto Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Wellington Posts: 969	With my K7 I just set the drive mode to 2 sec delay, press the shutter and it will stop when I hit the shutter again (I dont like that last bit as it can introduce shake) so maybe its a menu option, my K7 isn't here so I can't check for you. . However if the long exposure is 30 secs or less you can just use dial in the length and it will finish automatically.

02-15-2012, 09:16 PM - 1 Like	#5
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,622	watch an episode of MacGuyver on youtube to put you in the spirit. I am thinking just grab a pair of airplane-type cheapie headphones and use scissors to clip the wires just upstream from the plug. hot wire a switch for long exposures by twisting the wires closed to complete the circuit, pull apart to break the circuit. i havent done this, but wouldnt it work for simple bulb exposures?? also, another poster mentioned the camera shake from touching the button. You can still overcome this when triggering with your finger by holding a piece of card(black is best to prevent any reflection) in front of the lens, pressing the shutter to open it and then sliding the card away to begin exposing. reverse the process to close the shutter without any camera shake. This is the way the old school photogs did it before the shutter was invented.

02-15-2012, 09:20 PM	#6
Motoservo New Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 15 Original Poster	Tonto, that's a workable solution. How do I program the shutter to stay open after the shutter button is released?

02-15-2012, 09:37 PM	#8
Philoslothical Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,889	Originally posted by Motoservo but when I hit the button on the remote nothing happens and there's nothing visible (to my naked eye) on the front beam (LED?) on the remote. FWIW, this is expected behaviour. The IR beam from the remote isn't visible to the human eye, there is no visual indication it has worked. Same goes for TV remotes, or anything else using IR emitting diodes. I'd suggest you double check your camera settings before forsaking the remote as dead. In a pinch though, some (many?) TV remotes will also trigger your camera. You'll have to play around to see what buttons or settings (e.g. for universal remotes) will work for you.

02-15-2012, 09:47 PM	#9
ThonasDay Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Australia Posts: 25	Are you sure there are batteries in the remote?

02-15-2012, 09:55 PM	#10
SCGushue Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,449	Originally posted by Brooke Meyer It works. Had mine for few years. Have bought other stuff from this guy, he's okay. Wireless Remote Switch/Shutter Release for Pentax \| eBay Just a query. I am assuming that this works with the k7 and k5 even though they are not listed on the Pentax list.

02-15-2012, 10:04 PM	#11
mrjamesabels Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NEW JERSEY USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 198	get a cheap cable release at nearest camera store. Get the canon version with the headphone jack end. 1/8" Bring your K5 to test it. But double check that you are using correct settings with ir remote. Makes sure the battery is installed correctly. 30 minute exposures? Thats pretty long! I guess there isn't much light pollution out there. Big Sur? Wow what a beautiful place! Grab some nice shots. I wish I lived around Cali.

02-15-2012, 10:10 PM	#12
Tonto Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Wellington Posts: 969	Sorry don't have my camera on me but i'm sure it is in the menus somewhere

02-15-2012, 10:16 PM	#13
Tonto Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Wellington Posts: 969	Having re-read your post in regards to 30min exposures it would be pretty hard to keep the shutter pressed down that long with an IR beam. What you want is something like this:

02-15-2012, 10:32 PM	#14
Philoslothical Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,889	Originally posted by Tonto Having re-read your post in regards to 30min exposures it would be pretty hard to keep the shutter pressed down that long with an IR beam. You don't need to keep it pressed. You can set the IR remote settings to allow one press to open the shutter, a second press to close it.

02-15-2012, 11:10 PM	#15
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by Philoslothical You can set the IR remote settings to allow one press to open the shutter, a second press to close it. Indeed. p116 of the K-5 manual mentions this. The setting is under Menu > C > 3 > 19: Remote control in Bulb. Choose 'Mode 1'.

Long exposure with no remote?

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