Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
12-29-2007, 04:39 PM   #1
Veteran Member
pop4's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: YMML
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,879
Make a DIY Cable Release for your K10D

A cable shutter release is one of those camera accessories that for me, isn't entirely necessary, but is something that may prove useful to have, e.g. for if I ever get around to taking photos of the stars. I wasn't going to fork out the money to buy one, especially since it was is something that I don't absolutely need, and being a photographic accessory, they don't exactly come cheap (but then again, what photographic accessory does?)

So, I thought about building one myself, and looked to see if there were any instructions. It turns out that a cable shutter release mechanism is actually very simple, and it wouldn't be overly difficult to build one. In fact, if you have even the slightest bit of soldering skill/electronic skill, you should have absolutely no problems with building one. And it comes cheap too. The parts, from a local electronics store, came to a total of just A$6.35, (~US$5.50).

So how do you build one?
Firstly, to read up on how a cable shutter release works: click here
And then try here and here for the instructions.

And then using the information from the sites listed above, I created this:

This is my circuit diagram. Operation is very simple. Press the blue button for AF. Press the red button for the shutter. And for bulb mode, flick the switch to open the shutter, and when I'm done with the exposure, flick it back.


These are the parts


This is the completed cable release.


Last edited by pop4; 12-29-2007 at 05:14 PM.
12-29-2007, 05:25 PM   #2
Senior Member




Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Tallinn
Posts: 265
Or you could buy one from say DealExtreme for $4.82 and free shipping. I did, and it works just fine.
12-30-2007, 06:59 AM   #3
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
Lowell Goudge's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Toronto
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 17,869
When you look at the cost of the bits and time to make a unit that is easy to use, why not just buy the dam thing?

I would, however, like to add a comment and hope that some others pick up on this.

As opposed to switches, why not add a little more electronics, timers etc, and look at making a radio trigger, lightning trigger, dime delay or very long time exposure options.

I have seen other posts fo people looking for time delay shutter release, or the ability to trigger the shutter from the opposite side of a bridge.
12-30-2007, 07:40 AM   #4
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
rogerstg's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Rhode Island
Photos: Albums
Posts: 1,168
QuoteOriginally posted by procyon Quote
Or you could buy one from say DealExtreme for $4.82 and free shipping. I did, and it works just fine.
It doesn't trigger autofocus, nor is it easy to use bulb mode for extended time - if you need that kind of thing.

12-30-2007, 11:04 AM   #5
New Member




Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 2
Time lapse

QuoteOriginally posted by Lowell Goudge Quote
As opposed to switches, why not add a little more electronics, timers etc, and look at making a radio trigger, lightning trigger, dime delay or very long time exposure options.
I did just that. I made one of the links above for the shutter release, but I just expanded it with a 555 IC timer that will let me do time lapse photography. It's definitely cheaper than buying an intervalometer.
Link:
Time Lapse Intervalometer for SLRs with 555 timer IC - Instructables - DIY, How To, photography, diy
12-30-2007, 03:05 PM   #6
Senior Member




Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Tallinn
Posts: 265
QuoteOriginally posted by rogerstg Quote
It doesn't trigger autofocus, nor is it easy to use bulb mode for extended time - if you need that kind of thing.
Ummm... did you even look at the product description ?
It has the half depressed position that triggers autofocus, and also a locking mechanism for bulb mode. Have used it myself quite a lot.
12-30-2007, 04:02 PM   #7
Veteran Member
pop4's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: YMML
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,879
Original Poster
But building the cable release was half the fun!

I was also originally thinking on a more interesting/unique housing for the cable release, but never got around to it.

12-30-2007, 04:25 PM   #8
Senior Member




Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Tallinn
Posts: 265
QuoteOriginally posted by pop4 Quote
But building the cable release was half the fun!
I know the feeling
I once made a primitive stand for my telescope (a plastic childrens one, but my age was also not so wrong for it then ) from a christmas tree stand, some vacuum cleaner tubes, a bicycle tire pump handle, transistor heat spreaders etc. etc. That was really fun !
12-30-2007, 07:51 PM   #9
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
rogerstg's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Rhode Island
Photos: Albums
Posts: 1,168
QuoteOriginally posted by procyon Quote
Ummm... did you even look at the product description ?
Nope ... my deal extreme is the IR version. I responded thinking you were referring to the same thing. As the young folks say - my bad.
05-03-2008, 07:28 AM   #10
Forum Member




Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: RTP, North Carolina
Posts: 64
QuoteOriginally posted by procyon Quote
Or you could buy one from say DealExtreme for $4.82 and free shipping. I did, and it works just fine.
Thanks, picked up some mechanical cable release, for film SLRs (ME-Super), thought
I need to find something for the K10D, this thread is great help.

Placed order.

Pinwu
05-03-2008, 07:10 PM   #11
Veteran Member
ve2vfd's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Montreal, Canada
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 2,433
Here is my version... all parts were either from my junk box, or recycled from broken junk.

Small black button is the focus, big red button is the release. The box is 2" x 1" x 3/4"



Pat
05-04-2008, 02:14 AM   #12
Veteran Member




Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Northamptonshire - England
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 496
hm I though of making my own and yes they can be easily expanded using basic electronics to create lots of custom things the 555 timer is so easy to use I mean you could set it to take pictures at regular intervals for example I saw something like that for sale and they wanted fot it much more than it was worth something like 50 quid, erm is that second link saying that any old remote will work ?
05-04-2008, 06:06 AM   #13
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
pixelsaurus's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Te Kuiti, NZ
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 986
These link is a little more sophisticated, it uses a 556 (dual 555 package) DIY Canon Rebel Intervalometer
This link uses a digital timer Finally Finished Intervalometer System (Remote Timer Shutter): Dyxum forums

Last edited by pixelsaurus; 05-04-2008 at 06:29 AM.
05-04-2008, 06:48 AM   #14
Veteran Member
timbo13's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Northboro MA, USA
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,007
QuoteOriginally posted by ve2vfd Quote
Here is my version... all parts were either from my junk box, or recycled from broken junk.

Pat
I'm thinking it's time for me to grub through my junk box and work up something like this. I like how you used two different button types so it's easy to know what you're pushing without looking.

Tim
05-04-2008, 08:42 AM   #15
Veteran Member
ve2vfd's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Montreal, Canada
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 2,433
The project box fits perfectly in my hand. The index finger does the focus and the thumb hits the release.

Pat
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
accessory, button, cable, flick, instructions, press, release, shutter, tripod
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
DIY: Make a Cable Release for your K10D pop4 Do-It-Yourself 34 10-10-2011 11:18 AM
Strange: K10D switching from PEF to DNG using cable release Klaus Pentax DSLR Discussion 6 03-11-2010 03:01 PM
Cable release for ZX/MZ-30? ftpaddict Pentax Camera and Field Accessories 0 02-04-2008 05:09 PM
Using a cable release and MLU on a K10D-procedure? macdaddy Photographic Technique 6 11-26-2007 05:35 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 12:11 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top