[Fl_Gulfer]

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I payed like 35.00 for my Pentax Cable Switch CS-205, and the only place that had one then was Dell. Go figure..

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Last edited by Fl_Gulfer; 06-26-2008 at 12:54 PM.

[Peacekeeper]

Just be prepared that you own't get a lot of shots with long bulb shots.

10 min exposure, will do a 10 min dark frame exposure after you close the shutter to remove noise. So for a 10 min exposure your camera takes 20mins before you can review the image.

That WILL put a drain on the batteries.

PK

[madbrain]

Just be prepared that you own't get a lot of shots with long bulb shots.

10 min exposure, will do a 10 min dark frame exposure after you close the shutter to remove noise. So for a 10 min exposure your camera takes 20mins before you can review the image.

That WILL put a drain on the batteries.

PK

Ouch! That's good to know.

[madbrain]

Thanks. I saw that one indeed. But I was looking for a retail store, in California. I don't have time to get anything shipped. I will be out of the country on saturday . Maybe I should just wait until I get back but I bet some of the places I will be will have less light pollution than around here.

I actually use this one, which has a lock so you don't need to keep your hand on the button.

Remote Switch Cable Release For Pentax CS-205 K20D AK02 - (eBay.ca item 280239838868 end time 02-Jul-08 00:05:31 EDT)

[christinelandon]

If you don't want to pay the $50 at the Pentax webstore for the CS-205, B&H lists this Dot Line release that has a lock for bulb exposures, for $24: Dot Line | Dot Line Remote Release | DL-1491 | B&H Photo Video

[axl]

Just be prepared that you own't get a lot of shots with long bulb shots.

10 min exposure, will do a 10 min dark frame exposure after you close the shutter to remove noise. So for a 10 min exposure your camera takes 20mins before you can review the image.

That WILL put a drain on the batteries.

PK

you can actually turn the noise reduction off, but I'm not sure how would the picture look like after 10min exposure with whatever ISO speed without noise reduction...

[Moggman]

I saw someone recently with a cable release that had a display on it to show the info from the camera (aperture, shutter speed, etc.) does anyone know if there is something like that for Pentax?

[ftpaddict]

I saw someone recently with a cable release that had a display on it to show the info from the camera (aperture, shutter speed, etc.) does anyone know if there is something like that for Pentax?

That was probably made for a Canon, and it featured an intervalometer. Those things are EXPENSIVE

[Entropy]

I saw someone recently with a cable release that had a display on it to show the info from the camera (aperture, shutter speed, etc.) does anyone know if there is something like that for Pentax?

Not possible, the Pentax (and low-end-Canon) pinout has focus and shutter and nothing else.

Higher end Nikons and Canons have proprietary connectors that allow the cable release to get info from the camera.

The closest thing for Pentax would be Pentax Remote Assistant with a laptop. (not sure if RA does bulb shots?)

You could, in theory, create a cable release that would let you set a bulb shutter time and have the cable release automatically do longer-than-30s exposures. I've been planning on doing such a thing for long exposures with an Arduino.

[alohadave]

Not possible, the Pentax (and low-end-Canon) pinout has focus and shutter and nothing else.

Higher end Nikons and Canons have proprietary connectors that allow the cable release to get info from the camera.

The closest thing for Pentax would be Pentax Remote Assistant with a laptop. (not sure if RA does bulb shots?)

You could, in theory, create a cable release that would let you set a bulb shutter time and have the cable release automatically do longer-than-30s exposures. I've been planning on doing such a thing for long exposures with an Arduino.

If I had any programming ability, I'd write a program that would work like PRA on a blackberry/PDA so you could control the camera remotely and semi-wirelessly (USB to Bluetooth). You'd be able to change exposure settings from the device without touching the camera. The only thing you wouldn't be able to to is change the focal length.

[Entropy]

If I had any programming ability, I'd write a program that would work like PRA on a blackberry/PDA so you could control the camera remotely and semi-wirelessly (USB to Bluetooth). You'd be able to change exposure settings from the device without touching the camera. The only thing you wouldn't be able to to is change the focal length.

Unfortunately 90%+ of PDAs don't function as a USB host.

[ftpaddict]

Unfortunately 90%+ of PDAs don't function as a USB host.

I think Symbol PDAs could do that. At least some. But they cost an arm and a leg. And run Palm OS (the ones I know from days past). Which isn't exactly a bad thing (Palm OS runs rings around Windows Mobile), but the development base is outdated.

[branphlake]

Gaffers tape... that's all you really need.

[LeoTaylor]

Having done a lot of long exposure shots with my K110D I'll expand on what I read in this thread.

The simple Pentax Remote device has a button locking feature, I didn't know that initially.

My K110D camera draws over 1/2 amp at 6.5 volts with shutter open. I have killed many alkaline battery sets in 10-15 minutes by holding the shutter open with a cable release. This is why the manual warns against doing a sensor cleaning with weak batteries. At that current you don't get the amp-hours the battery is rated at, plus the K1x0Ds fail when the voltage drops just a little. I can take "dead" batteries from the Pentax and use them in my Fuji for awhile.

To do much astrophotography you need the AC adapter or a big 12v battery and a "not so easy to find" 12 v to 6.5 v supply. Not all supplies will work, I bought a switching supply and found it occasionally caused the shutter to oscillate.

In my observatory I use the Pentax AC adapter for power. For exposure I use a laptop/desktop computer program called DSLRShutter by Stark. I made my own serial to Pentax adapter to use with the software. I doubt it would work on a PDA since it supports only serial and parallel ports. I also made a battery powered timer for remote use without a computer.

Another option is Canon makes an timer around $140 which will function with a Pentax if the connector is changed. DSLR astrophotography is dominated by the "Big Two" so I end up making my own gadgets for my Pentax.

Turning off Noise Reduction will cut the dead time between exposures, but greatly increase the noise. With high duty cycle on a warm night I doubt 10 minute exposures are practical even with NR. I keep NR on taking several 1-4 minute exposures and stack several exposures.

[beest]

Shutter Release Cable for Pentax K10D K110D K100D 5m - (eBay.ca item 350073701438 end time 02-Jul-08 05:05:14 EDT)

is the address for ebay purchase of cable release