Best remote for a K-x?

Alliecat · 05-20-2019, 06:03 PM

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I just clued in that I could get a remote for my K-x. Duh, I know.

I really should've sat down and read the whole manual before going off to play with it, and I just never ended up reading the whole thing.
So I've googled, and read some old threads here... what I'm wondering is what would be the best thing to get? I have looked at eBay. Some of the remotes are less than $2 and some are over $40. What the heck? Do those ridiculously cheap little things actually work?? Do any of you have recommendations?
Thanks.

**ramseybuckeye** · 05-20-2019, 06:26 PM

Originally posted by Alliecat

I just clued in that I could get a remote for my K-x. Duh, I know.

I really should've sat down and read the whole manual before going off to play with it, and I just never ended up reading the whole thing.
So I've googled, and read some old threads here... what I'm wondering is what would be the best thing to get? I have looked at eBay. Some of the remotes are less than $2 and some are over $40. What the heck? Do those ridiculously cheap little things actually work?? Do any of you have recommendations?
Thanks.

Yes the cheap ones work, at least the RC-4 does. I have a couple of these and a couple of the Pentax Remote Control F, the Pentax is smaller, the RC-4 has a much greater range, it has a lot if buttons but only one works for Pentax.

LensBeginner · 05-21-2019, 12:23 AM

Range actually is important... I was convinced I could use my TV remote and/or the IR blaster in my smartphone, until I tried them for real, from 5-10 meters, in a theater.
No dice.

Also, their "performance" got worse the moment the staff turned on some more lights on the orchestra/parterre side, because of course they added to the background noise.

So, yes, buy a real remote if you need it, and get information on its range beforehand.

kypfer · 05-21-2019, 12:30 AM

If by "remote" you mean the infra-red cordless device, I've got an after-market unit labelled "Maxsima" that works fine with all my DSLR's. It's only got one button. With my K-5 it's really useful because that camera has i/r receivers on both the front and back of the camera. The other models have an i/r receiver only on the front of the camera, which I find limiting.
If by "remote" you mean a cable release, my earlier cameras all use the same device, but my K-70 needed a different unit because the remote microphone connector is integrated with the release socket. Might just be worth checking your requirements before buying the wrong item.
There are also "wireless" remote controls that have a unit that plugs into the cable release socket and a remote handset. These, apparently, have a range up to 100m. I've not tried one. They are available on eBay advertised as suitable for the Samsung GX1 and often priced quite low.

Afterthought:
Bear in mind the risk of extraneous light getting in through the viewfinder and affecting your exposure if you're working with your eye away from the viewfinder in bright light. This is where the little black viewfinder blind that probably came with your camera can come in useful

Last edited by kypfer; 05-21-2019 at 12:44 AM. Reason: Afterthought

**RKKS08** · 05-21-2019, 10:29 AM

Originally posted by kypfer

There are also "wireless" remote controls that have a unit that plugs into the cable release socket and a remote handset. These, apparently, have a range up to 100m. I've not tried one. They are available on eBay advertised as suitable for the Samsung GX1 and often priced quite low.

The better ones of these also offer sophisticated multi-exposure, delay, and time lap functions.

I don't know whether the K-x has a remote socket; if so, it will be mechanically and electrically compatible with the Canon remote socket. So you could also use a wired Canon remote, at least for single shots.

Alliecat · 05-30-2019, 10:16 AM

Thanks for the suggestions. I don't think the K-x has a cable socket. I really miss my K1000 with its easy little cable. All I really wanted was something to lock the shutter open longer than 30 seconds, or so I don't have to hold it when doing the occasional night shot. But I don't do them as much with this camera as with the K1000 because it's just more complicated. And the camera sometimes hangs up after I close the shutter and I end up having to take the batteries out to shut it off. I gather that's something to do with dark frame subtraction ...
I've never tried using the TV remote.

kypfer · 05-30-2019, 02:20 PM

Originally posted by Alliecat

Thanks for the suggestions. I don't think the K-x has a cable socket. I really miss my K1000 with its easy little cable. All I really wanted was something to lock the shutter open longer than 30 seconds, or so I don't have to hold it when doing the occasional night shot. But I don't do them as much with this camera as with the K1000 because it's just more complicated. And the camera sometimes hangs up after I close the shutter and I end up having to take the batteries out to shut it off. I gather that's something to do with dark frame subtraction ...
I've never tried using the TV remote.

I just downloaded and checked the manual - the K-x doesn't have a cable release socket, just an infra-red sensor on the front of the camera. There is a 3-sec delay option available for the remote, however, so all is not lost, or you could make up some basic arrangement with a small mirror to reflect the control signal to the sensor if you have to stand to the rear of the camera. The control is called "Remote Control F", I have a cheap after-market version which works fine for all my DSLR's.

There's options in the menus to set how the remote control works in "Bulb" (B) mode, press once to open then press again to close the shutter or press and hold for the duration of the exposure. For the "hang-up", there's options in the menus to disable noise reduction for various circumstances, so if you're happy with the grainier results that may occur you can turn it off if you want to

Last edited by kypfer; 05-31-2019 at 01:22 AM. Reason: afterthought

Alliecat · 06-11-2019, 12:23 PM - **1 Like**

I'll have a look for "remote control F" then.

Originally posted by kypfer

For the "hang-up", there's options in the menus to disable noise reduction for various circumstances, so if you're happy with the grainier results that may occur you can turn it off if you want to

You can't turn it off for longer exposures than 30 seconds... I think that was what I read.
...sigh, I miss using my K1000 for night shots... click it, lock it, and leave it....

kypfer · 06-12-2019, 01:05 AM

Originally posted by Alliecat

You can't turn it off for longer exposures than 30 seconds... I think that was what I read.
...sigh, I miss using my K1000 for night shots... click it, lock it, and leave it....

Weird!! You're right!

Although I've only used my K-5 for very long exposures (and put up with the delays between exposures), I've just checked the manuals for my other DSLR's and I can completely disable the Noise Reduction feature on all of them.

Sorry if I got your hopes up.

Good luck with the remote

doc_taz_nj · 06-18-2019, 01:43 PM

Originally posted by Alliecat

I'll have a look for "remote control F" then.

You can't turn it off for longer exposures than 30 seconds... I think that was what I read.
...sigh, I miss using my K1000 for night shots... click it, lock it, and leave it....

I still have the K1000! Currently shooting some Ilford XP-2 film with it. Now I don't know when that'll be done though... just got my new K-70 in the mail LOL.

05-20-2019, 06:03 PM	#1
Alliecat Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: East of Everywhere, Canada Posts: 740	Best remote for a K-x? 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 clued in that I could get a remote for my K-x. Duh, I know. I really should've sat down and read the whole manual before going off to play with it, and I just never ended up reading the whole thing. So I've googled, and read some old threads here... what I'm wondering is what would be the best thing to get? I have looked at eBay. Some of the remotes are less than $2 and some are over $40. What the heck? Do those ridiculously cheap little things actually work?? Do any of you have recommendations? Thanks.

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05-20-2019, 06:26 PM	#2
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,295	Originally posted by Alliecat I just clued in that I could get a remote for my K-x. Duh, I know. I really should've sat down and read the whole manual before going off to play with it, and I just never ended up reading the whole thing. So I've googled, and read some old threads here... what I'm wondering is what would be the best thing to get? I have looked at eBay. Some of the remotes are less than $2 and some are over $40. What the heck? Do those ridiculously cheap little things actually work?? Do any of you have recommendations? Thanks. Yes the cheap ones work, at least the RC-4 does. I have a couple of these and a couple of the Pentax Remote Control F, the Pentax is smaller, the RC-4 has a much greater range, it has a lot if buttons but only one works for Pentax.

05-21-2019, 12:23 AM	#3
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	Range actually is important... I was convinced I could use my TV remote and/or the IR blaster in my smartphone, until I tried them for real, from 5-10 meters, in a theater. No dice. Also, their "performance" got worse the moment the staff turned on some more lights on the orchestra/parterre side, because of course they added to the background noise. So, yes, buy a real remote if you need it, and get information on its range beforehand.

05-21-2019, 12:30 AM	#4
kypfer Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Jersey C.I. Posts: 3,595	If by "remote" you mean the infra-red cordless device, I've got an after-market unit labelled "Maxsima" that works fine with all my DSLR's. It's only got one button. With my K-5 it's really useful because that camera has i/r receivers on both the front and back of the camera. The other models have an i/r receiver only on the front of the camera, which I find limiting. If by "remote" you mean a cable release, my earlier cameras all use the same device, but my K-70 needed a different unit because the remote microphone connector is integrated with the release socket. Might just be worth checking your requirements before buying the wrong item. There are also "wireless" remote controls that have a unit that plugs into the cable release socket and a remote handset. These, apparently, have a range up to 100m. I've not tried one. They are available on eBay advertised as suitable for the Samsung GX1 and often priced quite low. Afterthought: Bear in mind the risk of extraneous light getting in through the viewfinder and affecting your exposure if you're working with your eye away from the viewfinder in bright light. This is where the little black viewfinder blind that probably came with your camera can come in useful Last edited by kypfer; 05-21-2019 at 12:44 AM. Reason: Afterthought

05-21-2019, 10:29 AM	#5
RKKS08 Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Frankfurt am Main Posts: 1,241	Originally posted by kypfer There are also "wireless" remote controls that have a unit that plugs into the cable release socket and a remote handset. These, apparently, have a range up to 100m. I've not tried one. They are available on eBay advertised as suitable for the Samsung GX1 and often priced quite low. The better ones of these also offer sophisticated multi-exposure, delay, and time lap functions. I don't know whether the K-x has a remote socket; if so, it will be mechanically and electrically compatible with the Canon remote socket. So you could also use a wired Canon remote, at least for single shots.

05-30-2019, 10:16 AM	#6
Alliecat Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: East of Everywhere, Canada Posts: 740 Original Poster	Thanks for the suggestions. I don't think the K-x has a cable socket. I really miss my K1000 with its easy little cable. All I really wanted was something to lock the shutter open longer than 30 seconds, or so I don't have to hold it when doing the occasional night shot. But I don't do them as much with this camera as with the K1000 because it's just more complicated. And the camera sometimes hangs up after I close the shutter and I end up having to take the batteries out to shut it off. I gather that's something to do with dark frame subtraction ... I've never tried using the TV remote.

05-30-2019, 02:20 PM	#7
kypfer Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Jersey C.I. Posts: 3,595	Originally posted by Alliecat Thanks for the suggestions. I don't think the K-x has a cable socket. I really miss my K1000 with its easy little cable. All I really wanted was something to lock the shutter open longer than 30 seconds, or so I don't have to hold it when doing the occasional night shot. But I don't do them as much with this camera as with the K1000 because it's just more complicated. And the camera sometimes hangs up after I close the shutter and I end up having to take the batteries out to shut it off. I gather that's something to do with dark frame subtraction ... I've never tried using the TV remote. I just downloaded and checked the manual - the K-x doesn't have a cable release socket, just an infra-red sensor on the front of the camera. There is a 3-sec delay option available for the remote, however, so all is not lost, or you could make up some basic arrangement with a small mirror to reflect the control signal to the sensor if you have to stand to the rear of the camera. The control is called "Remote Control F", I have a cheap after-market version which works fine for all my DSLR's. There's options in the menus to set how the remote control works in "Bulb" (B) mode, press once to open then press again to close the shutter or press and hold for the duration of the exposure. For the "hang-up", there's options in the menus to disable noise reduction for various circumstances, so if you're happy with the grainier results that may occur you can turn it off if you want to Last edited by kypfer; 05-31-2019 at 01:22 AM. Reason: afterthought

06-11-2019, 12:23 PM - 1 Like	#8
Alliecat Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: East of Everywhere, Canada Posts: 740 Original Poster	I'll have a look for "remote control F" then. Originally posted by kypfer For the "hang-up", there's options in the menus to disable noise reduction for various circumstances, so if you're happy with the grainier results that may occur you can turn it off if you want to You can't turn it off for longer exposures than 30 seconds... I think that was what I read. ...sigh, I miss using my K1000 for night shots... click it, lock it, and leave it....

06-12-2019, 01:05 AM	#9
kypfer Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Jersey C.I. Posts: 3,595	Originally posted by Alliecat You can't turn it off for longer exposures than 30 seconds... I think that was what I read. ...sigh, I miss using my K1000 for night shots... click it, lock it, and leave it.... Weird!! You're right! Although I've only used my K-5 for very long exposures (and put up with the delays between exposures), I've just checked the manuals for my other DSLR's and I can completely disable the Noise Reduction feature on all of them. Sorry if I got your hopes up. Good luck with the remote

06-18-2019, 01:43 PM	#10
doc_taz_nj Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Somewhere in Northern NJ, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 74	Originally posted by Alliecat I'll have a look for "remote control F" then. You can't turn it off for longer exposures than 30 seconds... I think that was what I read. ...sigh, I miss using my K1000 for night shots... click it, lock it, and leave it.... I still have the K1000! Currently shooting some Ilford XP-2 film with it. Now I don't know when that'll be done though... just got my new K-70 in the mail LOL.