D200 Remotes

[Alpha_7]

Hey All,

For my previous trip overseas I had a cheap 10 buck wired shutter release, It worked for 4 weeks of continual use and then got dodgey (you could get it to fire every so often if you twisted the cable to and throw. Anyways I need another (and pretty quickly) before I go to Egypt and I was wondering there seems to be the 10 buck ones, the 30 buck wireless jobs and then the $300 supremo one with LCD and blah blah. I'm thinking my best bet is one of the two cheaper options but I wanted to hear from others experience (Its a same they didn't give you an IR option built in like the D70).

[ATJ]

Craig,
I have the Photix one for my D300 ($16 + $15) from HK Supplies. I haven't actually used it other than for testing. It seems to work fine, although I did have to play with the battery contacts on the receiver to get it to work. Once I did, it has switched on each time I have played with it.

[radar]

Craig,

I know how you feel. I also got one of the cheap ones. It worked great for a while but lately it is playing up, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. One of the presents that Santa brought was a wireless remote, the Phottix Wireless Remote N1 from the bargains section. I just used it for the first time this morning, works great. It is RF so it does not depend on having a line of sight. You can set a code for it so it doesn't interfere with other phottix wireless remotes, at mini-meets for example. It comes with the CR2 battery for the receiver. It is well built from what I can judge of it.

The only problem I can see is that the receiver that hooks up to the ten pin connector on the camera just hangs down so in windy conditions, it may introduce some shake in the camera if you have it on a tripod. I'll just carry some blu-tac in my bag so I can secure it to the ball-head.

Cheers,

André

[gstark]

The only problem I can see is that the receiver that hooks up to the ten pin connector on the camera just hangs down so in windy conditions, it may introduce some shake in the camera if you have it on a tripod. I'll just carry some blu-tac in my bag so I can secure it to the ball-head.

The newest version - don't know if it's released yet - allows the receiver to sit in the hot shoe mount. The receiver can also be used as a wired remote.

[radar]

The newest version - don't know if it's released yet - allows the receiver to sit in the hot shoe mount. The receiver can also be used as a wired remote.

Not mine, must be the old version but that's a good idea for the hot shoe mount. I'm sure I can make myself a plastic one that I can glue on to the receiver.

Cheers,

André

[losfp]

Well, my solution is a touch more expensive.

But anyway, I'd just bought some pocket wizards. So I decided to use them instead of shelling out more for the $30 wireless remotes (which I cannot vouch for...). So I bought an ebay version of the camera trigger cable ($25 vs more than $100 for the official product) and now I have awesome camera triggering and flash relay triggering powers.

Er.... but the pocket wizards are $200+ each, so I wouldn't recommend this unless you already have some, or are going to get some anyway.

[Alpha_7]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

I'd thought of Poon's but give my last order from him took longer then expected part of me (and a much bigger part of Kate) doesn't want to risk not having it before I fly out). But the new version with hotshoe mount, sounds worth checking out when I get back.

I may just get a cheap one for the trip (and hope it lasts 2 weeks).

Des - While I have considered pocketwizards, they are a bit pricey for me, and I'm hoping the Radio Poppers will provide a cheaper alternative in the next few months If not Santa can get me some PWs next Xmas.

[tasadam]

http://adam.taswaterfalls.com/myremote/

The D200 not having a simple IR remote like the D70 was to me the worst thing about the D200. So I built my own.
I have enough bits to build 4 or 5, but time is against me, also there has been interest in a flash trigger being incorporated, and more recently, a sound trigger.
Perhaps I should just finish building the few I have bits for then go back to the R&D on the enhancements. I will say that the one I use is still the prototype one held together with tape, and it works BL00DY GREAT!!
A button to focus
A button to focus and shoot
A button to lock the shutter open (if the camera is in B)
And a button to release the shutter.
If you use it with mirror up, two presses of the shutter release button take the photo - the 1st press raises the mirror, then you can wait as long as you like until you press again for shutter open (I think the cam has a 30 sec timeout on this but have never waited that long for the camera to stop vibrating due to "mirror up")
As well, the reed switch so you can use it if the transmitter battery dies.
The receiver has no battery - powered by the camera. No noticeable effect on camera battery life.
It is compatible with any Nikon with the 10 pin connector including the newer D3 / D300.

[team piggy]

I have the same remote from Poon. Same as yours it worked great for a bit then was dodgy as.
I would suggest unscrewing the cover and having a look inside. All mine was is a couple bits of spring steel that had bent from use, a quick realignment and screwed back together and it is better than ever

[Manta]

Have to agree with Andre's comments here Craig - the Phottix N1 is great. I too don't like the fact that it hangs and can swing around but I would probably do a blutac fix in windy situations. Sticking a hotshoe mount on it might impeded access to the battery compartment if you were going to make it permanent but perhaps using velcro between the hotshoe mount and the receiver would be the go.

Have only tested mine up to 25m or thereabouts but it's worked fine every time.