Trigger with Teletrack and Digital Rebel XT (Canon 350D)

[hillels]

Trigger with Teletrack and Digital Rebel XT (Canon 350D)

by hillels » Thu Feb 19, 2009 4:36 am

Hi experts,

I didn't get any such triggering cable with my Teletrack, and I'm still in a holding pattern waiting for Tronisoft to deliver their kit. While I am waiting, I decided to see if the triggering was working with the Teletrack and my Canon Digital Rebel XT. I see the postings about the 2.5mm plug, so I scrounged around for a perfect 2.5mm to 2.5mm male coord... and I found one. I tested all three conductors at both ends - looks good. I plug in both ends - one to the teletrack "Snap" jack, and the other to the camera. Both look snug. I see in the directions you can set different camera positions, and then press the "Set" and "Go" buttons at the same time - and the Teletrack will swivel to each position and take a snapshot. I created two settings with positions close together, and pressed the "Set" and "Go" buttons.

Indeed, the teletrack swivels around... and it will sometimes take that first shot on the 350D. After that, it will not take any more. After further investigation, It's almost like the Teletrack doesn't release after the shot. The camera is really locked up until I cycle it or take the cable out. Using a standard Canon trigger in the same jack works perfectly. Contact between first and second conductors is the halfway push - and contact between the first and third conductors is the final trigger. There could be a lot of things going wrong. Is the standard 3 conductor 2.5mm male-to-male plug not correct for this setup? It might just work when I use the PappyWizard, but now I'm getting skeptical. Does anyone have the 350D and have the Teletrack working directly with just the cable and hand controller? Any ideas? Help!

-= Hillel =-

[fma38]

by fma38 » Thu Feb 19, 2009 9:13 am

It seems that latests Teletrack version are not wired the same way regarding to this socket. And maybe the 350D does not like the way the contacts are shorted (remember than the Teltrak has only one contact).

First, try with your cable to short-circuit pins of the 2.5 plug 2 by 2, to see what are the correct ways. For example, you may need to only use the common and the shutter full-pressed contact, and not the half-pressed one (this is the way I use my 20D with my Merlin).

Once you find the correct pins, wire them to the Teletrak (see in tha manual what are the pins which are really used). Another thing to check is the current polarity. If it does not work, try to reverse pins.

[klausesser]

by klausesser » Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:13 pm

"For example, you may need to only use the common and the shutter full-pressed contact, and not the half-pressed one (this is the way I use my 20D with my Merlin)."

Hi Frédéric!

That´s interesting! I realized sometimes that i have to push the release halfways because the 20D wouldn´t fire. I set the active-time now to 10min because of that.
Sometimes it takes a time to arrange the camera when it is on a pole of some meters height - and sometimes it´s impossible to hear wether it´s firing or not. You don´t have a control about if it does or not.
So it would be very helpful to be certain it shoots.

I guess it´s because the camera fells into sleep-mode and need a wake-up by half-pressing the release - of course a workaround can be to set the camera to longer active-times.

best to you, Klaus

Last edited by klausesser on Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Paul]

by Paul » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:47 pm

similiar with my Olympus:

I have to shorten focus and shutter to release, even when focus is set to manual
shutter trigger only will not release

[fma38]

by fma38 » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:49 pm

Klaus, you're right: using only the full-press contact does not wake-up the camera.

As full-press contact activates AF cycle, I don't understand why it does not wake up the camera. This is not consistent at all.

[hillels]

by hillels » Thu Feb 19, 2009 3:11 pm

Ok guys,

You got me thinking Frédéric... so I indeed rechecked the pins that the 350D wanted - and again, I was correct - base and middle do AF and base and tip do fire. So I just want base and tip to short from the Teletrack. You guys were hinting that the Teletrack is just a 2 conductor jack - so I put a 2 conductor wire in there. I attached the two conductor wire to the base and tip of the three conductor wire going into the 350D. Then I setup three positions on the Teletrack and pressed "Set" and "Go" at the same time. This time the Teletrack swiveled and fired ALL THREE TIMES! Boy, I hope that was all it was. Looks like the base and middle were always being shorted with the 3->3 conductor configuration causing the 350D to be locked up from the constant AF. More experimentation to follow but I feeling way more optimistic now. Thanks Frédéric!

Now if I can just get Noz to send me the kit...

-= Hillel Steinberg =-

[fma38]

by fma38 » Thu Feb 19, 2009 3:43 pm

Good!

[jeremyp]

by jeremyp » Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:33 pm

Hi guys,

A few years back we built a multi camera release setup for three 20D cameras. If I remember correctly Canon advised us to keep the focus and shutter circuits separate (do not short them together). We built a simple box with two relays which worked well including waking of the camera.

I'll be doing some tests soon as well, my sky-watcher multifunction mount arrived yesterday

Jez

[klausesser]

by klausesser » Fri Feb 20, 2009 1:33 am

my sky-watcher multifunction mount arrived yesterday
Jez

Hey Jez!

Have fun - great device!

best, Klaus

[claudevh]

by claudevh » Fri Feb 20, 2009 10:23 am

Hi Jez,

I'll be doing some tests soon as well, my sky-watcher multifunction mount arrived yesterday

What is your solution for connecting the Sky-Watcher MF (interface) ?

Your comments could help other contributors...
Thanks

[jeremyp]

by jeremyp » Sat Feb 21, 2009 2:47 am

What is your solution for connecting the Sky-Watcher MF (interface) ?

Still waiting for my USB->TTL cable to arrive as well as some cheap Canon remote release switches so I can cannibalize the connector.

I'll report back when I have something working.

Cheers, J

[Castillonis]

by Castillonis » Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:15 pm

The N3 and E3 connectors contain three conductors. Shutter, Focus, and Ground. You momentarily connect / short circuit the shutter conductor to the ground conductor allowing current to flow to trigger the shutter. If you leave your lens set to autofocus instead of manual focus the camera will attempt to realize focus first and trigger the shutter if focus is achieved. If the lens is set to manual a very short duration connection of Shutter to Ground will trigger the shutter. If you have a high signal from a device you could connect this to the gate on a FET. With the FET properly biased the high signal on the gate will allow current to flow from the source to the drain.

Shows the Canon E3 connector.
http://www.camerahacker.com/Canon_Accessory/N3_E3_Convert.php

Chapter one triggering shutters
http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/19/07645965/0764596519.pdf