Nikon D50, Manual & Bulb....NOT what I expected...

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

04/08/2007 07:16:21 AM · #1

... now I expected that when in Bulb, I would press the shutter once to expose the sensor and a second time to end the exposure, only when I did it, it was press to expose and release to end.

Assuming that I'm an idiot and that is what should happen, how can I leave my shutter open for longer than 30seconds without having to stand there with my finger on the shutter release for several minutes?

please, please, please, please help!

ralph

Nikon Z9

04/08/2007 07:20:45 AM · #2

you have to get a remote
Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control for D50

hsolakidis

Nikon D50

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

04/08/2007 09:04:16 AM · #3

Or a PDA with the right software (I use Noviiremote).

surfdabbler

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II

04/08/2007 09:48:20 AM · #4

I just got an SLR and was surprised by this same experience. Somewhere recently, I saw an article on how to build your own wired remote from a plug, some wire and a couple of switches. Pretty simple stuff, so I will probably build on of these soon. I can't find the link again at the moment, but it was for a Canon. Maybe there's a similar post somewhere for your D50.

Otherwise, there are commercial remotes that you can buy through pretty much any camera shop.

inshaala

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM for Canon

04/08/2007 09:50:30 AM · #5

dont get the wireless stuff - tis just a waste of money unless you want to look cool... for bulb exposures i cant imagine you wanting to be infront of the camera when the shutter goes off, just get a cable release - you can pick up some really cheap 3rd party ones online.

Bugzeye

Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital

04/08/2007 10:31:12 AM · #6

The remote switch for the D-50 is only about 15-20 dollars. So it really is a sound investment.

agenkin

Mattel Barbie Photo Designer Digital Camera

Nikon MF Nikkor 20mm f/3.5 AIS

04/08/2007 11:09:36 AM · #7

Originally posted by inshaala:

just get a cable release - you can pick up some really cheap 3rd party ones online.

There is no cable release for D50.

hsolakidis

Nikon D50

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

04/08/2007 11:16:28 AM · #8

What for anyway? The remote works great.

PurpleFire

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

04/08/2007 11:17:34 AM · #9

Originally posted by agenkin:

Originally posted by inshaala:
just get a cable release - you can pick up some really cheap 3rd party ones online.

There is no cable release for D50.

Also the remote senor is just under the shutter release and no where near the end of the lens, so I can easily use it without getting in the way of the shot.

Thanks guys, I'll get the remote before I try that sort of thing again.

inshaala

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM for Canon

04/08/2007 02:03:31 PM · #10

wasnt aware of that being a canon user myself, thought most things like that are generic.

Plus i meant that the only reason you might want a remote switch is if you wanted to be in the shot and/or set off the camera from a distance. You were asking about bulb exposures and thus a cable release is possibly the best option because it pretty much annihilates camera shake due to you holding onto the camera body to press and hold the shutter release... So yeah - a cable rather than battery powered remote would be the short and long run cheaper option, but alas the D50 doesnt let you have a cable release?!

Message edited by author 2007-04-08 14:04:23.

04/08/2007 02:05:30 PM · #11

Originally posted by PurpleFire:

Well the one thing i will say is..... Every 35mm SLR i have ever used you stand there and hold it.... or the easier shake free way was to use the remote release cable.

WHich i presume got replaced with the IR Remote for digital slr's.

Message edited by author 2007-04-08 14:22:31.

kyebosh

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 80-200mm f/2.8L

04/08/2007 02:29:14 PM · #12

eraser and a rubber band. :-)

edit: cover the lens with a black cloth while pushing the shutter in, and once again before releasing.

Message edited by author 2007-04-08 14:29:53.

04/08/2007 04:29:20 PM · #13

Originally posted by inshaala:

So yeah - a cable rather than battery powered remote would be the short and long run cheaper option, but alas the D50 doesnt let you have a cable release?!

I don't see how a cable release which is attached to the camera and would dangle from the camera would be better than a IR remote, which doesn't even touch the camera and you can simply stand off to the side and click and walk away. My two cents.

04/08/2007 04:44:43 PM · #14

Originally posted by jdannels:

Originally posted by inshaala:
So yeah - a cable rather than battery powered remote would be the short and long run cheaper option, but alas the D50 doesnt let you have a cable release?!

I don't see how a cable release which is attached to the camera and would dangle from the camera would be better than a IR remote, which doesn't even touch the camera and you can simply stand off to the side and click and walk away. My two cents.

70 or so years cable release's worked just fine!

04/08/2007 04:53:08 PM · #15

Originally posted by RainMotorsports:

70 or so years cable release's worked just fine!

true, but what would work better to keep a camera still, a cable or an IR beam? :P. Honestly they are probably the same I suppose.

Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX Diagonal Fisheye for Nikon

04/08/2007 04:57:11 PM · #16

Originally posted by jdannels:

Originally posted by RainMotorsports:

70 or so years cable release's worked just fine!

true, but what would work better to keep a camera still, a cable or an IR beam? :P. Honestly they are probably the same I suppose.

Well depends on if your using a 30 dollar or 250 dollar tripod/head setup. Im sure the 30 dollar setup would be disturbed by the A/C unit kicking in much less the cable release.

muckpond

Nikon D200

04/08/2007 04:58:25 PM · #17

Originally posted by RainMotorsports:

70 or so years cable release's worked just fine!

film was awesome for a long time too. things change.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

04/08/2007 05:09:04 PM · #18

Originally posted by muckpond:

Originally posted by RainMotorsports:
70 or so years cable release's worked just fine!

film was awesome for a long time too. things change.

Film is still awesome, just inconvient and expensive. Kind of like owning a Ferrari... with 3 kids and a low wage job.

SamDoe1

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

04/08/2007 09:07:33 PM · #19

Originally posted by jdannels:

Well with Canon cameras at least you have to have the shutter button held down for a bulb exposure. I'm not sure if the IR remote works for pushing once to start the exposure and then again to end it. If it doesn't, you'd have to stand there and hold down the remote's button. The Canon shutter release cable has a button that locks for bulb exposures, I'm sure Nikon's is the same or very similar.

ralph

Nikon Z9

04/08/2007 09:17:36 PM · #20

Originally posted by SamDoe1:

Well with Canon cameras at least you have to have the shutter button held down for a bulb exposure. I'm not sure if the IR remote works for pushing once to start the exposure and then again to end it. If it doesn't, you'd have to stand there and hold down the remotes button. The Canon shutter release cable has a button that locks for bulb exposures, I'm sure Nikon's is the same or very similar.

different models have different features
D200 has a wired cable/no IR/
D100 had a standard film like cable (low tech) but you could attach a the same 10 pin release as the d200 if you had the additional grip
I'm pretty sure all the D1* and the D2* have the same 10 pin

but all the lower models d40/50/70/80 are all IR ...

i like the cable low tech releases personally ...

virtuamike

Nikon D2X

Carl Zeiss 35mm ZF f/2.0 Distagon T

04/09/2007 04:20:46 AM · #21

Originally posted by kyebosh:

eraser and a rubber band. :-)

edit: cover the lens with a black cloth while pushing the shutter in, and once again before releasing.

Bingo :)

Or tape.

Mattel Barbie Photo Designer Digital Camera

04/09/2007 04:26:27 AM · #22

Originally posted by SamDoe1:

No I use the remote all the time on bulb, just press it once, go get warm inside or walk around and wait, the press it again the shutter closes, the shutter button is never actually depressed.

BTW I'll have to try that eraser thing for my D200, looks interesting :)

agenkin

Nikon MF Nikkor 20mm f/3.5 AIS

04/09/2007 04:53:31 PM · #23

Originally posted by jdannels:

BTW I'll have to try that eraser thing for my D200, looks interesting :)

For the D200 you can buy a used MC-20 cord on eBay for around $30, which will have a built-in timer for up to 10 hour exposure, with one second granularity.