Motion sensor to trigger camera

[Phil Hall]

I am hoping to set up a remote camera/flash system to photograph night life on the ranch. I would welcome any equipment suggestions.

[MediaMagic]

I was *thinking* about this also, trying to find an economical way to accomplish an automated shot like you are describing. I haven't tried this yet. I think it should work but may need a little tweaking.


I'd try two Passive Infrared detectors. One wide beam which would be wired to the "half press" of the cable, and then a narrow beam PIR mounted just under the wide one wired to the "full press" to trip the shutter.

The wide beam would activate the sleeping camera when something tripped it and put it (and the flash) in the ready condition, then when whatever it was crossed the narrow beam in front of the camera, the shutter would trip.


Inside the detector there are a series of screws/slots under which you attach wires. Usually there are:

-- (2) DC +12v and DC -12v (could also be 24v but that's not as common), for power obviously, so you'd need either an AC to DC12v adapter or a 12v battery.

-- (3) NO NC C, These are for the relay. You pick either the Normally Open + Common, or Normally Closed + Common. For this purpose we'd want NO + Common (meaning the relay would close the circuit on trip) so that the relay would close and activate either the half or full press condition depending on which of the two PIR's was tripping.

There are some possible problems that come to mind with this approach:
1) If something runs across the beams, the camera wouldn't have time to "wake up" and come to the ready condition. When the camera did wake up, both relays would still be tripped and the camera would probably fire even though the subject had already left the frame. Usually the relays reset to normal condition after about 15 to 20 seconds, so One Shot mode would be necessary to keep from firing the entire buffer full at nothing.

2) if the animal crosses the wide beam, and then just remains still long enough, the relay will reset, the camera will go back into sleep mode, and have to be tripped again. This isn't as likely because the animal would have to be still not only the 20 seconds for the relay to reset, but also the inactive timeout on the camers, but it's possible I suppose.


You'd have to figure out the different wires for a half press and a full press as far as the cable. But it seems like it should work. And, of course, you'd have to cut the release cable to get to the wiring. Also, you will have to jump or parallel the common from the cable to each PIR (a Y connection). I think that's how it should work.

Like I said, I haven't actually tried this, so it may be a silly and unworkable idea, but, it does seem like it's possible.

[jaypie77]

I've used computer software in conjunction with a connected camera in the past to do something similar. The software was free and it activated whenever there was motion. If you set up an infrared light, this would obviously work well in a dark ranch setting.

[LazyPhotographer]

This may help:

Photographing Wildlife at Night with a Digital Camera
Text and Photography © Copyright Jack Smith

http://www.photomigrations.com/articles/0406100.htm

[Ballen Photo]

This may help:

Photographing Wildlife at Night with a Digital Camera
Text and Photography © Copyright Jack Smith

http://www.photomigrations.com/articles/0406100.htm

Sounds, or rather LOOKS like Mr. Smith has got a real handle on this sittuation. He's got some beauties for nocturnal wildlife shots. :D
-Bruce

[MediaMagic]

This may help:

Photographing Wildlife at Night with a Digital Camera
Text and Photography © Copyright Jack Smith

http://www.photomigrations.com/articles/0406100.htm

Sounds, or rather LOOKS like Mr. Smith has got a real handle on this sittuation. He's got some beauties for nocturnal wildlife shots. :D
-Bruce

Yeah, those are some phenomenal shots. Stunning. I wonder how many shots it took to get those four. It's like setting traps and then going out in the morning to see what you've caught.

[PacAce]

Kind of curious why the 'possum and the bobcat are looking at the camera when it's supposed to have been triggered by them breaking an IR beam (unless the camera was working in burst mode). :?

[Pekka]

This seems like a fun device: http://www.bmumford.com/photo/camctlr.html

[steven]

The animals might be looking at the camera because of pre-flash

[Sketcher]

This may help:

Photographing Wildlife at Night with a Digital Camera
Text and Photography © Copyright Jack Smith

http://www.photomigrations.com/articles/0406100.htmThat's a cool article. Good read, neat shots.

[Phil Hall]

Thanks for all your help. I will report back when I get something organied.

If anyone is interested check out this site.

http://archilochus.netfirms.com/links.

[robertwgross]

Many years ago in the military, we used personnel intrusion devices that were based on a "break-wire loop." There was a single wire (about the size of a human hair) that actually had two conductors in it. If you shorted the two conductors at the far end, then you could attach the two conductors at the near end to the intrusion device. The military version used older electronics, but I developed a more modern design that uses a single chip as the sensor. It is pretty simple to operate, and it would not be too difficult to adapt that to the wiring going to a camera. You would still have to have the correct plug (like on the end of the remote cord).

The animal moves through the zone that you are set up on. The wire is in the grass a few inches above the ground. The animal breaks the wire. Snap.

The problem would be if there were no grass to support the wire. Or, if the animal were a bird.

---Bob Gross---

[scott stokes]

also a good place to look for info on night wildlife photography and how to build cameras for this is hunting fourms,like jesse's hunting page.I have built a few game cameras that work great.

[timmyquest]

This seems like a fun device: http://www.bmumford.com/photo/camctlr.html

Just when i thought there was little i wanted to buy for a whlie!

:shock:

[MediaMagic]

This seems like a fun device: http://www.bmumford.com/photo/camctlr.html

Just when i thought there was little i wanted to buy for a whlie!

:shock:

I agree. This looks like a very cool interface. Not cheap at $300 bucks + the cost of various sensors, but, the features it does provide are absolutely cool and, not surprisingly, it'd still be one of the least expensive items in my gear box. My favorite feature is the separate camera and flash control. Now I need to learn about precisely controlling light via pulse duration.

You have to acquire or make the proper cabling for flashes without a PC connector and for the camera shutter trip (metering and protecting the current of course). That would be simple enough.

Yeah, I have to have one of these. The bulb shutter/flash pulse control alone is worth it to me. I can think of a ton of cool stuff just around the house to shoot that way..

[brushhog]

New here. I use motion sensor cameras to study and photograph animals in there natural habitat. Check my blog logbook.

gamecamera-logbook.blogspot.com

It shows the type of cameras I build to place in the woods.

cliff

[KennyG]

Here is something that may work for you: http://www.warehouseexpress.co.uk/photo/zigview/zigview.html?cd=200511112

I assume there is a US source for both versions.

[Rense]

Phil Hall,
See for a home made device (http://xray.bmc.uu.se/markh/cam_trig/cam_trig.html)

[jabtas]

Has anybody, seen this

http://www.imaging-resource.com/NEWS/1131636291.html

Look like it could be the gadget of the year

[Tapeman]

With 1D MKII there is a personal function that will fire the camera when something comes into the area that the lens is focused on. It's personal function #16. You need a cable release that locks. I have played with it but never set it up for anything special.

You can try it for free before spending money to set something else up.

Good luck.

[Todd Jacobsen]

Kind of curious why the 'possum and the bobcat are looking at the camera when it's supposed to have been triggered by them breaking an IR beam (unless the camera was working in burst mode). :?


Camera's are not totally silent, nor do they sound natural.

[Box Brownie]

Hi

Not something I have looked into completely but I wonder if this 'product' would suit what you want to achieve?

http://www.breezesys.com/DSLRRemotePro/index.htm

HTH :)