Wireless Shutter Releases

[Mike J.]

Have many of you tried using a wireless shutter release for birds?...I purchased one from Adorama (RFN3-rx) awile back and it has opened up a whole new world for my bird photography. When I'm tired of sitting in the blind getting a sore back....it's a fun and productive change.

[artyman]

I used one before getting my Sigma 150-500, the thing is you can only pick one spot to shoot and still need to be in viewing distance to decide if the target is in front of the camera. It does open up possibilyties though.

[Ken Nielsen]

I'm not using mine as much as I thought I would. The drawback for me is having to aim it at the infrared receiver at the front of the camera. I really don't like reaching around in front of the tripod. I looked at a 'wire' type of shutter release that has a two-foot cable to the camera. The wire type seems better, but I left it at the store as I'm getting better results by just manning the switch at the camera (not using a blind) and learning to press the shutter without disturbing the camera.

[artyman]

I have a wireless one so don't need to be facing the infrared receiver on the front of the camera.

[Mike J.]

I am talking about the omidirectional type that is a radio signal...can go through walls, etc. ..the one I use advertises a 100' range but I have used it at a considerable greater distance. I can have it aimed at a perch or birdbath and sit in the house & fire off photos. It does a great job focusing, etc....it's quite allot of fun &

[Ken Nielsen]

I am talking about the omidirectional type that is a radio signal...can go through walls, etc. ..the one I use advertises a 100' range but I have used it at a considerable greater distance. I can have it aimed at a perch or birdbath and sit in the house & fire off photos. It does a great job focusing, etc....it's quite allot of fun &

Is it available in the U.S.? Please give a link to this item, described in English if possible. I'd like to check it out.

Thanks,

Ken

[artyman]

I bought mine from an HK seller on eBay

[joemusic321]

Look for Yongnuo wireless shutter releases on EBay. Can be purchased from several different vendors at around $20. I have one and it works pretty well.

[Ken Nielsen]

Look for Yongnuo wireless shutter releases on EBay. Can be purchased from several different vendors at around $20. I have one and it works pretty well.

Hmm... it says for Nikon, so is it brand specific?

[joemusic321]

I think they are brand specific since the connection at the camera would (probably) be different. They do make them for Canon, however.

[Mike J.]

I purchased mine from Adorama....model RF-811.....yes, you must match it to your type/brand camera. The reason being is you must match plugs....they do have them to fit most cameras...mine cost $109 and I am unsure about the less expensive ones but several use them and like them...I must say, I was impressed by the workmanship...it does not resemble a toy but a real piece of eqipment..they take a little thought to set them up if you use the auto focus feature...I use it primarily for birds and have an old fence post set up as a perch/prop which is small enough that regardless where the bird lands on the perch, the upper part of his body will be within the auto focus. I have not had great success pre-focusing in MF but then that is me....they are great fun to play with and I have gotten some shots I doubt I would have gotten otherwise...not to mention, the photos were taken from in the house or on the porch and I didn't have to spend allot of time in the blind waiting for the moment.

[Tom Reichner]

I can have it aimed at a perch or birdbath and sit in the house & fire off photos. It does a great job focusing, etc....it's quite allot of fun &

I've considered using one of these, but always wondered how it would know to focus on the bird's eye, and not on the bird's throat, or on it's beak, etc. Even when a bird sits on the same perch, it does move it's head a bit, and it never sits exactly the same way every time. So again, how do you manage to make sure the eyeball is the focus point?

[Mike J.]

Tom....that is certainly a limitation. What I do is review other photos or from the blind, make a mental note as to where the upper body will be. I fix my focus point there. You are right, there is no way to preplan exactly where the eye will be. I set my point so I'll get center mass/upper chest area and then set the aperature for more DOF. Granted, it's hit and miss but so far I have been pretty successful. One thing that helps is the male bluebird I have photoed the most pretty much orients himself facing the camera each time and the old fence post is narrow enough where I can pretty much predict exactly where center mass is. Prior to, I was using a larger post and tried to include some old barbed wire near the top and it gave him to much room to move around. I was finding that I was missing the bird totally about 1/2 the time. I have tried this same routine for goldfinches on short branches I would put out for a pretty perch but unless the bird lands exactly where you want it...just a couple of inches either way doesnt work....the key is to set it up so the bird has no lateral mobility & put the focus on the upper body.

[Tom Reichner]

Excellent tactics, Mike! It certainly is helpful when we can manipulate some aspects of our setup, isn't it?

I tried to do that with Ruffed Grouse. He'd get a bit nervous with having me in the blind right near his drumming location, and so he'd go elsewhere nearby to drum. Well, I found as many downed branches as I could, and covered every possible drumming location with them. That way, all the other suitable drumming locations in his area were covered up, and unusable. So he had to drum from his primary spot - the one I had a blind set up on. Worked very well for a day or two, which was all I needed to get the images I was after.

Thanks again for sharing your tactics.

-Tom