Remote shutter release for D600

[kenny1football]

I'm looking at getting a remote shutter release for my Nikon D600 and I'm thinking of a 3rd party one from eBay rather than a Nikon one due to the cost. What are peoples opinions on 3rd party brands from eBay? Any to avoid or should I be looking at a Nikon one?

[nimrodisease]

There are lots of good third party ones, but you're likely to find some duds on ebay aswell. I have a Hahnel wireless trigger which is great.

It's worth being more specific about what you want too: wired or wireless? Single button, or multi-function (eg intervalometer)?

[kenny1football]

I want to be able to trigger the remote from behind the camera. Is it true that you need a wired one to be able to use from behind the camera, i.e. be able to look through the viewfinder or can you also do this with a wireless one? I'd say single button one would suffice at this stage

[arthurking83]

wired technology is so 20th century! :p

Get a 'radio' wireless trigger. Once you use them, going (back)to wired remotes feels so antiquated and clumsy by comparison.

Get one from ebay .. they're all pretty much fail safe nowadays.
Aputure, Phottix, Yongnuo .. etc, they're all about the same quality products.

Approximately $30 or so should get you a good wireless trigger.

I generally advise against IR remotes .. while they work, they can be limiting when compared to a RF wireless remote.

I have two Phottix remotes. I hacked the original one I got(Cleon) as the cabling system annoyed me to a fair degree, so I pulled it apart and soldered in a new improved wire socket into the receiver module so that the cable connecting it to the camera was replaceable(originally it was fixed). Even considering my (heavy handed)tampering it still works more than 6 years on!
The second remote I got was Phottix(Plato) again, but this time an improved generation type.
Again no problems after 6 years of use either, and this one didn't need hacking as it's workings are efficient and streamlined.

of the two, the Plato type is the more recommended version, but only because it doesn't have(or need) an antenna for the transmitter unit, which the Cleon does.
While the antenna has never broken nor caused me trouble, it's requirement for any long range shooting just means that there is one more thing to go wrong.
The Plato uses the 2.4G transmission frequency and is just as effective over long distances without the need for an antenna.
But the main reason I got the second remote was because of the battery types used in the (older) Cleon remote. Hard to find and annoying to stock CR2 and A23 types! :confused:

If you search ebay for those wireless remotes with the transmitter that has the antenna keep the battery requirement in mind.
The more modern 2.4 GHz types (that I've seen) all seem to use AAA's.

An interesting looking wireless remote that I've also stumbled across is the Yongnuo MC-36R N3.
Interesting in that it looks well made and that it also has intervalometer/timing functions, and well built. Price looks good too(about $40 off ebay)
My only concern with this one is that the receiver(the item that connects to the camera) is hard wired.
There are many reasons you don't want the receiver to be hard wired, but have a removable wire instead.
(that's the bit of wire I hacked off my original remote device).

[CarlR]

With the D600, the Nikon (single button) wireless IR remote works well. It activates from the front or the back of the camera. These are pretty affordable on-line.

[NRandall]

With the D600, the Nikon (single button) wireless IR remote works well. It activates from the front or the back of the camera. These are pretty affordable on-line.

I use these for exposures up to 30 seconds.
For longer exposures I use a different remote, about which I'll say more once I have 50 posts ;)
I shoot at night with a D610 and D7000 and often have exposures of up to 2 or more minutes.

[znelbok]

I have an apature wired remote that I got on ebay. It does intervals etc and is quite good. I also had one for the D80 and loved it. A must for long exposure shots on a tripod.

The last trip out had me wishing for a wireless remote though.

JYC (which apparently was Youngnuo) make the same hand held part as the Apature I have but in a wireless setup. I think this will be my next remote for the D600.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Wireless-Timer-Remote-For-Nikon-D90-D7000-D5000-D3100-D5100-DSLR-Camera-N3-JYC-/181274339849?pt=AU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories&hash=item2a34caea09

Mick

[MrQ]

I have the Nikon wired one. I don't recall it being very expensive, maybe $35 or so. Compared to what most camera gear costs it's a bargain. :)

[arthurking83]

I have the Nikon wired one. I don't recall it being very expensive, maybe $35 or so. Compared to what most camera gear costs it's a bargain. :)

in absolute terms, $35 is not expensive .. not at all.

But when you can get an aftermarket wired remote from ebay for 1/10th of the price .. and even free sometimes .. the term expensive is a relative one.

for what it is, the Nikon remote is actually expensive!

you can get very high quality wireless remotes for that sort of money.

[Cage]

I had a dud Nikon wired remote, and while I was waiting for a replacement I bought a $10 cheapie. Worked a treat.

I also have the wireless but prefer the wired remote as I shoot mainly off a tripod, and with the wired, which I hold in my hand, I don't have to worry whether I'm out of line with the IR sensor.

[arthurking83]

...... I don't have to worry whether I'm out of line with the IR sensor.

That's one of the reasons I avoid IR wireless remotes too Kevin.

The RF wireless remotes from thirdparty vendors don't have this issue.

I once shot a series of frames(for a laugh) from about 50-100m away, in my car, whilst rolling a ciggie.
Of course couldn't hear the shutter click, and just thought to try it to see how well(if) it'd work.

[Liney]

I built one myself out of a cheap hands free kit, a couple of gash switches and an old roll on deodorant bottle. The hands free kit gave me the 2.5 mm plug I needed to connect to the camera, and the switches allowed me to connect the common and red or common and black leads. This gives me the ability to select half shutter (focus check) or full shutter.

I still need to look through the viewfinder and frame the shot, set the aperture/speed etc. but I can then step off to one side and snap away as much as I want.

Google is your friend, the plans are out there if you search for them and with some very basic soldering skills you can give yourself a feeling of satisfaction that you made it yourself.

P.S. the deodorant bottle holds the switches. The container fits nicely into your hand, and by cutting one hole in the top and one in the side I can select half-shutter withthe first finger and full shutter with my thumb.