UKC

I'm after a remote controller for my EOS 70D, just to be used to put a person in the photo (ie me) when I'm out on the hills alone. I'd prefer it as simple as possible, ideally just a button that operates the shutter. Canon's own brand one seems to have a very limited range that makes it basically useless for my needs. The only other I've found is the Hahnel Combi TF. This has a max range of 100m, which would be plenty, but it also has other functions that I'm unlikely ever to want, and which I guess make it bulkier and more complicated than I need it to be. Has anyone used an alternative?

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

The wireless ones are IR and pretty useless outdoors. There are RF variants, but they are bulkier and consume batteries and you'll just get photos of you pushing a button.
I use an ebay sourced intervalometer. Weighs pretty much FA and plugs into the remote socket. Two AA batteries to power it and they last 18 months or so. You can set an interval and/or delay to shoot, and it'll take as many frames as you want.

In reply to coolhand:

I also use an intevalometer now. Search ebay for 70d intervalometer and you'll find the one.

I found remotes to be far less failsafe, as both radio batteries need to be charged, and range seems randomly variable.

Also, with an intervalometer you can hear the shutter clicking as you leave the camera, and you can be certain that you'll get the shot.

In reply to coolhand:

Brilliant, thanks both. I'd never heard of one of them before

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

Handy for exposures longer than 30" and time lapse too.

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

I only just got rid of my hahnel shutter release otherwise you could of had it cheap. Didn't use the options. Just click and shoot. Cool for multiple captures too. Just keeps firing with button pressed. I'd get one again.

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

With the 70D you can use Canon's EOS Remote app (other apps are available) to remotely control the camera from your phone.

In reply to Fiddler:

That sounds like a good option. But not from my stone age phone!

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

2nd the intervalometer... i use a generic one from amazon that cost about £10/15... also really good for timelapses

some of the basic wireless flash triggers have a remote shutter option where you hold the transmitter and the receiver plugs into the camera... that combined with the 2/10sec timer option will allow you to hide the fact you are holding the button.

how do you rate the 70d btw?

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

Just bought a wireless remote from ebay for my 7d. It was £14, has a range of 75+m and works really well. There is one componant that plugs into cable release socket on side of DSLR and a smallish remote. You have bulb and focusing control and timed release with it. I have used it gaffer taped to my bars to take a photo of me biking in the hills. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200350754689521&set=pb.177441...

In reply to blackmountainbiker:

Nice one

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

I was looking for something similar but for a compact or bridge camera which was very hard to get, after hours scouring the internet and asking on here I finally found a bridge camera that had a built in intervalometer.
yep it turned out to be the one I already owned. Doh!

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

If anyone is looking for a wired remote shutter with tons of features, try triggertrap. And app and a cable to you smartphone. Works wonders!

In reply to BAdhoc:

That looks like an awesome bit of kit, do you use it ?

I've used triggertrap, it works well, but in the hills in less than perfect conditions messing about with your phone and the wee short cable is a faff and keeping it all dry is tricky.