Technique Wireless remote control
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Remote control
Are you always missing from your photographs? Are you always
behind the camera, rather than in front of it? An inexpensive
accessory from Canon might be just the answer.
Do you have a wireless receiver in your
Compatible EOS camera? If you have one of the models
cameras shown in the list to the left, the answer is
‘yes’. But don’t try to tune it to Radio 4 or
EOS 300D Classic FM. It is not that sort of receiver.
EOS 350D The device is designed to work with a
EOS 400D couple of small hand-held transmitters – the
EOS 450D Remote Controllers RC-1 and RC-5.
EOS 10 Shoot yourself
EOS 100 The primary purpose of these units is to
EOS 30 shoot self-portraits. You stand in front of the
EOS 50 camera, point the controller, press a button,
EOS 50E and the shutter fires.
Of course, you don’t want the controller to
EOS IX appear in the photograph, so both units offer
a 2-second delay mode, giving time for you
to hide the device in a pocket or behind your
back before the exposure is made.
What’s the difference?
The Remote Controllers RC-1 and RC-5 are
both suitable for all the cameras listed (left).
The RC-1 is well-suited to EOS cameras.
It can be clipped into a small cradle which is
The RC-1 comes attached to the camera neck strap, keeping it
complete with a close at hand. It also has two shooting modes
holder which can be
– one for the 2-second delay, the other which
attached to the camera
neckstrap. This keeps fires the camera as soon as you press the
the unit ready for use. remote button.
DIGITAL AND FILM 36 | 37
Self-timer mode
The remote controllers only operate with the
camera in self-timer mode.
EOS 300D, 350D
Press the self-timer
button (on top of the
300D, on the back of
the 350D) until the
self-timer symbol
appears on the LCD Above
panel. Press again The self-timer
button on the
to return to single or EOS 350D.
continuous shooting.
EOS 400D, 450D
Press the self-timer
button on the back
of the camera to
display the Drive
Above The self-
mode screen. Then timer setting screen
press the cross keys on the EOS 400D.
to select the self-
timer/remote control
function. Press the
self-timer button
again to select
Using the remote controllers single or continuous
shooting
• Set your camera on a tripod or other EOS 10 Press the Above The self-
solid support self-timer button (on timer symbol.
• Switch the camera to self-timer mode top of the camera)
• Aim the remote control unit at the front to activate the self-timer mode. The self-timer
of the camera and press the button to symbol will appear in the LCD panel. Press the
fire the shutter. button again to deactivate the mode.
EOS 100, IX Press the Drive button (on
The RC-5 is a much flatter unit, with top of the camera) to switch from single or
GERARD MAAS
a design more suited to Canon compact continuous exposure mode to self-timer/
cameras, such as the IXUS range. Also, it only remote control mode. The self-timer symbol
has one shooting mode – the 2-second delay. will appear on the LCD panel. Press the Drive
Both units have the same list price. button again to return to single exposure
Above and right Taking your
mode. own portrait is easy with one of
Focusing EOS 30 Turn the film advance mode lever the remote controllers. With the
There are two ways of focusing when you use (to the left of the control dial on top of the camera and lighting set up, point the
a remote controller. camera) to the self-timer position. Return controller towards the camera and
press the button (the RC-1 must be
Autofocusing The signal from the remote the switch to the single or continuous mode set to mode 2 for a 2-second delay).
controller to the camera tells the lens to focus setting to deactivate the self-timer. In the couple of seconds between
before firing the shutter. This should be fine EOS 50, 50E Press the self-timer button (on pressing the button and the shutter
most of the time, as the subject (possibly you) the top of the camera, close to the control firing, you can move the controller
out of the field-of-view. This will give
will be in position at this moment. However, dial). The self-timer logo will appear on a picture which looks as if it has been
if you are shooting with One-shot mode and the LCD panel. Press the button again to taken by someone standing behind
there is not enough light for the camera to deactivate the self-timer mode. the camera.
focus, no picture will be taken. And there is
TREVOR PAYNE
a risk that the camera will not focus where
Firing from above and behind
you expect. If you are shooting with a digital
The remote controllers are not just for self-portraits. You can use
camera this is not a problem as you can
them instead of remote switches whenever the camera is on a tripod,
review the images immediately after they are
with subjects from landscapes to close-ups. Our tests show that
taken and re-shoot any that are not successful. although the receiver is fitted in the front of the camera, you don’t
Manual focusing If you move a switch on need to have the controller firing directly towards the lens. Holding
the lens from ‘AF’ to ‘MF’, it will move to the controller a few inches above the camera and pointing it straight
manual focusing. You can focus accurately on down activates the focusing and shutter release. This is easy to do
the subject, knowing that the focus will not when standing behind the camera. Also, in small rooms, firing the
change when you press the remote controller
controller towards the back of the camera also works – the infrared
button. If you are taking a self-portrait, place a signal emitted by the device will bounce off a wall and a reflected
high-backed chair where you will be standing, signal will reach the front of the camera to fire the shutter.
and focus on this before moving into position.
 Technique Wireless remote control DIGITAL AND FILM 38 | 39
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Self-timer mode Spot the photographer

What’s the alternative?

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If your camera is not compatible with the
Left A remote Remote Controllers RC-1 and RC-5, what
controller can be used
to operate a remote options do you have for wireless operation?
camera. Here, the
camera has been Wireless Remote Controller LC-5
fixed in place to give for EOS 1D, 1D Mk II, 1D Mk II N, 1D Mk III,
a bird’s-eye view of
the basketball hoop. 1Ds, 1Ds Mk II, 1Ds Mk III, 5D, 10D, 20D, 30D,
It would be difficult 40D, D30, D60, D2000
for a photographer to
be in position behind
this camera. The 5
metre range of the
remote controller is
more than enough to
fire the camera from
the ground. A whole
sequence of images Who shot this
can be captured before picture? You
the film or media can’t tell from the
card needs replacing.
main photograph
Obviously you need
take care that the because he
camera is positioned At £349.99, the LC-5 is a lot more expensive used a Remote
where it will not come than the RC-1 or RC-5 (both £17.99) but Controller RC-1
to any harm from the
offers greater range (up to 100 metres), set to a 2-second
basketball.
and is compatible with the enthusiast and delay. After
professional models. It comes complete with pressing the
a receiver unit and a hand-held transmitter. button, he moved
There are four shooting modes – single shot, his hand to hide the unit behind another member of the group.
Left This photograph Speedlites are hand- Mirror up option continuous, delay (3.5 seconds) and test. The second photo reveals the photographer. Here, he has set the
GERARD MAAS

shows an effective held to give close-up If you are using your If you simply want to reduce the risk of RC-1 to immediate firing. You can see his hand above the heads of
use of the Remote illumination of the camera for extreme camera movement as you fire the shutter, the group, pointing the remote control unit towards the camera.
Controller RC-1. If you flower. Pressing the
close-ups, firing with Canon produces a range of Remote Switches. The camera, on a tripod, was pre-focused on the group. The RC-1
look carefully, you will button on the RC-
see the RC-1 under the 1 fires the camera a remote controller These are hand-held units connected to the has allowed the photographer to include himself in the picture.
middle finger of the shutter, which fires will eliminate any camera by a short cable (see photo below).
photograher’s right the ST-E2, which fires movement caused by Three types are available:
hand. The camera both Speedlites with
is on a tripod with a autoflash exposure.
pressing the camera Remote Switch RS-80N3 £39.99 Remote controller specifications
Speedlite Transmitter Bottom left The shutter release for EOS 1D, iD Mk II, 1D Mk II N, 1D Mk III, 1Ds,
ST-E2 attached to resulting image taken button. This still 1Ds Mk II, 1Ds Mk III, 5D, 10D, 20D, 30D, 40D,
the hot-shoe. Two using this technique. leaves a slight risk of D30, D60, D2000
vibrations from the Controls metering and shutter release from up
mirror action inside to 80cm from the camera.
Our choice the camera, but you Remote Switch RS-60E3 £23.88
The RC-5 has an attractive design, but if can overcome this for EOS 300D, 350D, 400D, 450D, 30, 30V
you are looking for substance over style, we by using the ‘mirror Date, 33, 300, 300V, 3000, 3000N 50, 50E, 500,
recommend the RC-1. It has more features, up’ function while in 500N, 5000, IX, IX7
RC-1 RC-5
better shooting capacity, and a useful self-timer mode. The Controls metering and shutter release from up
neck strap holder. The RC-1 is also a good mirror is raised at to 60cm from the camera. Type Infrared remote control transmitter
alternative to a remote switch (see opposite the start of the timer Remote Switch RS-60-T3 £36.62 Channels one
page). Remote switches connect to the camera delay rather than at for EOS 1, 1N, 600, 620, 650, RT
immediate;
by a short cable (80cm or less). The remote the end. This gives Controls metering and shutter release from up Shooting modes
2-second delay
2-second delay
controllers operate wirelessly with a range of time for vibrations to to 60cm from the camera.
up to 5 metres. Because a remote controller die away before the All accessories are available from our Operating
up to 5 metres
distance
will fire the shutter when used from above the exposure is made. online shop at www.eos-magazine.com
camera, it can be used when the camera is on ‘Mirror up’ is set by a Two CR1220 3 volt lithium One CR2032 3 volt lithium
Power source
a tripod. The ‘immediate’ firing mode of the custom function. button batteries button battery
RC-1 is useful for this. It is also less expensive
approx. 20,000 firings at approx. 6000 firings at
than a remote switch. EOS 10 Custom Shooting capacity
normal room temperature normal room temperature
function 13
Problem lighting The remote controllers
EOS 100, 350D, 400D Size 60 x 25 x 12.3mm 64 x 34 x 6mm
use an infrared signal. Strong backlighting can
overpower this and make it impossible to fire Custom function 7 Supplied with
yes no
the camera. Also, some types of fluorescent EOS 30, 50, 50E strap holder
tubes emit frequencies similar to those used Custom function 5
by the infrared system and may activate the Weight 15.5g (with batteries) 8.1g (without battery)
EOS 450D
camera at random while it is in self-timer mode. Price (RRP) £17.99 £17.99
Custom function 9