Still Camera Remote Switches

[cratermaker 0]

There has been a lot written lately about still camera remote switches. The Big Three. Mouth switches, blow switches, and hand switches. A switch is a switch. All of us as videographers just want a switch to take the photo when we tell the camera to. How you wire the focus/shutter cables is up to you. Set it up for one-shot or AI Servo. That's up to you and how you want to jump.

Personally, I want both. I want to be able to select the focus system for the jump I'm about to do. To accomplish this requires another switch. A Focus Selector Switch. I place mine inline with the camera remote cable. Like this: Still camera remote plug > Focus Selector Switch > firing switch(mouth, blow, or hand). The firing switch is wired with the focus/shutter cables tied together, just like 95-99% of the commercial switches made. The Focus Selector Switch allows me to chose One-shot or AI Servo, depending on how the camera is set to focus. It also allows me to turn off the constant focusing when I'm in AI Servo to save camera battery until it is time to jump. Prior to climbing out or taking a photo, I flip the switch to AI Servo.

Now to the point. THE SWITCH. I've used/tried all of the different styles. I want to say this: opinions are like assholes, everybody has one. Here's mine. From over 25 years experience of videography and camera work.

Mouthswitches. They come in many flavors. Tact, roller, flip, rocker, ect. Usually used in two variables, tongue and bite. Regardless, they all go in your mouth. And regardless, this is something all of them were NOT designed to do. Manufacturers, at home builders, and everyone else have tried. Some are more successful than others. I build my own mouthswitches. Bite or tongue, the challenge is to make them reliable. I have failed many times in this pursuit of reliability. But so has everyone else. Some are better than others, but failure of mouthswitches is still very high. I have come up with my bite/tongue that is very reliable. And I use it. But I still say mouthswitches, bite or tongue, by and large are the most unreliable of the Big Three.

Blow switches. Simple in concept. Reliable in use. Just overly large construction size. Harder to mount in most(not all) camera helmets. So far, I never seen the diaphragm inside the unit fail or the actual switch contacts fail. Here's the asshole part. I personally don't like to use them. It's just me. I have no reason not to, I just don't like to. I wish there were more brand/styles to choose from. Blow switches are far more reliable that the mouthswitches. In the long view, blow switches are cheaper to operate due to not having to replace them as often as mouthswitches. This makes them a step above mouthswitches.

Hand switches. The original electrical remote switch. Before electrical remote switches, cable push switches were used. I won't go there. It is too old for anyone reading this. The hand switches used today are very reliable. Any of the switches used for tongue/bite applications could be used for a hand switch. The three big knocks on handswitches are: 1.There is something in my hand, 2. There are cables and connectors sticking out of helmet and they dangle in freefall when I'm not jumping stills. And the best one: 3. I have to connect the cable to take pictures.
Number 1, yea, duh! Since we first started using hand switches, some of us did want something smaller in our hand. And over the years, we did. Now the switch mounts to just two fingers, with a piece of elastic. Personally, I've never had a problem with the switch in my hand. And I was hired to do intentional cutaways. None of the other cameramen had problems either.
Number 2, don't do it. I constructed a connector system using RCA male and female plugs. The female is attached/lashed just inside the helmet in the lining. The male(connected to the switch)plug is connected to the female and a very short piece of pull-up tape with a snap keeps the cable from being pulled out in freefall. Thousands of jumps, no problems. Nothing sticks out when not jumping stills. And just maybe by chance, if you should ditch your helmet due to a problem, the cable may act as an idiot cord so you might be able to recover it.
Number 3, get over it. Everything has to be connected at sometime or another.
Hand switches are just as reliable as blow switches. Easier to replace. You also have the option to use a mouth or blow switch in conjunction with the hand switch. Think of it a backup system. This why I pick the hand switch over the blow switch.

So pick your poison. I'd like to hear from you on this subject. Just because it works OK right now does not mean we can't improve on it. I've heard many alternatives. I tried many. This is called progress. Where do we go now?

[pilotdave 0]

Quote

To accomplish this requires another switch. A Focus Selector Switch. I place mine inline with the camera remote cable.

I'm kind of interested in this. What kind of switch are you using for that? How does it change the focus mode? I assume your camera is front mounted so you can't easily do it on the camera itself? With my camera (50D) it's easy and can be done without access to the back of the camera, so I can't imagine why a special switch would be necessary. But for less convenient cameras and mounting setups, I guess. But here's the real question... how do you choose which focus mode you want? I've gone back and forth between AI-servo and one-shot. I haven't found the advantage of one-shot yet. When do you use it?

Dave

[cratermaker 0]

***I've gone back and forth between AI-servo and one-shot. I haven't found the advantage of one-shot yet. When do you use it?

Good questions Dave. It took me a while to figure this out too. Personally, I felt really dumb not to see it sooner. I'm going with your last question first. It is the beginning of all the other answers.

I use AI Servo for the same reason most sports photographers do. The subject is moving. Not so much from side to side(shutter speed will take care that), but that the subject is coming towards(or away) from me. This requires focus. Or really, focus changing as the subject moves. This is where AI Servo really shines. I bring up my camera, compose my shot, and with my index finger lightly pressing the fire button, the subject comes into focus. And stays in focus until my index finger increases pressure to the point it "fires". The focusing system "tracks " the subject until you decide to take the picture. Reread this last sentence.

In skydiving, both the camera and the subject can be moving towards, or away, from each other. Quite quickly. Now my stills are on my head(it does not matter where), and it is set for AI Servo. REREAD THAT SENTENCE AGAIN. Here comes the problem. See it yet? That remote switch you use was probably purchased because the camera plug matches your camera. Everyone does and it does not matter what type of switch(mouth, blow, or hand)you select. The problem is that almost all of them are soldered with the focus wire and the shutter wire on one post and the common(or ground) on the other. This means that the camera will only tell the lens to focus the same time as it is told to fire. You'd just well set the camera to One-Shot. OK-OK, I know that some of the switch manufactures will build your switch so that the focus wire and the common(or ground) are on one post and the shutter wire on the other. No Problem. Except, as soon as you turn on the camera, it starts focusing. You can't use One-Shot without it wanting to focus all the time. And it is made worse if you own one of the "less convenient cameras and mounting setups".

To overcome the focusing(or lack of) problems of the "normal" switches and the problems of an AI Servo switch, something was needed. I want use AI Servo as it is meant to used and I want One-Shot when it is required for the job at hand. I'm starting with a Canon XT series remote cable switch. I also have a second remote cable that matches my camera body. Yes, that is, two remote cables. I know that mouth switches go bad all too often. The Canon XT series remote cables are the cheapest. So I will use it for my remote switch. The cable and plug that matches the camera body will be used on the Focus Selector Switch. Since I'll be cutting off the switch, I have a spare now. My Focus Selector Switch has two positions, One-Shot and AI Servo.

I can now use any manufacture's switch for my remote switch. When I select the camera to use AI Servo, I can stop the autofocusing by moving the Focus Selector Switch to One-Shot until it's Showtime. I can use One-Shot when I wish. I'm not going into details about my Focus Selector Switch. I will tell you this: I work under the KISS principle, and I'm pretty simple. So it can't be that hard to figure out. I hope this explains what I wanted and why. Even more, I hope this helps with your questions. Cratermaker

[pilotdave 0]

I assume you're using AI-focus and just added a switch that shorts the focus contact to ground so the camera constantly focuses (like with a mono plug), but you can keep it shut off until you have a need for it. And at the same time, the shutter switch is also wired to focus so the camera will still use AI-focus as long as you hold the shutter switch down.

So it works well?

One thing is that AI-focus and one-shot don't act the same way when you take a burst of photos. Having the camera in AI-focus with the focus contact wired to the shutter release contact is not the same as having the camera on one-shot autofocus. In one-shot, both the focus and the metering lock with the first picture. That can mess you up on a series of exit shots (or landing shots). But if you disable bursts, I'm not sure which mode works better.

Dave

[cratermaker 0]

Dave, I'm not using AI-Focus. I using either AI Servo or One-Shot. Never used AI-Focus. We'll have to throw that assumption out. Sorry, but I'm totally confused by your description of the switch. It sounds nothing like what I did. I don't see how tying the focus to ground and tying the focus to the shutter could work. Would that wiring scenario not cause the focus wire(remember you said it is tied to ground) to feed back on itself and thus causing the camera to constantly focus and fire off shots because the shutter is now grounded through the focus wire? Maybe you've over thought it, maybe I'm a little blind. KISS. It works.

Yes, my Focus Selector Switch works just fine. It only took two tries and one parts order to make the one I use now. I'm still running KISS ideas through my head on improving it. The trip is short, but nutin so far.
Cratermaker

[lewmonst 0]

Wes, is that you? That's gotta be you...

If so, I owe you some photos of my helmet setup, I just keep forgetting to take them when I'm at work. Everyone gawks at my helmet. And I might have another customer for you from Perris willing to fly accross the country.

I'm tinkering with wiring my own focus selector switch. Hope you don't mind me using the idea to make my own. I hadn't told anyone about it because I didn't want to post your idea, then I saw this.

And your bite switch is GREAT. I just need a new heat shrink cover on it already...

My personal preference on switches is a tongue switch, so I don't move my jaw at all. But those have the same issues as all mouth switches.

I also just got a wireless remote switch with a button only suitable for a hand switch. It works great on the ground, but I haven't jumped it yet. I'm not too keen on having anything on or in my hand, even wireless.

So, why not wire up the "Focus Selector Switch" to just take continuous photos in AI Servo mode for the 60 seconds of freefall or so and switch it off at breakoff or after opening? (Assuming you have 8+gig cards and don't mind going back and deleting the useless shots)

Karen

http://www.exitshot.com

[pilotdave 0]

Sorry, meant AI-servo, not AI-focus. But actually that brings up another point. AI-focus is supposed to automatically switch back and forth between one-shot and AI-servo as necessary. Never figured out how that's supposed to work.

Maybe my description was off... too long for me to reread.
Dave

[freefalle 0]

I've seen Wes switch for use with Servo. Ingenious device. I think its a great option and I'm planing on picking one up in the future. Flip the toggle, it's that easy.

[cratermaker 0]

***So, why not wire up the "Focus Selector Switch" to just take continuous photos in AI Servo mode for the 60 seconds of freefall or so and switch it off at breakoff or after opening? (Assuming you have 8+gig cards and don't mind going back and deleting the useless shots)

Karen, not the Wes here. Met Wes many years ago and I have been working with him for the last several years. I'll pass along your message to him the next time I visit. By the way, he has changed the construction of the switch a little.

Yea, 60 seconds of non-stop action. Glad I don't have to edit the photos. But it is possible. With a little more electronical education I could make one. When the shutter is fired the first time, it starts an timer module that continues the shutter firing for 60 seconds and then drops out. A second firing of the shutter starts the 60 seconds of photos again. It will need a selector switch too. You may want to take "normal" selective shots after the first 60 second burst. There are a lot of possibilities here. You may be able to select bursts of 0, 15, 30, or 60 seconds. And if they are cheap enough, you could include the mega-gigabyte memory cards with the timer module for a small charge. All is possible. It just takes time and money. But at my age, both are getting short.

I've only worked with the wireless remote on the early Nikon 70. I won't go into details, but we turned it into a wired remote. A real pain. Not one of Nikon's better ideas for us in the skydiving arena of sports. However, that does not mean it won't work for us. Who knows, that Canon wireless remote maybe just the ticket. Play with it and let us know how it turns out for you.

Your preference for tongue switch seems to put you in the majority. Early guesstimation seems to show that the tongue switch is #1, bite #2, blow#3, and hand #4. Hopefully a few more videographers will weigh in with their preferences. Hope this helps.
Cratermaker

[cratermaker 0]

***Maybe my description was off... too long for me to reread. But my point was that your focus selector switch isn't actually telling the camera you want AI-servo vs. one shot, right? It's just grounding the focus contact with the camera in AI-servo mode, right? When it's off, the shutter switch works normally, focusing and firing at the same time. Make sense?

Dave, you are correct in that the Focus Selector Switch is not "telling" the camera body anything. AI Servo and One-Shot is selected in the camera's menu by the user. All the Focus Selector Switch is "telling" the camera body to do is allow the lens to constantly focus until it is "told" to take the shot. This is how AI Servo is suppose to work. If you change to One-Shot in the menu, then the FSS One-Shot "tells" the camera body to focus and fire at the same time. REMEMBER, if you are using a "normal" remote switch, it will "tell" the camera body to FOCUS and FIRE AT THE SAME TIME. NO MATTER WHICH FOCUS MODE YOU HAVE SELECTED IN THE MENU. The remote switch you use MUST MATCH the focus mode you want to use.

Try this at home. You can come up with a test to see the difference between AI Servo and One-Shot. Or get a second remote switch wired for AI Servo and compare freefall shots of AI Servo vs. One-Shot. You will see the difference when you shoot someone coming at you in the two modes. But most of the time it will be subtle differences, for the better.
Cratermaker