Thursday, July 23, 2009

Interval Timer Remote for Olympus E510

I recently purchased an interval timer remote for my Oly E510 like this model. My main reason was to do some time lapsed photography. The first use was for elevated photography. This is where I mount the camera on a painter's extension pole and use the interval timer simply as a means to trigger the camera once I have it extended into the air. Yes, you could use the built in 10 sec delay timer, but you would only get 1 shot. With the interval timer, I can program a series of photos. The timer has a start delay, so you have time to get the camera in the air before it begins snapping photos.

I also used the interval timer to make some time lapsed photos of myself walking. You can merge the photos into one multiple exposure shot in photoshop, or you can create a movie from the photos using a program like makeAVI.

The only negative of the interval timer is that it will not do intervals less than 1 sec. Even at normal walking speeds, a 1 sec capture rate allows a good distance between photos.

I plan on using the interval timer for creating time lapsed photo sets of sunsets and flowers in the near future. This device definitely gives you a few more options for your camera.

4 comments:

  1. Hi,
    I just discovered your post while searching the Web... I recently bought a Timer Remote Control for my Olympus E-510 (like http://www.digitaltoyshop.com/TM-J_Timer_remote_control_Olympus_E-510_t1096_6230_1), and I can't get it to work - the shutter never opens, so it never takes any picture...
    Would you be a kind as to contact me to tell me how you succeeded in using your own remote (especially in terms of settings)?
    Regards,
    David (France)

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  2. The one you have looks very similar to the one I have. There are no special camera settings. As soon as I plug the unit into the camera usb port the unit will control the shutter and I can change interval settings. Do you get data on the unit display? Perhaps you have a malfuntioning unit.

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  3. Hi,
    And thanks for answering!
    When I plug the unit into the camera's USB port, the cable is a bit "loose" and I'm not really sure the connection is good on all the pins (but I can't test it, so...).
    Anyway, the screen "darkens" a bit but doesn't display anything. And yes, I have the unit display the data as expected, the "countdowns" work fine - except that there is no effect on the shutter :-(
    I read on another site that the camera should have the "bulb" exposure setting: is it the one you are using? Could you provide me with a detailed list of settings (both unit and camera) that are working for you, so I can try?
    I really wish I could get this unit to work... And so far, you seem to be my only trail to solve my problem ;-)

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  4. Mine works in Aperture mode, Shutter mode. As I said above, no special settings.

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