I've been using a 3rd-party electronic cable release (one end plugs into my D300, and three feet later there's a button to press half-way, all the way, or slide to lock for long exposures) happily until recently. Temperatures around freezing. On several different days, it stopped working (outdoors) and then began to work again, and the "works again" happened twice when I put it in my pocket, and once when I was back indoors, ready to throw it out but just had to try it one more time.
Are the contacts inside these things influenced by the cold?
Posted by Ron Pullen on January 19, 2009 at 9:05 AM
Rosemarie, I have a Nikon MC30 that does the same thing, works when it wants to. Ron
I went through a few of the third party el cheapo brands and each one died fairly quickly. Since buying the Nikon brand cable release I haven't had any problem, and I use it a lot. I'm sure I'll wear that one out too, but it's a big improvement. In this case I think you get what you pay for.
We've found the same thing as Charlie. Cable releases and especially sync cords wear out. The name brands are lots slower at it than the cheapies, but it happens to all of them. In our experience the name brand models last at least ten times as long, so is a cheapy really cheap?
Posted by Andrew Yip on January 19, 2009 at 1:35 PM
I had this happen to me with a cheap knock-off release. I decided I need an interval timer anyways, so now I am back to a Canon release and it seems to be much more reliable.
Posted by Jim DeWitt on January 19, 2009 at 7:08 PM
Most things contract - shrink - when they get colder. Especially metals. Different things contract at different rates. If something is poorly designed or poorly manufactured, with low tolerances for differential contraction, then at colder temperatures they will fail. Depending on what happens, they can fail permanently. Higher end camera products are usually certified to operate over wider temperature ranges. So they work longer and better at lower temperatures.
In addition, higher end camera products are usually waterproof/water resistant. If the widget is poorly made, moisture, even ambient humidity, gets in. And freezes. Ice expands, and wreaks havoc on physically mechanical bits (cables, for example) and electronics (things built to a 10 micron standard can't cope with ice in any amounts).
All of which is a longer way of saying what Hank said above. Cheaper isn't less expensive when you are working at lower temperatures.
I thought it was worth coming back to you with an insight or an idea. Throughout the years we used Mamiya medium format film cameras in our studio, we triggered them with wireless triggers. One less wire to trip on, but freedom to move from behind the camera as you directed subjects.
When we shifted to DSLRs in the studio, we didn't invest right away in Nikon's expensive wireless releases, but we quickly missed the utility of wireless. As a half measure in a slow period we bought Dot Line releases. They have turned out to be surprisingly effective and durable in spite of their low cost. We use them outdoors a lot, sometimes in weather in the high teens and low 20's. Now I miss them in my field shooting any time I'm on the tripod. I'm not sure whether this model will work on your 300 or not. But they're brilliant on our D2X's.
I'm not saying that you should "go cheap" at all, rather that a wireless release is worth considering. We fully plan to replace the Dot Lines with Nikon once they give out, but for over a year now those little $90 wonders just keep on ticking indoors and out.
Posted by Kent Staubus on January 21, 2009 at 12:15 AM
I've been using the new CyberSync triggers for my lights since they came out last July. They are very solid. I found out I can buy a $20 cord and connect a CSRB to my D300, and then trigger it with the CST from something like 900 ft. away. Haven't tried this yet, but will get around to it. Not sure just HOW much cold the CyberSyncs can stand before crapping out, but I did have them out for three hours one night last week as the temp hit 24F below zero and kept on going. No problems at all with the CyberSyncs. I was only getting about 30 minutes out of the D300 batteries though. Good thing I had a pocketful.
Discussion
8 repliesAre the contacts inside these things influenced by the cold?
In addition, higher end camera products are usually waterproof/water resistant. If the widget is poorly made, moisture, even ambient humidity, gets in. And freezes. Ice expands, and wreaks havoc on physically mechanical bits (cables, for example) and electronics (things built to a 10 micron standard can't cope with ice in any amounts).
All of which is a longer way of saying what Hank said above. Cheaper isn't less expensive when you are working at lower temperatures.
I thought it was worth coming back to you with an insight or an idea. Throughout the years we used Mamiya medium format film cameras in our studio, we triggered them with wireless triggers. One less wire to trip on, but freedom to move from behind the camera as you directed subjects.
When we shifted to DSLRs in the studio, we didn't invest right away in Nikon's expensive wireless releases, but we quickly missed the utility of wireless. As a half measure in a slow period we bought Dot Line releases. They have turned out to be surprisingly effective and durable in spite of their low cost. We use them outdoors a lot, sometimes in weather in the high teens and low 20's. Now I miss them in my field shooting any time I'm on the tripod. I'm not sure whether this model will work on your 300 or not. But they're brilliant on our D2X's.
I'm not saying that you should "go cheap" at all, rather that a wireless release is worth considering. We fully plan to replace the Dot Lines with Nikon once they give out, but for over a year now those little $90 wonders just keep on ticking indoors and out.
Kent in SD