Trigger camera with something

D

davholla

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David
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I would like to have something that uses a laser or something (sorry for being vague) so that when a bird or a bat flies in front of it the camera and ideally a flash as well are triggered.
Has anyone tried anything like this?
 
Zap!

It would have to react very, very quickly. I suspect most commercially available triggers would leave you with a blank image (as the subject would be out of frame by the time it reacted).
How would you ensure a subject flies in front of your lens at the right distance? How do you ensure focus?
 
phototrap.com
Never used it but woudlappear to work if you have teh cash. I am sure that there are other similar things
 
kendo1 said:
Zap!

It would have to react very, very quickly. I suspect most commercially available triggers would leave you with a blank image (as the subject would be out of frame by the time it reacted).
How would you ensure a subject flies in front of your lens at the right distance? How do you ensure focus?
Click to expand...
Good questions, which I don't have an answer for at the moment.
 
Used to use them a lot in the good old pre digital days based on two beams which only triggered when the subject passed thro the intersection (where it would be in focus) used for birds in flight, lizards walking on water, frogs jumping catch flies,fish spitting etc. but flash was very high powered specialist equipment. With digital same capture procedure but used canon 540? flashes in banks of 3 for birds in flight but maybe not fast enough for other stuff.

Regen
 
regen said:
Used to use them a lot in the good old pre digital days based on two beams which only triggered when the subject passed thro the intersection (where it would be in focus) used for birds in flight, lizards walking on water, frogs jumping catch flies,fish spitting etc. but flash was very high powered specialist equipment. With digital same capture procedure but used canon 540? flashes in banks of 3 for birds in flight but maybe not fast enough for other stuff.

Regen
Click to expand...
What did you use? What beams, why do you not do it now?
 
I've never used it but TriggerSmart is the usual brand that pops up in adverts in the back camera magazines and such.
 
What did you use? What beams, why do you not do it now?

I cannot remember the name of the supplier and they are now long gone. I am fairly sure they were infra red. They were not the easiest of things to set up in the field and for most things I only used one beam with the transmitter and receiver touted about 1 metre apart on a ridged frame fixed to a very strong tripod. This was fine for birds etc in flight and there were lots of failures but this did not matter with digital. The beam would trigger 2 banks of 3 each 550EX canon flashes (this gave enough power at a distance of about 6 ft)

With the modern 10fps cameras working in manual it should be possible to just watch and press the button at the right time.

The two beam system was only used in the studio and was necessary for smaller subjects which were not moving very far e.g. toad taking a moth or archer fish spitting at insect. Two beams were also necessary when using medium format film due to cost of failure.

Sold all the gear and moved over to video about 3 years ago.

Regen
 
Triggertrap app is still available not sure about the connectors for cameras since they stopped trading.
 
Before considering taking any photos of bats it would probably be advisable to check if what you are proposing to do will require an appropriate licence. All species of bat and their roosts are protected by British and European law against, amongst other things, intentional or reckless disturbance. Penalties available on conviction - an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison per offence, and forfeiture of items used to commit the offence, e.g. camera and accessories, vehicle, etc. Better safe than sorry, after all, it's a bit hard to deny if there's photographic evidence all over the internet. (y)
 
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sirch said:
And that is in an album called "TriggerSmart", I guess the clue is in the name ;)
Click to expand...

Dead bee, glued to a cotton which is removed in photoshop. might as well be, there's now movement of the wings, it's just levitating :D
 
Mr Badger said:
Before considering taking any photos of bats it would probably be advisable to check if what you are proposing to do will require an appropriate licence. All species of bat and their roosts are protected by British and European law against, amongst other things, intentional or reckless disturbance. Penalties available on conviction - an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison per offence, and forfeiture of items used to commit the offence, e.g. camera and accessories, vehicle, etc. Better safe than sorry, after all, it's a bit hard to deny if there's photographic evidence all over the internet. (y)
Click to expand...
Thanks for that I was thinking of just taking photos of some drinking from a swimming pond, surely that would not disturb them? (BTW not in Europe). Saying that no photo is worth harming an animal.
 
davholla said: ↑
That is not what I am looking for, I want something to take better quality of photos this (I know a bee)
is what I would like to get
https://www.flickr.com/photos/10163...JYw-dbyTyR-dyJFWv-cfKqyy-cfKkGW-bHFh9Z-dvSu1j

(I can't believe that no one else has faved it).

Dave,

The trigger is only part of the problem/solution. you also have to allow for the delay between the trigger operating and the shutter firing. If the camera has a mirror then I think it has to be locked up. (I was using Hasselblad/mamiya with a special shutter mounted in front of the existing one not a modern digital.

The picture you are looking at should be possible without a trigger by mounting camera capable of 10fps on a tripod and prefocus then fire with remote when the insect appears. Eventually you get lucky! Certainly possible with a beefy which will hover for quite long periods or a hummingbird hawkmoth.
mouse taken under controlled conditions in about 1995 using high speed flash and hasselblad and scanned using nikon LS8000 in 2003.

Regen

030444 woodmouse jumping with hazelnut.jpg
 
regen said:
davholla said: ↑
That is not what I am looking for, I want something to take better quality of photos this (I know a bee)
is what I would like to get
https://www.flickr.com/photos/10163...JYw-dbyTyR-dyJFWv-cfKqyy-cfKkGW-bHFh9Z-dvSu1j

(I can't believe that no one else has faved it).

Dave,

The trigger is only part of the problem/solution. you also have to allow for the delay between the trigger operating and the shutter firing. If the camera has a mirror then I think it has to be locked up. (I was using Hasselblad/mamiya with a special shutter mounted in front of the existing one not a modern digital.

The picture you are looking at should be possible without a trigger by mounting camera capable of 10fps on a tripod and prefocus then fire with remote when the insect appears. Eventually you get lucky! Certainly possible with a beefy which will hover for quite long periods or a hummingbird hawkmoth.
mouse taken under controlled conditions in about 1995 using high speed flash and hasselblad and scanned using nikon LS8000 in 2003.
Click to expand...
Thanks an amazing mouse photo by the way. Maybe I will have to wait a few years for the technology to be affordable for me.
 
davholla said:
Thanks for that I was thinking of just taking photos of some drinking from a swimming pond, surely that would not disturb them? (BTW not in Europe). Saying that no photo is worth harming an animal.
Click to expand...
Probably best to check any relevant wildlife laws where you are intending to take the photos to be on the safe side? Who knows, by doing some research and making some enquiries you might find a local bat conservation organisation who can help or advise you, or who might even be keen on working with you to get some good photos?
 
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