How to Fire 15 Nikon SLRs simultaneously?

[SummerSound]

Hi all,

I have several ideas for research projects that all involve firing multiple Nikon SLRs at the same time.

I have access to 15+ SLRs, 3 speedlights and enough tripods/stands to support everything but I don't know how I would fire all the equipment simultaneously. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how you might do this?

I'm aware that PocketWizards would do the job but (unsurprisingly) I can't afford to buy 15 units!

Is there any way to tether multiple SLRs to one control app? Or is there any kind of trigger, like an infrared remote that all cameras could detect simultaneously?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

(I did try searching on here and on Google first!)

 

[TinaC]

What do Nikon say? I realise this isn't VERY helpful and as a Canon owner I have even less idea than none

 

[itsdavedotnet]

if they are the consumer end ones, with the infra-red triggers (ie D40/D60/D70/D80), then just one £10 infra red remote would do it.

Other than that, you could build a cable or electronics that would short the 'fire' pins of 15 remote control cables at the same time. Would just need to get 15 nikon remote controls (£3 ea on ebay), cut off the push buttons and wire them together - *shouldn't* have any issues wrt voltages etc.

 

[Thmaga]

I imagine infrared would be a nightmare, with not all cameras recieving the signal etc..though if it works it could prove to be the cheapest option.

My rf 602's (flash triggers), can trigger cameras they might be an option bit it would be expensive..., though im not sure you can still get the cables for them, Flash in the pan is the one to ask there.

Building a cabled trigger to do the job wouldn't be that hard either.

 

[mattyh]

15 people...

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Sorry, that's not very helpful is it!

It's going to have to be a remote solution of some kind, but whichever why you do it isn't going to be overly cheap I wouldn't imagine.... Good luck with it though, sounds like a great project!

 

[cw318is]

not sure what your ideas are, but you could use a dark room and bulb exposure, just firing the 3 flashes.

 

[SummerSound]

Thanks very much for the suggestions folks! Please keep em coming!

if they are the consumer end ones, with the infra-red triggers (ie D40/D60/D70/D80), then just one £10 infra red remote would do it.

It would be a combination of D3000s and D5000s. Not sure if these have infrared. Will have to check

I kinda imagine this is true though:

I imagine infrared would be a nightmare, with not all cameras recieving the signal etc.

Will all the cameras see the infrared signal simultaneously?

Other than that, you could build a cable or electronics that would short the 'fire' pins of 15 remote control cables at the same time. Would just need to get 15 nikon remote controls (£3 ea on ebay), cut off the push buttons and wire them together - *shouldn't* have any issues wrt voltages etc.

This sounds very interesting - thanks! I work with some guys who dabble in electronics (Arduino etc.) so they might be able to do this for me.

15 people...

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2..............

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Sorry, that's not very helpful is it!

Ha ha! I'll consider all options short of buying 15 Pocketwizards!!

 

[SummerSound]

not sure what your ideas are, but you could use a dark room and bulb exposure, just firing the 3 flashes.

This is a really smart suggestion!

Thanks very much. I'll have to give this idea some thought. I imagine it would work for some of the projects I have in mind.

 

[andephotographic]

If flash units can see an ir signal and trigger simultaneously then I'd imagine cameras would do similar.

Test it with 2, put a flash on one not the other, fire with the ir trigger and see if both cameras have caught the flash.

Low ambient light levels will probably help.

 

[lawrie29]

You doing a Matrix on us?

 

[cowasaki]

All you need to do is short out 2 wires per camera so 1 solid state switch per camera and some wiring

BUT

What about RF602s ? I have 2 transmitters and 5 receivers. I can already fire 5 at once with that setup. Just to make it simple I would suggest 1 transmitter and 15 receivers with the 15 remote wires.

 

[cowasaki]

If flash units can see an ir signal and trigger simultaneously then I'd imagine cameras would do similar.

Test it with 2, put a flash on one not the other, fire with the ir trigger and see if both cameras have caught the flash.

Low ambient light levels will probably help.

Slight problem with this is the pre-flash used for TTL metering of the flash. As the first one goes off to meter it will set the others off. If all the cameras were set up to fire manually and without this pre-flash then it could work but actually remotely triggering them would seem the better option.

 

[itsdavedotnet]

D3000s don't have a remote triggering port.

The good news: all that you need is one of these:

hhttp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Remote-Contr...raphy_DigitalCamAccess_RL&hash=item19c022809e press the button and all 15 will fire, as long as they can 'see' the remote

 

[Nod]

The little IR remotes for Nikons work very well and reliably but do prefer the sender to be in front of the camera (a bit of kitchen foil and some sticky tape could be used to "bodge" a load of mirrors to make them work better from behind.)

 

[SummerSound]

You doing a Matrix on us?

Ha ha! Yeah, I definitely want to try some 'bullet time' style effects, amongst other things.

All you need to do is short out 2 wires per camera so 1 solid state switch per camera and some wiring

Thanks Darren. I've absolutely no idea what this means but hopefully my electro-savvy work colleagues will!

What about RF602s ? I have 2 transmitters and 5 receivers. I can already fire 5 at once with that setup. Just to make it simple I would suggest 1 transmitter and 15 receivers with the 15 remote wires.

This is an interesting suggestion. Do you know how much it would cost for this setup? Should I be speaking to Flash in the Pan?!

D3000s don't have a remote triggering port.

The good news: all that you need is one of these:

hhttp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Remote-Contr...raphy_DigitalCamAccess_RL&hash=item19c022809e press the button and all 15 will fire, as long as they can 'see' the remote

Thanks again for your help. I'm very confused about how these work with D3000s if they don't support IR but the description clearly states that they do! Could be worth a try for the price!

The little IR remotes for Nikons work very well and reliably but do prefer the sender to be in front of the camera (a bit of kitchen foil and some sticky tape could be used to "bodge" a load of mirrors to make them work better from behind.)

Thanks Nod. I guess I could use the same timer delay on each camera and run back round behind them all as well?

 

[cowasaki]

Thanks Darren. I've absolutely no idea what this means but hopefully my electro-savvy work colleagues will!

Basically the 10 pin socket on the front of Nikon cameras contains 3 pins one common, one focus and one trigger. If you connect the focus and common wires together the camera will attempt to focus. If you then connect the trigger wire to the common wire then it will trigger.

So if you line up all the cameras and focus them THEN

To fire each one you would just need to connect the 2 wires together

So buy 15 cheap cable remotes off ebay for about £3 each from china then chop off the switches.

Then you need a single button to activate the 15 electronic switches to short out the correct wires. You can get 8 way switching ICs from maplin so......

1 piece of strip board
2 8 way switching ICs
1 button
1 9V battery
1 5V regulator (or whatever the switching ICs require)

Job done (yes there are simpler ways but that would be easiest for someone with LITTLE electronic experience)

It would be an interesting setup.

This is an interesting suggestion. Do you know how much it would cost for this setup? Should I be speaking to Flash in the Pan?!

This would be MY option.....

There are places selling 1 transmitter plus 3 receivers for £50 inc postage. If you contact one and ask for:

2 transmitters
16 receivers
16 Nikon remote cables

Then they should be able to give you a price. If you end up buying multiple kits of 1 TX & 3 RX then PM me and I'll have a TX off you for an RX

 

[cowasaki]

If you want a diagram for the 15 way switch and or me to build it let me know. If you pay for the parts it would be an interesting project

If I build it though it will not be using the 8 way switches...

 

[SummerSound]

If you want a diagram for the 15 way switch and or me to build it let me know. If you pay for the parts it would be an interesting project

If I build it though it will not be using the 8 way switches...

Thank you very much Darren. Your contribution to this thread has been outstanding!

I'll certainly consider your very kind offer to build the switch for me. I think I need to consider the prices/functionality of the various options and try to make my mind up which is the best way to go.

Thanks also for the offering of swapping parts out of the packs. That could be really helpful too.

You're a star!

 

[Nod]

Thanks Nod. I guess I could use the same timer delay on each camera and run back round behind them all as well?

Yup - that would be a far simpler way to do it!

 

[swanseamale47]

My thoughs are if your using 2 different models of camera they may have a slightly different delay whatever system you use to fire them. How critical is the timing?

 

[cowasaki]

Thanks also for the offering of swapping parts out of the packs. That could be really helpful too.

And me too Like I said 2 TX and 5 RX, 3 & 4 would be handier !

 

[SummerSound]

My thoughs are if your using 2 different models of camera they may have a slightly different delay whatever system you use to fire them. How critical is the timing?

Hmmm... that's another really interesting thought. Thanks. I'm pretty sure you're right actually!

I think timing will be fairly critical. I guess the only way to find out how much of a problem this is will be to give it a try?

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to this thread!

 

[cowasaki]

Hmmm... that's another really interesting thought. Thanks. I'm pretty sure you're right actually!

I think timing will be fairly critical. I guess the only way to find out how much of a problem this is will be to give it a try?

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to this thread!

Tom,

If you look at the thread in my sig for the model shoot at Manchester there will certainly be 15 Nikon cameras and enough RF602s there to give it a try. If you come along I will happily bring 5 and I am sure others will. We might well get a definite answer

 

[itsdavedotnet]

Thanks again for your help. I'm very confused about how these work with D3000s if they don't support IR but the description clearly states that they do! Could be worth a try for the price!

the D3000s DOES have the IR sensor, so it works with the remote that I linked above.

However, what it DOESN'T have is the 10 pin socket that darren mentioned above - so that option is completely out of the window if you're using D3000's, end of story.

 

[SummerSound]

the D3000s DOES have the IR sensor, so it works with the remote that I linked above.

However, what it DOESN'T have is the 10 pin socket that darren mentioned above - so that option is completely out of the window if you're using D3000's, end of story.

Ok, cool. Thanks for the upper caps and "end of story". There's absolutely no doubt in my mind now...

Tom,

If you look at the thread in my sig for the model shoot at Manchester there will certainly be 15 Nikon cameras and enough RF602s there to give it a try. If you come along I will happily bring 5 and I am sure others will. We might well get a definite answer

Thanks yet again Darren. I'd love to develop my skills in lighting/portraiture too, so this event would have been perfect. Unfortunately, it falls on my 1-year wedding anniversary, so I won't be able to attend. :shake: (I'm obviously new to this marriage lark but I don't think photographing attractive young women is a suitable anniversary activity, is it?! )

I'd love to attend a future meetup though. I hope there's more!

 

[tramp92]

I don't think photographing attractive young women is a suitable anniversary activity, is it?! )

Probably not. It will free up more time for you to follow your hobbies, if you can still afford to do them once she has dragged you through the divorce courts!