DIY Shutter Release Cable for Canon EOS 450D

Thanks Chandasa, for having sparked this in my mind. I knew a shutter release cable would help me get self shots, and also some bird shots from our garden.

So this is what I started with:
1. earphone socket pin, that of Nokia 1108 series' size
2. 3-stranded wire, 3m long
3. a 1 to 2 audio extension cord
4. soldering gun
5. sodering metal
6. a push-to-on switch
7. a toggle switch

The key was to get this pin, for it is considered to be an 'old' one, and what I got was actually an extension pin, from mobile EP socket to a normal full size EP socket. Even this was after having spent about 45 minutes in the electronics market in Pune (Pasodya Vithoba).

I tried opening the pin to get wire connections directly, but the intricate soldering arrangement was an immense hurdle right there. Thankfully I had a full size extension cord, which I could use. I put the pin back together, taped it to one piece, and turned to the extension cord.

It has a ready made arrangement for the purpose we have: a 3-lead pin to go to the camera, and 2 combinations (ground-L1 and ground-L2) to go to the 2 switches. One for half click, one for full click.

Chopped off the two extension pins, and extended the cord with the 3m long wire I had got. The green went to the ground, black to one live, and red to the other live. Ensured to use plenty of insulation tape at the joint, to prevent any shorting.

What I now had was a 3+ m long wire, with one end as a 3 lead full size EP socket pin that could fit into the mobile extension I bought, and the other end with 3 leads hanging free.

To test which combination of leads should go to which switch, testing was the way. Put the pin into the camera, switched it on, and tried shorting the 2 combinations (red-green and green-black). Turned out that black was for half click, and red for full.

The push-to-on switch went on to the half click combo, and the toggle on the full click one. What I had finally in my hands as a control was this:


And there it was, my virtual remote control to my camera, because of the sheer length of the wires I had chosen.

Here is the deal, in terms of cash:
1. The mobile to full size EP socket extension pin: INR 40
2. The 3 m long wire with 3 strands: INR 24 (8 per metre)
3. The 1 to two audio extension cable: INR 20
4. Soldering metal: INR 40 (I still have LOADS of this left, still adding it to the cost)
5. The 2 switches: INR 15 (10 for toggle, 5 for push to on)
6. Petrol to go all the way to the market and back: INR 25 (approx, conservative though)
7. My time, 2 hours in total, with current remuneration rate: INR 250

Total: INR 414, v/s the $25 cable Canon sells.

A long cable arrangement: INR 44
Two switches and an extender: INR 55
Having family awestruck by controling a $1000 camera with a self made cable: priceless.