Any reliable & cheap parallel product to the Canon Tc-80n3?

[Ellen Schmidtee]

I'm looking for an intervalometer for the 5Dmk2, and the Tc-80n3 is insanely priced.

The basic function I'm looking for is 'shoot a photo every X secs/min till I stop it, the battery runs out, or the 2nd coming, whichever comes first'.

 

[JerryKnight]

This: Vello ShutterBoss Timer Remote

Used to be the Pearstone ShutterBoss, which is the one I got, but this one should be identical.

Edit: Actually, I wanted to control a Rebel as well, so I got the Rebel version (sub-mini jack) and sacrificed a cheap N3 remote and made a sub-mini-to-N3 adapter. They might sell such an adapter nowadays, though.

 

[dr croubie]

Just type 'tc-80n3' into ebay, you'll get a few hundred results.
Apparently the Link Delight ones aren't so bad for $20, google that and you'll get a lot of happy people. One major difference though is that the Link Delight ones don't have a locking plug, so it may fall out occasionally.
Still, cheaper than the genuine version (that said, I got my genuine tc-80n3 off ebay, 2nd hand for about $50).

 

[wickidwombat]

I just use these ones
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Timer-Remote-Shutter-Canon-5D-II-50D-40D-7D-TC-80N3-/170513314850?pt=AU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories&hash=item27b362b422
only pain in the ass is there is no on / off switch so you just have to take the batteries out when finished
not a big deal really

I also have theis app on my iphone
http://www.dslrbot.com/
and a little IR transmitter as they show

 

[dr croubie]

only pain in the ass is there is no on / off switch so you just have to take the batteries out when finished
not a big deal really

To be fair, you can't turn off the genuine Canon TC-80N3 either.
I keep my battery in there, but reversed, it's perfectly usable as a remote switch without power. If I want timer functions, then I just take the battery out, reverse it, and use it as intended.

 

[wickidwombat]

only pain in the ass is there is no on / off switch so you just have to take the batteries out when finished
not a big deal really

To be fair, you can't turn off the genuine Canon TC-80N3 either.
I keep my battery in there, but reversed, it's perfectly usable as a remote switch without power. If I want timer functions, then I just take the battery out, reverse it, and use it as intended.

I didnt know that, never used the genuine one

 

[Ellen Schmidtee]

Just type 'tc-80n3' into ebay, you'll get a few hundred results.

Damn - there are a few that at least look like original Tc-80n3 by top sellers and cost <$50.

Where I live, it costs $200+ w/ all taxes included.

 

[Ellen Schmidtee]

Thanks to all!

 

[meli]

This: Vello ShutterBoss Timer Remote

Used to be the Pearstone ShutterBoss, which is the one I got, but this one should be identical.

Edit: Actually, I wanted to control a Rebel as well, so I got the Rebel version (sub-mini jack) and sacrificed a cheap N3 remote and made a sub-mini-to-N3 adapter. They might sell such an adapter nowadays, though.

for some rebels there was/is a hacked firmware with a solid intervalometer included

 

[DJL329]

This: Vello ShutterBoss Timer Remote

Used to be the Pearstone ShutterBoss, which is the one I got, but this one should be identical.

Edit: Actually, I wanted to control a Rebel as well, so I got the Rebel version (sub-mini jack) and sacrificed a cheap N3 remote and made a sub-mini-to-N3 adapter. They might sell such an adapter nowadays, though.

I had a Canon Wired Remote from my Rebel/Elan 7 days and converted it to use on the 5D2. I bought the following adapter with an "N3" plug on the end (see link below). Then I picked up a 2.5mm (F) to 3.5mm (M) stereo converter from Radio Shack for buck or two. I connected one into the other and it worked without a problem!

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/615567-REG/RPS_Lighting_RS_RTC_C3_RTS_Adapter_for_RS_RT06.html

 

[JerryKnight]

It seems to me, after seeing the ones listed here, that many of these timer remotes are all clones of each other, including the "official" TC-80N3..

...

I had a Canon Wired Remote from my Rebel/Elan 7 days and converted it to use on the 5D2. I bought the following adapter with an "N3" plug on the end (see link below). Then I picked up a 2.5mm (F) to 3.5mm (M) stereo converter from Radio Shack for buck or two. I connected one into the other and it worked without a problem!

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/615567-REG/RPS_Lighting_RS_RTC_C3_RTS_Adapter_for_RS_RT06.html

That looks awfully familiar.. I may have done exactly that. I know I've hacked at least one N3 cable, but it might have been for an Arduino intervalometer project..

...

for some rebels there was/is a hacked firmware with a solid intervalometer included

If you're referring to CHDK, it doesn't support the 450D (XSi). Would be nice, but none of my cameras are supported, even my point & shoot (SD960IS).

 

[Razor2012]

Heh, I don't know if you can have reliable and cheap at the same time, but as others have stated eBay has tons of them and for the 30 bucks they are asking, that's probably as reliable and cheap as you're going to get.

 

[AdamJ]

only pain in the ass is there is no on / off switch so you just have to take the batteries out when finished
not a big deal really

To be fair, you can't turn off the genuine Canon TC-80N3 either.
I keep my battery in there, but reversed, it's perfectly usable as a remote switch without power. If I want timer functions, then I just take the battery out, reverse it, and use it as intended.

I didnt know that, never used the genuine one

The absence of an off switch is mentioned as a downside quite often and I don't really understand why. The power consumption is minuscule, probably equivalent to a digital watch, yet nobody fears leaving the battery in a digital watch.

 

[RLPhoto]

If you've got an Iphone, Trigger-trap APP and hardware works pretty well for me.

 

[wickidwombat]

only pain in the ass is there is no on / off switch so you just have to take the batteries out when finished
not a big deal really

To be fair, you can't turn off the genuine Canon TC-80N3 either.
I keep my battery in there, but reversed, it's perfectly usable as a remote switch without power. If I want timer functions, then I just take the battery out, reverse it, and use it as intended.

I didnt know that, never used the genuine one

The absence of an off switch is mentioned as a downside quite often and I don't really understand why. The power consumption is minuscule, probably equivalent to a digital watch, yet nobody fears leaving the battery in a digital watch.

i dont really sonsider it a downside as such more of a mild annoyance i just keeps some AAA eneloops in the bag with it and put them in as needed

 

[dr croubie]

only pain in the ass is there is no on / off switch so you just have to take the batteries out when finished
not a big deal really

To be fair, you can't turn off the genuine Canon TC-80N3 either.
I keep my battery in there, but reversed, it's perfectly usable as a remote switch without power. If I want timer functions, then I just take the battery out, reverse it, and use it as intended.

I didnt know that, never used the genuine one

The absence of an off switch is mentioned as a downside quite often and I don't really understand why. The power consumption is minuscule, probably equivalent to a digital watch, yet nobody fears leaving the battery in a digital watch.

i dont really sonsider it a downside as such more of a mild annoyance i just keeps some AAA eneloops in the bag with it and put them in as needed

Does your off-brand take AAAs?
Genuine Canon takes a flat battery, like CR2020 or 2032 (yes, i'm too lazy to move 1.5m to get it off the floor and check).
And yeah, it probably drains as much power as a watch in standby mode (and probably barely above not-installed-self-draining), so flipping it over like I do probably isn't going to make it last much longer. But I have a habit of not carrying spares, last time it was a dead battery in the eos 3 at 11pm on a saturday for a concert. Good thing I had a 7D and Pentax Spotmatic as backup...

 

[wickidwombat]

yeah all the off brand ones all take 2 AAA batts so pretty easy there

 

[atlcroc]

Hahnel giga t pro for canon works really well with the 5 d mark III. So reliable is covered and it's right at $100 which is slightly cheaper than the Canon version. Also you can set 2 timers so it loops continuously.

 

[noisejammer]

It's not cheap but togastro makes a controller that allows the mirror to be flipped up before the shutter is released. It's really intended for astrophotography but it can be used elsewhere. It has plugs to suit the XT/T series and the N3.

 

[dr croubie]

It's not cheap but togastro makes a controller that allows the mirror to be flipped up before the shutter is released. It's really intended for astrophotography but it can be used elsewhere. It has plugs to suit the XT/T series and the N3.

I'm presuming that you have to set mirror lockup on the camera, then it fires on shot to do lockup before firing the second for the photo (presumably longer Bulb-shot).
Sounds a bit fancier than the TC80, I'm wondering how that could be accomplished without something so specialised though. I'm thinking something like pressing the shutter button on the remote-part to lockup the mirror before pressing the 'start' button on the timer mechanism after a few seconds to let mirror vibrations die down.