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I'm looking for a remote that can handle at least 30' of range and hold the shutter down long enough to do exposure bracketing. The latter part is what's really problematic--I have a remote that can fire it at that range, but it won't hold it for long enough.

I have seen some remotes with truly extreme ranges for wildlife photography but that's overkill, I haven't seen anything in between.

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    \$\begingroup\$ With what camera model are you wishing for this remote to work? \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    May 29, 2021 at 7:22
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MichaelC I have both a Nikon D7500 and a Panasonic FZ300. The best remote I have lets you use different cables for most any camera out there. I figured a good remote would work that way so I didn't bother with specifying a model. \$\endgroup\$
    – Loren Pechtel
    May 29, 2021 at 23:39
  • \$\begingroup\$ For most cameras, your assumption is basically correct. But Panasonic is the exception to that rule. \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    May 30, 2021 at 5:56
  • \$\begingroup\$ Related: Third party wired remote - Good bang for the buck or a nightmare? \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    May 30, 2021 at 6:07

3 Answers 3

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You can get a wired remote on eBay for $£€ 10

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to which you can add extension cables for about the same price.

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You don't even need to put batteries in for a simple shutter release, only for the timer functions. As all it's doing is closing a contact, you can run quite a long way. They have a 2-stage press, same as the camera's own release & a lock to keep on shooting. The last part of the cable comes in many flavours for different camera types.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I want to minimize what's in the frame so wired isn't a good answer but I do like your idea of extension cables. Not ideal but I'll try that if I don't find a better solution. Plugging a remote into an extension cable would reduce the range. \$\endgroup\$
    – Loren Pechtel
    May 29, 2021 at 23:42
  • \$\begingroup\$ @LorenPechtel It'd have to be a fairly long cable. These things carry no data. They're simple on/off switches (other than Panasonic, which is sensitive to the amount of resistance to determine the difference in 'half press' and 'full press' over only one wire plus ground). \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    May 30, 2021 at 6:12
  • \$\begingroup\$ @LorenPechtel Are you wishing to activate the camera while you are visible in the frame? \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    May 30, 2021 at 6:13
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MichaelC Exactly. Selfies in the wilderness with the camera on a tripod. Uneven terrain can play havoc with tripod placement. \$\endgroup\$
    – Loren Pechtel
    May 30, 2021 at 22:54
  • \$\begingroup\$ @LorenPechtel There are radio versions of the above. The transmitter can usually also be used wired, or it can be used wirelessly with the receiver wired to the camera via a variety of connectors like the wired only one above. Most manufacturer remotes are infrared with much shorter ranges. Please see this answer and this answer \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    Jun 1, 2021 at 0:57
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I'm not sure about the Panasonic camera, but with the Nikon D7500, you don't need a remote that holds the shutter for a long time. You can do single-press shutter button exposure bracketing by setting the bracket function and setting the interval timer function.

First, as you're probably doing, set the number and EV range of your brackets by pressing the BKT button.

Secondly, set the interval timer to start Now, taking 1 interval of as many shots as you set in the Bracketing function. You can also set a short delay between shots (I usually keep that delay to a minimum). By doing this, with a single press of the shutter button (or the remote's button), you will take, say, 3 bracketed shots automatically. The next time you press the shutter button, you will take 3 more bracketed shots.

When you're done with bracketed shooting, you have to remember to turn off both bracketing and the interval timer. I know, it's a bit fidgety, and easy to forget to set (or disable) both modes. But it's how it's done with Nikon DSLRs.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Interesting! I never tried combining interval + bracketing. I know for simple bracketing you have to hold the button. \$\endgroup\$
    – Loren Pechtel
    May 30, 2021 at 1:23
  • \$\begingroup\$ I don't think that's how Nikon intended it, holding the button for the entire time. In my experience, without using the interval timer, when bracketing is set, each press of the shutter button takes the next bracket in the sequence. So if you're set for a 5-shot bracket at +/- 1EV each, then the first button press is -2 EV. Next press is -1 EV, then 0, etc. (assuming the bracket order was set to "-0+"). If they required you to hold the button down, the camera might move during the exposure, and that's definitely not desirable for bracketing. \$\endgroup\$
    – scottbb ♦
    May 30, 2021 at 2:16
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    \$\begingroup\$ If my brackets are fast enough shutter speed, I sometimes won't bother setting the interval timer. I just press the button on my remote 5 times. But when doing long-exposure brackets, I don't want to wait around for the progressively-longer shots, so I set the interval timer, press the button, and the camera plug away with the shots. \$\endgroup\$
    – scottbb ♦
    May 30, 2021 at 2:17
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With both your Nikon D7500 and the Panasonic FZ300 bracketing can occur one exposure per shutter release press, and any remote will work for that. With the Nikon you just use the basic BKT button/mode (and step settings) **and the shutter release set to single shot mode. And with the Panasonic you set it to "Single" in the Auto Bracket menu.

(**unless you are really good at controlling the number of shots in continuous mode)

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Yeah, you can fire it one at a time. There's no need for being really good at controlling the number of shots--on both if you hold down the button it fires the bracket in continuous mode then stops. My only problem is with range. \$\endgroup\$
    – Loren Pechtel
    May 30, 2021 at 22:52
  • \$\begingroup\$ Pretty much every wireless radio remote has at least a 100ft range these days. Can be had for about $30; you'll just need one that has interchangeable camera cable connections and a cable for each body. \$\endgroup\$
    – Steven Kersting
    May 31, 2021 at 11:31
  • \$\begingroup\$ And many of them can also do bulb/continuous exposure as well... even some of the really cheap ones ($20 JJC brand) \$\endgroup\$
    – Steven Kersting
    May 31, 2021 at 11:36
  • \$\begingroup\$ I haven't seen that range even for a single shot, let alone a burst. \$\endgroup\$
    – Loren Pechtel
    May 31, 2021 at 23:26
  • \$\begingroup\$ amazon.com/JJC-Wireless-Remote-Control-Camera/dp/B00JGI8HV6/… \$\endgroup\$
    – Steven Kersting
    Jun 1, 2021 at 2:43

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