Remote shutter control for Rebel T3

[AUricle]

Hi,

I'm planning on using my T3 coupled to a 1000mm telephoto lens to capture the total solar eclipse this summer.

But I don't want to spend the precious moments of totality fiddling with my camera. In fact, I don't want to even TOUCH the camera.

I've found software that automates a series of scripted time/exposure sequences when the camera is hooked to a laptop. It says it is compatible with The whole Rebel T and Ti series.

I'm doing this so that I can take many photo's quickly and pass the data directly to the computer, instead of getting the camera bogged down writing the data to a limited storage SD card. This should free up the camera to recover from bursts faster.

I see many many cabling solutions for mating the computer and camera, but they all seem to involve Canon models that use the TC-80N3 remote switch, but none with the RS-60E3 switch cable end to connect to my T3.

So, even though the software says it works with the T3, is there some limitation on the camera itself that prevents a solution to properly cable this project?

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

[kvbarkley]

The SD card is *much* faster than the USB cable or wireless!

The rebels can only use the wired remote like the RS-60E3. Actually, it looks like it can use the TC80N3 if you use the RA-E3 remote controller adapter - which I had never heard of until now. 8^)

You might be able to use an IR remote, but check your manual, I don't know about the T3.

The Canon EOS Utility should be able to do this, too.

Make sure to get a solar filter, unless it is really close to sunset:

[Waddizzle]

"I'm planning on using my T3 coupled to a 1000mm telephoto lens to capture the total solar eclipse this summer."

That is going to be a lot of equivalent focal length.  I suspect that you will more than fill the frame with the sun.  Heed the above advice about filters.  With that much focal lenght you will want to lock up the mirror.  Not sure if a T3 can do it, though.

Be sure to have a VERY robust tripod with a VERY robust tripod head.  Once you start point the camera/len upwards, the weight can become significantly off-center, which decreases the stability of your setup.  For that reason, keep your tripod column fully lowered.  Even better, use a tripod without a center column.

[AUricle]

Thanks for the quick reply.

The reason for bypassing the card is not the speed data is written to te card. It it's primarily due to the fact that when triggering an exposure via USB, the camera does not allow buffering. That limits you to the speed at which each exposure can be flushed out to the internal memory card. When using the shutter cable, images can be buffered in the camera's RAM before being written, allowing bursts of exposures at or near the maximum speed of the camera.. The solution, for modern serial port-less laptops,seems to be to cobble a USB to RS232 serial converter, from the computer, and then mate that with another serial receptacle with a cable that has the T3 2.5mm jack to plug into the camera.

Perhaps I'm not explaining the bottlenck correctly.

If you don't mind exploring this further, this is where the whole idea comes from:

[Removed link per Forum Community Guidelines]

Thanks for the EOS Utility steer. I'll have to give it a look-see, but the reason for the 3rd party software would be that it's specifically tailored with scripted camera commands for the various phases of the eclipse. Pick and choose and just click to set up a sequence. I have the feeling I'd have to build the whole script, one exposure at a time using the EOS Utility.

I know it's 'lazy', but time is valuable 😉

[Waddizzle]

The EOS Utility allows you the option to save images to the card, to memory, or both.  I get the impression that you're trying to capture as many frames in the available time, as possible.

What post-processing software do you use?  Many do not know that Canon's DPP software can average several identical photos, which can cancel out some noise if you have a large enough sample of images. 

The above image was stacked in Photoshop, but I used both PS and DPP to do the averaging on 40 photos.  Results were arguably the same, although PS seemed a little better with preserving the White Balance.

[AUricle]

Waddizzle,

Thanks for the tips.

The eclipse will occur almost mid-day, so for the partial phases, I have the necessary filter to fit the telephoto lens, which has a 90mm diameter and 1000mm f/l. (During totality, no filter is needed photographically or visually for those 160 seconds of awesomeness!)

At prime focus, without any magnification, I should get an image diameter of about 13mm or so. Ithink I can go up to 1.4x mag. and still capture 100% of the solar disk and also the inner corona during totality, without exceeding the sensors image size limits, but I plan to start testing all this as soon as the weather allows in the Chicago area.

Because I have to accurately track the Sun during the eclipse, I'll need a driven tripod. Easiest option for me is to piggyback the whole photo rig on my Celestron C-8 telescope which has the drive motors needed for tracking. (and the beef to support all that off axis weight)

At my age, this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity, so I gotta get this right.....the FIRST time 🙂

[Waddizzle]

Good luck.  Practice makes perfect.

I suppose taking shots of the Moon might be good for practicing lots of accurate captures, too. 

[AUricle]

"I get the impression that you're trying to capture as many frames in the available time, as possible."

Exactly!!

There is going to be a 280 sec. window.....the minute pre-totality...the 160 sec totality....and the minute post-totality that will yeild the most dramatic pics. The partial phases, coming and going, I want to sequence to put together to show the progression/regression of the entire event, but that I can do at 5 min. intervals.

It's just that 5 minute window that'll tax... to the max, the ability of my old friend the T3.

The mirror lock-up may be an issue. I need to do more research. That vibration could mess up the whole idea.

Btw- here is my source for solar disk image size, if you're interested:

http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/SEphoto.html

Post shoot, well, I'm not 100% sure about processing but I have an older version of PS and also DPP.

I must confess to not using them much though...

[AUricle]

kvb,

I looked at the  RA-E3 remote controller adapter. It looks to fit the entire Ti  series with it's 3.5mm connector, but once again, it comes up empty for the T3

As much as I've enjoyed this camera, I think I got the runt of the litter, so to speak

There must be some structural or programming issue that stands in my way here, but thanks for your suggestions.

I'm not going to give up just yet....

[RobertTheFat]

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@AUricle wrote:

"I get the impression that you're trying to capture as many frames in the available time, as possible."

Exactly!!

There is going to be a 280 sec. window.....the minute pre-totality...the 160 sec totality....and the minute post-totality that will yeild the most dramatic pics. The partial phases, coming and going, I want to sequence to put together to show the progression/regression of the entire event, but that I can do at 5 min. intervals.

It's just that 5 minute window that'll tax... to the max, the ability of my old friend the T3.

The mirror lock-up may be an issue. I need to do more research. That vibration could mess up the whole idea.

Btw- here is my source for solar disk image size, if you're interested:

http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/SEphoto.html

Post shoot, well, I'm not 100% sure about processing but I have an older version of PS and also DPP.

I must confess to not using them much though...

---

You are confusing quantity with quality. You would be far better off taking fewer pictures, in order to stay within the limitations of your entry-level camera, An eclipse is not a sporting event. You're not trying to capture the exact millisecond when the steeplechase runner's foot clips the barrier. Eclipses are slow, and multiple pictures taken in rapid succession are a waste of effort.

Remember that National Geographic photographers and other serious professionals, all of whom are far better equipped than you are, will be there too. Competing with them is a fool's errand. You should set up your camera and tripod, capture what you see as the light changes, and hope to come away with good enough results to make it all worthwhile. You're much more likely to get pictures worth showing to your grandchildren if you don't try to overstretch yourself and your equipment.