Timer remote controller for Canon T2i

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dalethompson

Well-known member
I was looking on ebay for a Intervalometer / Timer controller so I can do some time lapse scenes with my Canon T2i and came across a whole bunch such as this listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280383124180&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123

I can't really afford the official Canon Intervalometer and I know Philip Bloom mentioned in one of his blogs to check on ebay for a cheaper one (this one is 1/4 the price of the Canon).

Has anyone bought a something like this from ebay (not necessarily this brand or seller but something similar) and, if so, can you recommend it?

TIA,
Dale
 
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dalethompson said:
I was looking on ebay for a Intervalometer / Timer controller so I can do some time lapse scenes with my Canon T2i and came across a whole bunch such as this listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280383124180&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123

I can't really afford the official Canon Intervalometer and I know Philip Bloom mentioned in one of his blogs to check on ebay for a cheaper one (this one is 1/4 the price of the Canon).

Has anyone bought a something like this from ebay (not necessarily this brand or seller but something similar) and, if so, can you recommend it?

TIA,
Dale
Click to expand...

There are a lot of timers out just look on ebay. I don't know if the plug input is the same as the 7D / 5D /500D timers. I'm also setting up an intervalometer for my 550D, but found a few problems that I haven't resolved yet. I've been working with a 35mm ARRI hooked up to a Norris and hoped to get 5K raw timelapse out of my little 550D but it may not be all that easy.

Some thinga to be aware of.

1. The mirror lockup is designed to lock then wait 2 seconds until it takes the shot which may leave too big a gap between your shots if you want a one frame per second timelapse.

2. If you shoot conventionally, the mirror will flip up so your may need a fast exposure to avoid camera shake. Depending on your lens and support.

3. Shooting conventionally uses up battery power and has limited high rez shots per card so your sequence may be limited to 10 to 20 seconds of playback.

4. I shoot night time exposure timelapse where my exposure may be 2 to 5 seconds with 1/8 sec advancing to the next frame so my sequence will be very smooth and continuous. It seems no matter which way you go the mirror wants to go through it's cycle on each shot. This is sure to cause some shake which would translate to a fizzy ghosting.

The timers may just trigger the camera to shoot continusly with no 2 sec delay as with the mirror lockup. In this case it will be fine to shoot at a faster shutter speed in daylight.
Let me know what you find out and I will do the same.
Thanks
 
I am also looking for a low price 3rd party intervalometer (timer remote shutter) on ebay for my soon-to-be-delivered T2i! Can someone please confirm what type of intervalometer will work with the T2i? I am guessing that if I buy one that was meant for the rest of the Rebel line of cameras, it will work with the T2i. And that the 7d intervalometer will NOT work on the T2i.
Thanks for any help!
 
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laherrera5 said:
I am also looking for a low price 3rd party intervalometer (timer remote shutter) on ebay for my soon-to-be-delivered T2i! Can someone please confirm what type of intervalometer will work with the T2i? I am guessing that if I buy one that was meant for the rest of the Rebel line of cameras, it will work with the T2i. And that the 7d intervalometer will NOT work on the T2i.
Thanks for any help!
Click to expand...

I just recieved my T2i today and found that my Canon timer won't work with it!!! :Drogar-Shock(DBG):

Wow! What a piss off.

How about an adapter?
 
John Novotny said:
I just recieved my T2i today and found that my Canon timer won't work with it!!! :Drogar-Shock(DBG):

Wow! What a piss off.

How about an adapter?
Click to expand...

I just bought a Meike straight shutter release which has what looks like a mini stereo plug that goes in the side of the 550D. The other timers are made for higher price units like the 50D. I think they left that plug input out of the 550D.
No worries, just get a straight cable shutter release like the Meika for 12 bucks and start shooting timelapse by hand for now till something better comes along. I shot for years that way in film before getting a Norris. It works and you can start now.
 
I just received a timer remote off of Ebay and I got to say its crap. Really cheap build and it only has partial function. I can only get the interval function to work, not the exposure release time, or number of shots. It seems its glitching out with the camera in that every time it takes a picture it waits 2 seconds for the after-picture preview which also eats up time between exposures. Also, if I set it to take say 5 pictures, it might take 3 or 2 depending on what it feels like. I tried changing the camera to every single setting and it still doesn't work. I'm convinced its cheap electronics not communicating with the camera correctly.

Rockmore, are there certain settings I should be putting the camera to?

Here is the link to the one I bought off Ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...778032&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_4658wt_845

You'll notice that there are many timer remotes like this on Ebay, some will just have slight differences in appearance, lettering.
 
longshanks:

I ordered something very similar to the one you got and I got mine to work fine on the weekend. The manual that came with mine was translated OK (not the best but I mostly understood it), I had to play around with it lots though. I was able to set mine for unlimited pics for 15 mins at a pic every two seconds and tried out a few other functions on it (haven't used it yet to take a specific amount of pictures yet).

If you want, I can try and send you the instructions for it (in proper English).

What camera do you have?
 
I have the T2i and the interval function works sometimes and number of pictures. Just the exposure time will not work. Which kind of renders the whole item as useless IMO.

Is there a setting I should be putting the camera to? (Manual)
 
longshanks said:
I just received a timer remote off of Ebay and I got to say its crap. Really cheap build and it only has partial function. I can only get the interval function to work, not the exposure release time, or number of shots. It seems its glitching out with the camera in that every time it takes a picture it waits 2 seconds for the after-picture preview which also eats up time between exposures. Also, if I set it to take say 5 pictures, it might take 3 or 2 depending on what it feels like. I tried changing the camera to every single setting and it still doesn't work. I'm convinced its cheap electronics not communicating with the camera correctly.

Rockmore, are there certain settings I should be putting the camera to?
Click to expand...

Looks like there is also trouble shooting timelspse by hand with the cable release. I shot some sequences of clouds at 250th sec and the exposure is not always consistent. I shot some 1 sec night timelapse by hand and it looks better.
I guess we have to keep looking for a quality timer the works.
 
Ok,

I think it was my error, not the cheap timer remote. I kept rolling the shutter dial until it hit the 'BULB' mode. I knew it had to be in BULB mode, but I just assumed it went into that mode automatically when I plugged in the remote. Hope this helps others figure it out if they find themselves in the same situation.
 
longshanks:

good news for sure. Sorry, I was going to get back to you on this too but you figured it out anyway. My remote works, I know it does, the instructions are simple at best in terms of how they describe what button does what. I have to play around with mine so more as well.
 
timer question

timer question

Hi guys;

Mr. Longshanks, are you saying this ebay timer now works ok? I am considering to buy it. WHat is this setting mode in the T2i you are refering to that you di dwrong? I am new to this, just bought the T2i with a sigma IS 18-200 mm lens.
 
Can't remember exactly as I haven't done a timelapse in a while. I think you set the camera to M or Av and roll the shutter dial till it says BULB.
 
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