DIY LANC trigger

[David C Wright]

I have a older Wein rcm5000 trigger that I used years ago on a film camera. It has a continuous position, so when you trigger the unit remotely, it turns on. Fire a remote again, it turns off. It has a mini jack connector, but unlike a LANC has just two connections. Essentially it just completes a connection when triggered.

I am wondering whether I could make a cable that would allow me to trigger a Canon XF105 with this unit. Is it possible to simply make a continuous connection through a LANC cable and have the camera record, break the connection and have the camera go back into to stand-by.

Thanks

[Chris Soucy]

Hi, David.............

Not quite as simple as it sounds, unfortunately.

When you press the Record button on a camera remote connected via Lanc, the remote sends a coded message to the camera to initiate Record mode.

When you press it again, it sends the same message which causes it to stop recording.

If the trigger unit you have can be configured to provide a short circuit at both the "start record" and "stop record" points, then you could modify a standard Lanc remote controller by wiring a case mounted socket wired directly across the "Record" button on the controller, which is plug connected to your trigger.

Basically you now have an "off remote" remote for the "Record" function.

However, this bit has me stumped:

"Fire a remote again, it turns off."

What remote does this refer to?

This bit:

"Is it possible to simply make a continuous connection through a LANC cable and have the camera record, break the connection and have the camera go back into to stand-by."

is a bit of a "I don't think so".

As far am I am aware, it takes two seperate trigger events to operate the "Record/ Stop Record" function via Lanc.

However, IF your external trigger can provide the necessary AND you have the electronics and build skills to make the necessary adaptions to the remote controller, it seems eminately possible.

Big IF's and AND's there, though.


CS