Creating a wireless manual camera shutter release

I have been working on a project that involves setting up a manual camera on tripod and taking pictures of objects/people. One of the restrictions that I have for this project is that I have to be near the camera constantly in order to take the picture. I have wanted to create a wireless manual camera shutter release for some time now. Basically a tool that allows me to take pictures remotely with a manual film camera. The only problem is that no one makes them! So I wanted to create a small tool using the expansive adruino system to do just that. There are shutter releases, that can 'extend' the shutter button (the button that snaps the picture). One is pictured below courtesy of glaringnotebook.com

As you can when you press the button a small rod appears out of the tip. I want a linear actuator (or something equivalent) to press the shutter release (so my hand doesnt have to) and then quickly depress it. It also has to be controlled through a wireless remote (maybe I could even connect it to a ipod or my phone). It has to have enough torq and speed to simulate a quick thumb press. Its really important that as soon as I want to take a picture I can, and there is no lag in the mechanics.

I was looking at the "Firgelli Technologies PQ12 Actuator 20mm, 30:1, 12V" but I wasn't sure if that actuator would fit my specifications. Any thoughts and suggestions? Also what other components would I need to make this possible?

For those of you who aren't too familiar with manual film cameras, the shutter release gets screwed into the shutter button of a manual camera (all manual cameras have them). Below is an diagram of the setup

Two things...

  1. I know it may be difficult but a definition of "quickly" may get you better / more responses. What are the objects/people doing? Racecar traveling at 220 miles per hour? Possum hanging in a tree? Old farts playing checkers? Australian Terrier chasing a rat?

  2. Were I in your shoes, at least initially, I would try to include some sort of buffer in the actuator like a spring or rubber pad. Your thumb includes a feedback mechanism so you know when you reach the limit of the trigger. Your thumb's padding and feedback allow you to operate the trigger without damaging the camera.

It's been a while but I got some great advice from someone about how to do this -- a solenoid. I would just need to measure the amount of push power req'd in order to get the right solenoid(easiest way to measure this would be to get a spring, measure the compression, and then compress the spring over a scale the same amount). Then I would attach the solenoid to a wireless transmitter and have it push the shutter button directly. Very simple, although I haven't gotten around to doing it. Thanks for response though.

It may also be possible to mount a small servo pressing the button. If you slowly increase the angle of the servo until the camera takes a picture you can use that angle in programming to take pictures. To be safe you could mount the servo in such way that it only results in taking a picture when the servo is fully swung.

Must say I've only operated electronic camera's lately, but wouldn't a small barrier underneath the button also be enough to prevent damage ?

Did you ever build this? I'm about to build something similar for my 4x5 and 8x10 film cameras. I'm basically using a solenoid and an RF remote from Adafruit.

It's been a while but I got some great advice from someone about how to do this -- a solenoid. I would just need to measure the amount of push power req'd in order to get the right solenoid(easiest way to measure this would be to get a spring, measure the compression, and then compress the spring over a scale the same amount). Then I would attach the solenoid to a wireless transmitter and have it push the shutter button directly. Very simple, although I haven't gotten around to doing it. Thanks for response though.

If I was to build this, I would get a relativly longish cable release and rig the solenoid to that, that way the bulk of the mechanism can be clamped to the tripod rather than perched on the camera itself.

The cable rlease is basicly a long steel wire in a sheath with one end that screwed onto the shutter button of a film camera and the other end traditionally hand held to trigger the camera without imparing camera shake caused by pressing the shutter button directly with a finger. attaching a linear moving solenoid to the button itself on the hand held end of the cable release. The solenoid housing and the housing of the hand end of the release would have to be mounted to a common frame.

Another way around the problem could be to use a air-release (does the same as a cable release but has a squeeze bulb which uses pneumatic pressure to press it's pin at the camera end). I have used these to press the electric remote control button on DSLR's withe a bracket holding the two in position. If you used this method, a solenoid controlled valve would be required to control a compressed air supply.